Women and Gender Studies Specialization

"My masters work has mainly focused on the psychological development of women and girls as well as social and cultural contexts in which women and girls are marginalized."
-Dawn White, 2007

Working closely with a faculty mentor, students create a degree that provides an opportunity to deepen a focus or build upon a theme. As a result, graduates are prepared to be dynamic leaders capable of applying feminist theory to real world problems. Students begin their program with Ways of Knowing: How We Make Meaning and People and Place: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and complete their program with Praxis:Integrating Theory into Practice and Thesis/Integrative Final Project.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

GINTD 5011
Ways of Knowing: How We Make Meaning
Interdisciplinary explorations of how we know what we know - modes of inquiry in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences and their application in academic disciplines. Addresses how we learn from the past, new methods that influence the disciplines, and approaches for individualized research projects.

GINTD 5012:
People and Place: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Development of understanding of interdisciplinary study through readings, discussion, writing, and creation of a case study developed around a theme. Interdisciplinary Studies students design their degree study plans.

GINTD 6043
Feminist Thought: Multiple Perspectives
The course explores current and past ideas about feminism and gender using a multi-disciplinary perspective. Feminist theories, controversies, and political movements will e examined using a global perspective. Feminist research methods will be discussed such as biography, arts-based research, historical methods and social sciences. Course papers and projects will synthesize readings. Both collaborative presentations and individual research on a selected topic are expected.

GINTD 6999
Directed Study
Students work with a faculty member to design an directed study that supports their specialization.

GINTD 7001
Praxis
Students near the completion of their Master's work in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program assess their learning and reflect on the relationship of that learning to current and planned professional practice. The final paper raises issues related to the final thesis project or internship.

GINTD 7500
Thesis/Integrative Final Project
Students in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program complete a thesis or a project as the culmination of their program of study. Students lay the foundation for professional advancement and further study and reflection.