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Mission Statement
The interdisciplinary minor offered through the Gender and Women’s Studies program at Columbia College encourages students to recognize how gender and women’s studies in theory and in practice serve as powerful tools toward social transformation, on both a local and global scale. As its curriculum demonstrates, the program brings the question of gender formation to the forefront of critical interdisciplinary investigations through the combination of academic study and experiential learning. Gender as it intersects with other crucial components of identity construction—such as sexuality, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion and age—is explored through such differing and yet complementary perspectives as literature, sociology, psychology, philosophy, history, political science, art, and dance, to name only a few.

The Minor in Women’s Studies at Columbia College (16 semester hours)
Required Courses

Gender and Women’s Studies 300 (GWS 300)
Gender and Women’s Studies 399 Leadership Semester (1 semester hour)

Electives (12 semester hours) chosen from the following:

Art 364, History of Art: Women Artists

Communication 360, Gender and Communication
English 340, American Women Writers
English 355, British Women Writers
French 451, Women in French Literature
History 215, The American Woman
History 340, American Women Leaders
History 405, Women in the Third World
History 435, Women in European History
LA 201, Sophomore Seminar
LA 301, Women, Leadership and Social Change
Philosophy 200, Women and Philosophy
Political Science 201, Women, Leadership, and Public Policy
Political Science 350, Women and Politics
Political Science 405, Women of the Third World
Psychology/Sociology 235, Psychology and Sociology of Gender
Psychology 210, Psychology of Sexual Behavior
Religion 255, Women and Religion
Spanish 451, Hispanic Women Writers
OR courses approved by the Directors of the Gender and Women’s Studies Program

Importance of a minor in GWS

Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the GWS minor complements many majors and provides essential background knowledge for careers across the domains, for example counseling, healthcare, law, medicine, and business. Minors in GWS have the opportunity to apply for and receive several awards and scholarships.