This page was designed for view with the newer family of browsers. Please pardon the unstyled format of this page.

Office of the University Registrar

Registrar Services
Registrar Services

2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog

Majors

Women's Studies
College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Hours for the Degree: 120
Concentrations: General Concentration, Theories and Politics of Sexuality, Gender and International Development
Minor: Yes
Combined-Degree Program: Yes
Website: www.wst.ufl.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate.html

The Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research administers the women's studies program. The program offers a general concentration, a concentration in theories and politics of sexuality and a concentration in gender and international development.

When choosing a concentration, a plan of study must be completed. At least 24 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level and a minimum of 30-33 credit hours in women's studies core and elective courses. Required courses for all majors are Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies (WST 3015), Transnational Feminisms (WST 3415) and Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies (WST 4935). Before admission to the major, WST 3015 must be taken. In the senior year, WST 4935 must be completed.

Women's studies prepares students for a broad range of employment and graduate or professional study. Graduates may work as social workers, therapists, attorneys, journalists, political analysts, counselors, college professors, television producers, union organizers or fundraisers for women's organizations.

General Concentration

The general concentration allows students to tailor their course work for maximum exposure to the various issues covered by women's studies scholarship.

In addition to the core requirements, students in the general concentration must take at least nine credit hours of approved humanities courses, nine credit hours of approved social science courses and three credit hours of internship (WST 4940) and/or three credit hours of approved gender and science courses.

Concentration in Theories and Politics of Sexuality

A concentration in theories and politics of sexuality emphasizes the history, politics, social structures and biological explanations for sexualities.

In addition to the core requirements, students take a 3-credit core course, either SYD/WST 4930 (Lesbian and Gay Studies) or WST 4641 (Queer Theory and Cultural Politics), and an additional 18 hours drawn from an approved list of electives.

Concentration in Gender and International Development

This concentration emphasizes the history, politics, social structures, economic and environmental aspects of women's and men's experience of international economic development and globalization.

In addition to the core requirements, students must take at least 21 credit hours of approved international/diversity focus courses.

Students are encouraged to fulfill some of the requirements for all three concentrations with appropriate study-abroad courses.

Requirements for the Major
  • Majors must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in women's studies core and elective courses with grades of C or better. Of these, at least 24 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level.
  • The three required courses for all majors are WST 3015 Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies, WST 3415 Transnational Feminisms and WST 4935 Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies. WST 4935 should be taken in the senior year.
  • Students are required to have a minimum 2.0 GPA in courses taken for credit in the major by the time of graduation.
  • Transfer students must take a minimum of 30 hours of women's studies courses at the University of Florida or petition the program for up to six transfer credits.

To ensure a good grasp of the content, theories and methods of women's studies scholarship, students will take courses from a variety of disciplines in addition to those offered under the WST designator.

Course Offerings: Many courses offered in other departments are approved for women's studies credit. Students should check the website and the WST undergraduate adviser for a more complete listing. Students may petition the WST undergraduate adviser to add a course that does not appear on the list. All WST approved courses must include at least 50 percent gender-related content in the syllabus.

Community College Articulation: All community college students are required to complete their Associate of Arts degrees. Transfer students may incorporate at least six credit hours in approved course work dealing with women's issues in the humanities, social sciences or sciences.

Critical Tracking and Semester Plan

Semester 1:

  • 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5

Semester 2:

  • Maintain 2.0 UF GPA
  • Complete one women's studies course

Semester 3:

  • Maintain 2.0 UF GPA
  • Complete one women's studies course

Semester 4:

  • Complete 1 additional women's studies course with a 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking course work (at least two of the women's studies courses must have been at the 3000 level or above)

Semester 5:

  • Complete 2 additional women's studies courses with a 2.5 GPA in all critical-tracking course work (at least three of the four courses must have been at the 3000 level or above)

Suggested semester-by-semester plan

Semester 1Credits
Composition (GE-C, WR)3
Foreign language4-5
Mathematics (GE-M)3
Elective3
Total 13-14
Semester 2Credits
Foreign language3-5
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) or Humanities (GE-H) 3
Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or GE-B)3
Physical or Biological Science Laboratory (GE-P or GE-B)1
Electives6-3
Total 16-15
Semester 3Credits
One approved WS course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option)3
Humanities (GE-H)3
Elective3
Total 15
Semester 4Credits
One approved WS course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) 3
Mathematics (GE-M)3
Physical Science (GE-P)3
Elective3
Total 15
Semester 5Credits
WST 3015 Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies (GE-H, D or GE-S, D) or
WST 3415 Transnational Feminisms (GE-N, S)
3
One additional WS course3
Humanities (GE-H)3
Biological Science (GE-B)3
Elective3
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
WST 3015 Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies (GE-H, D or GE-S, D) or
WST 3415 Transnational Feminisms (GE-N, S)
3
One additional WS course (3000 level or above)3
Physical Science (GE-P)3
Composition (GE-C, WR)3
Elective (3000 level or above)3
Total 15
Semester 7Credits
Two WST approved courses (3000 level or above)6
Electives4
Electives (3000 level or above)6
Total 16
Semester 8Credits
WST 4935 Capsone Seminar in Women's Studies3
One WST approved course (3000 level or above)3
Electives (3000 level or above)9
Total 15