Women’s and Gender Studies
Division VI Chair: M. Mendel-Reyes
Program Chair: P. Rivage-Seul
Faculty: L. Strong-Leek, Q. Mason, and W. Williams
Website: http://www.berea.edu/wgs/
Courses: WGS Courses
Major/Minor Requirements: Women’s and Gender Studies B.A.; Women’s and Gender Studies Minor
Women’s and Gender Studies is an important field of inquiry that arose from the effort to understand gender roles and women’s historic struggle for justice throughout the world. The Women’s and Gender Studies Program explores the diverse experiences, contributions, and perspectives of women and men, offers an interdisciplinary approach to the examination of the cultural construction of gender, and provides a feminist critique of dominant power relationships in the global community (familial, social, economic, and political), as well as an opportunity to manifest Berea College’s commitment to gender equity. The Interdisciplinary Academic Program offers both a major and a minor program in Women’s and Gender Studies.
In addition to supporting students' achievement of the Aims of General Education, the Women's and Gender Studies Program seeks to assist students in meeting the following learning goals and associated learning outcomes:
Learning Goal 1: Thinking critically about gender, patriarchy, and interracial feminism
Learning Outcome 1.1: Critically examine assumptions about gender in scholarly, popular, public, and interpersonal discourse.
Learning Outcome 1.2: Employ theoretical paradigms and interpretive strategies with regard to gender and race.
Learning Outcome 1.3: Demonstrate a critical understanding of patriarchal social systems, including the systemic devaluation, and subordination of women.
Learning Outcome 1.4: Distinguish between the many understandings of the term “feminism,” as diversely employed in various generic and historical contexts.
Learning Goal 2: Hone writing and research skills for interdisciplinary gender analysis.
Learning Outcome 2.1: Utilize writing as a critical and interpretive tool of gender analysis.
Learning Outcome 2.2: Construct essays on issues relevant to the study of women and gender that utilize multiple styles of reasoning and pluralistic methods of argumentation appropriate to the discipline.
Learning Outcome 2.3: Conduct formal and informal gender research utilizing a variety of interdisciplinary fields and approaches.
Learning outcome 2.4: Produce original scholarly and/or artistic work that brings together diverse knowledge and perspectives from the discipline
Learning Goal 3: Develop a global awareness of and appreciation for diversity related to women’s and gender issues.
Learning Outcome 3.1: Demonstrate an awareness of the daily lives and experiences of women across cultures.
Learning Outcome 3.2: Engage in an ongoing critique of women’s social and cultural history.
Learning Outcome 3.3: Evaluate the intersection of issues of gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, religion, and class.
Learning Outcome 3.4: Evaluate women’s varied relations to patriarchy.
Learning Goal 4: Experience Women’s Power and Empowerment
Learning Outcome 4.1: Articulate an enhanced personal empowerment through integrating the diverse areas of the discipline, challenging and interpreting scholarship on gender through shared inquiry in the classroom.
Learning Outcome 4.2: Consider feminism beyond mere equal rights concerns to a more complete woman-centered perspective that values women’s specific contributions and ideas.
Learning Goal 5: Develop and enhance awareness of personal responsibility to undertake social action
Learning Outcome 5.1: Engage in activities promoting social justice related to women‘s collective interests.
Learning Outcome 5.2: Translate theory into practice (particularly in service to the needs of women and girls) and/or in advocacy of women’s issues.
Women and Gender Studies Course Sequencing Table:
Please be aware that the table below represents current planning and is subject to change based on faculty availability and student interest. It is not meant to represent any guarantee to the student that the courses will be offered in the term in which they are currently planned.* Offered as student interest and faculty availability permit
* As student interest and faculty availability allow