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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences |
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Courses |
Women's StudiesInterim chair: Lauren Rabinovitz (American Studies/Cinema and Comparative Literature)Professors: Susan Birrell (Health and Sport Studies/Women's Studies/American Studies), Jennifer Glass (Sociology/Women's Studies), Ellen Lewin (Women's Studies/Anthropology) Associate professors: Meena Khandelwal (Anthropology/Women's Studies), Leslie Schwalm (History/Women's Studies), Rosemarie Scullion (French and Italian/Women's Studies) Associate professor emerita: Sue Lafky Lecturer: Naomi Greyser Undergraduate degree: B.A. in Women's Studies Undergraduate nondegree program: Minor in Women's Studies Graduate degree: Ph.D. in Women's Studies Web site: http://www.uiowa.edu/~women Women's studies is a multidisciplinary department focusing on the study of women in culture, society, history, and literature. Its major goal is to bring to the University community new research on women and gender--research frequently overlooked by traditional disciplines. By taking courses through many departments, students become acquainted with feminist scholarship and its methodologies in the humanities and the social sciences. Faculty from across the University participate in the Department of Women's Studies as affiliated faculty members (for a complete list, see the department's web site). Other University of Iowa faculty members occasionally offer courses and participate in the department's research, study, and interdisciplinary activities. Undergraduate ProgramsThe department offers a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in women's studies.Bachelor of ArtsThe Bachelor of Arts in women's studies requires 35 s.h. in the major. It emphasizes breadth, depth, and interdisciplinary study. Objectives of the major include knowledge of the field's history, facility with major theoretical debates, knowledge of feminist issues outside the United States and Western Europe, knowledge of one major area of feminist scholarly concern, and familiarity with debates in other areas. Students apply this knowledge to an individual research project in their senior year.Students may declare the major in women's studies at any time. They are advised by the Academic Advising Center until they have completed 131:010 or 131:055. Transfer credit is evaluated case-by-case and is limited to 9 s.h. The required 35 s.h. of course work in the major includes the undergraduate core and 18 s.h. of electives. It culminates in the senior research seminar. Other requirements for the major include 2 s.h. of practicum work that reflects the importance of community needs and current social issues in framing questions of women's studies scholarship and in assessing the usefulness of relevant research. The B.A. requires the following. UNDERGRADUATE COREThe B.A. core consists of six courses (17 s.h.). Two introductory courses (131:010 and 131:055) are prerequisites for all other courses in the major; they orient students to the major conceptual areas that constitute women's studies as an interdisciplinary field. Gender, Race, and Class in the U.S. (131:055) introduces basic issues of race, class, and gender systems in the United States and provides a foundation for the majors in women's studies. Students take 131:199 Senior Research Seminar in their last semester.The undergraduate core is as follows.
*Students who took 131:010 Introduction to Women's Studies before fall 2004 for 4 s.h. need only 1 s.h. of practicum work. ELECTIVESIn addition to the undergraduate core, each student chooses 18 s.h. (six courses) of additional course work, 12 s.h. of which must be upper-level courses chosen in consultation with the student's advisor. Only 6 s.h. of the elective courses may be chosen from lower-level courses, and those must be courses with women's studies course numbers.Students are encouraged to pursue a course of study that emphasizes both breadth and depth. Students should choose a focus area of at least three or four courses in an area in which they would like to gain deeper knowledge. The area may be within a specific discipline, such as literature, anthropology, or history, which will be especially useful for double majors. Students may count up to three courses they have taken to complete a second major toward the major in women's studies. The specialization area need not be limited to a traditional discipline. Students may seek more specialized education in fields such as sexuality studies or international issues. Breadth also is important; advisors direct students who have taken several courses in one area to take additional electives in another area. Electives may be chosen from courses offered or cross-referenced in women's studies or from courses in other departments approved for the major. For a list of approved courses, contact the Department of Women's Studies or visit its web site. Students may request permission to use other upper-level courses as women's studies electives. At least half of the course content must address gender, and as much as possible, the student's written and other work in the course should focus on gender. For more information on requesting permission to use a course, contact the Department of Women's Studies undergraduate advisor. Four-Year Graduation PlanThe Women's Studies Department does not participate in the Four-Year Graduation Plan. Students are encouraged to design a graduation plan with their women's studies advisor.HonorsQualified students may work toward a bachelor's degree with honors in women's studies. Honors students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.50 in women's studies course work and a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33. During the semester before they enroll in the required 131:198 Honors Senior Thesis, students must complete an independent research project under a faculty member's supervision. The project provides the basis for their honors thesis. Contact the Department of Women's Studies undergraduate advisor for more information.For information about honors study at Iowa, contact the University of Iowa Honors Program. MinorUndergraduate students may complete a minor in women's studies by taking 15 s.h. of course work chosen from courses associated with the department, with a g.p.a. of at least 2.00. The minor must include 131:010 Introduction to Women's Studies. It also must include 12 s.h. of 100-level course work; or 131:055 Gender, Race, and Class in the U.S. plus 9 s.h. of 100-level course work. It is strongly recommended that students include 131:151 Feminist Theory.Students may not count more than 3 s.h. of course work used to complete a major toward requirements for the women's studies minor. Concentration for NonmajorsNonmajors who are interested in women's studies but who chose not to pursue a minor in the department can take a set of electives. Students contemplating a concentration in women's studies are advised to take 131:010 Introduction to Women's Studies.Graduate ProgramDoctor of PhilosophyThe Doctor of Philosophy in women's studies is committed to feminist research, teaching, and scholarship. It emphasizes the application of theoretical and methodological models developed from the broad range of cultural issues that affect both women and men. While pressing for inclusion of feminist critiques and theories in the curricula of specific disciplines, it also advocates training in interdisciplinary, international feminist approaches.Students who complete their Ph.D. at Iowa are expected to gain a firm grounding in the history of feminist inquiry, histories of feminisms, and feminist pedagogy; the ability to move easily among the disciplines in their research and teaching; and a broad understanding from interdisciplinary work balanced with depth from concentration in a single discipline. The Ph.D. in women's studies requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit, as follows. In order to prepare students to seriously contest traditional practices in a discipline, the program requires a minimum of 18 s.h. in one discipline or interdisciplinary field of inquiry, and close work with a faculty member from that discipline on relevant research projects.
GRADUATE CORE
QUALIFYING PAPERStudents complete a qualifying paper demonstrating their theoretical and methodological strengths and their intellectual development in feminist studies. They write the paper during the fall semester of their second year and submit it at the beginning of the spring semester.COMPREHENSIVE EXAMSOnce students have successfully completed their qualifying papers, they are eligible to begin the three comprehensive exams that show competence in their chosen specializations, as recommended by their advisory committee and approved by the faculty members who oversee the Ph.D. program.The exams may be submitted any time following completion of the qualifying paper, but generally, they are expected after the third year. When they are completed satisfactorily, the student is admitted to candidacy and can begin work toward the dissertation. AdmissionAll applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a g.p.a. of at least 3.00. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to feminist scholarship. A writing sample, a statement of purpose in pursuing the Ph.D., transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate work undertaken, GRE General Test scores, and three letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic work must be submitted before an application can be considered.International applicants must submit a current TOEFL score. The statement of purpose should describe how the applicant sees herself or himself in the world and why he or she wants to pursue graduate study in general and women's studies in particular. The department uses the statement of purpose and the sample of academic writing to evaluate applicants' ability to present their views forcefully and gracefully, as well as their ability to analyze, critique, and interpret. The department does not offer a master's degree. Financial SupportThe department strives to offer financial support to its graduate students. Research assistantships and teaching assistantships also are available through other departments. Students who hold assistantships of one-quarter-time or more pay in-state tuition rates.Courses
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