Program Description The field of Women’s Studies encourages students to analyze and to re-imagine the seemingly familiar worlds of women’s lives. The program adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the study of women, gender, and sexuality by working across boundaries within the humanities and social sciences. It is guided by feminist theoretical insight into different forms of power, inequality, and privilege. Students investigate the construction not only of gender, but also of race, class, and sexuality. They examine not only the present but also the past, not only the United States but also today’s increasingly global, transnational world. Students will develop the skills to interpret and to analyze systems of oppression and, ultimately, to work toward a more just human society. From course content and assignments to ethical questions about the conditions of women around the world, the Women's Studies program embodies a commitment to women in all their diversity and reflects our conviction that women must be active agents in defining themselves and creating knowledge.
Students who minor or major in women’s studies enroll both in courses housed entirely in the program and in courses offered in other disciplines. Faculty who teach in the program include representatives from departments throughout the college. A minor or major in women’s studies supports career choices in human services, education, business, public policy, and other fields calling for social and historical awareness, critical thinking, and engagement with human diversity.
Students examine a range of feminist theories that address not only gender but also race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, nationality, and other differences.
Goals for Student Achievement in the Women's Studies Program
For more information, please contact:
Professor Jennifer Zachman
Coordinator, Program in Women’s Studies
Regina Hall, Saint Mary’s College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 284-5388
jzachman@saintmarys.edu
