2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog
Majors
The Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research administers the women's studies program, which offers students the opportunity to investigate how questions of gender and sexuality shape the human experience in the United States and abroad, from the past to the present. By taking a wide range of interdisciplinary courses, students in the major receive excellent preparation for graduate or professional schools, as well as for careers in education, human relations, communications and media, politics, law and social services.
Students may choose from one of three tracks in the major: the general concentration, the concentration in theories and politics of sexuality or a concentration in gender and international development.
The major requires 30 credits of coursework in women's studies' core and elective courses, at least 27 hours of which must be at the 3000-4000 level. All 30 hours must be completed with a grade of C or better and all must be taken at UF, although students may petition the program to accept 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.
Students are encouraged to fulfill some of the requirements with appropriate study-abroad courses and may petition the program to count courses outside of WST toward the major if they have significant (greater than 50 percent) gender content. Because the major is so flexible, students should use the approved plan of study form (available on the CWSGR website) to plan and track their progress through the degree.
Core requirements for all majors, regardless of concentration, are Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies (WST 3015), Transnational Feminisms (WST 3415) and Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies (WST 4935). WST 3015 must be taken before admission to the major. Students generally take WST 4935 during the senior year.
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
Concentration in Theories and Politics of Sexuality
Concentration in Gender and International Development
Students in the general concentration tailor their coursework for maximum exposure to the various issues covered by Women's Studies scholarship. In addition to the core requirements, they take nine credit hours of WST-electives focused on humanities, nine credit hours of WST-electives focused on social science and three credit hours of either a gender and science-focused course or an internship (WST 4940).
The concentration in theories and politics of sexuality introduces students to new ways of theorizing sex, sexual identities, and the significance of sexualities in social organization. In addition to taking the three core courses, students take a required three-credit sexualities course, either LIT 4844 (Queer Theory) or WST 4641 (Lesbian and Gay Studies). Their remaining 18 hours are drawn from an approved list of TPS electives.
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-focused courses.
Course Offerings: Many courses offered in other departments are approved for women's studies credit. Students should check the CWSGR website and the WST undergraduate coordinator for a more complete listing each semester.
Double Majors and Dual Degree: The double major or dual degree-a WST degree combined with one in another program-is advisable for many students. Students must follow the WST distribution requirements within their track, but may count up to 15 credits earned in another department towards the WST major, provided those courses are approved within women's studies.
Community College Articulation: All community college students are required to complete their Associate of Arts degree. Transfer students may incorporate at least six credit hours in approved coursework dealing with women's issues in the humanities, social sciences or sciences.
Critical-tracking courses: Women'ssStudies is a flexible major without a specific gateway course or prerequisites for upper-division courses. In addition to maintaining a 2.0 UF GPA overall, students should take one women's studies class in their third, fourth and fifth semesters (two of the three should be at the 3000 level) and earn a 2.5 GPA in those classes.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
| 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, which offers students the opportunity to investigate how questions of gender and sexuality shape the human experience in the United States and abroad, from the past to the present. By taking a wide range of interdisciplinary courses, students in the major receive excellent preparation for graduate or professional schools, as well as for careers in education, human relations, communications and media, politics, law and social services.
Students may choose from one of three tracks in the major: the general concentration, the concentration in theories and politics of sexuality or a concentration in gender and international development.
Requirements for the Major
The major requires 30 credits of coursework in women's studies' core and elective courses, at least 27 hours of which must be at the 3000-4000 level. All 30 hours must be completed with a grade of C or better and all must be taken at UF, although students may petition the program to accept 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.
Students are encouraged to fulfill some of the requirements with appropriate study-abroad courses and may petition the program to count courses outside of WST toward the major if they have significant (greater than 50 percent) gender content. Because the major is so flexible, students should use the approved plan of study form (available on the CWSGR website) to plan and track their progress through the degree.
Core requirements for all majors, regardless of concentration, are Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Women's Studies (WST 3015), Transnational Feminisms (WST 3415) and Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies (WST 4935). WST 3015 must be taken before admission to the major. Students generally take WST 4935 during the senior year.
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
Concentration in Theories and Politics of Sexuality
Concentration in Gender and International Development
Students in the general concentration tailor their coursework for maximum exposure to the various issues covered by Women's Studies scholarship. In addition to the core requirements, they take nine credit hours of WST-electives focused on humanities, nine credit hours of WST-electives focused on social science and three credit hours of either a gender and science-focused course or an internship (WST 4940).
The concentration in theories and politics of sexuality introduces students to new ways of theorizing sex, sexual identities, and the significance of sexualities in social organization. In addition to taking the three core courses, students take a required three-credit sexualities course, either LIT 4844 (Queer Theory) or WST 4641 (Lesbian and Gay Studies). Their remaining 18 hours are drawn from an approved list of TPS electives.
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-focused courses.
Course Offerings: Many courses offered in other departments are approved for women's studies credit. Students should check the CWSGR website and the WST undergraduate coordinator for a more complete listing each semester.
Double Majors and Dual Degree: The double major or dual degree-a WST degree combined with one in another program-is advisable for many students. Students must follow the WST distribution requirements within their track, but may count up to 15 credits earned in another department towards the WST major, provided those courses are approved within women's studies.
Community College Articulation: All community college students are required to complete their Associate of Arts degree. Transfer students may incorporate at least six credit hours in approved coursework dealing with women's issues in the humanities, social sciences or sciences.
Critical-tracking courses: Women'ssStudies is a flexible major without a specific gateway course or prerequisites for upper-division courses. In addition to maintaining a 2.0 UF GPA overall, students should take one women's studies class in their third, fourth and fifth semesters (two of the three should be at the 3000 level) and earn a 2.5 GPA in those classes.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
Semester 1:
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
Semester 2:
- Maintain 2.0 UF GPA
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 coursework
Semester 5:
- Complete 2 additional women's studies courses with a 2.5 GPA in all critical-tracking coursework (at least two of the three courses must have been at the 3000 level or above)
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4-5 |
| Mathematics (GE-M) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 13-14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| Foreign language | 3-5 |
| 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 |
| Elective | 6-3 |
| Total | 16-15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| One approved WST course | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option) | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| One approved WST course | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Mathematics (GE-M) | 3 |
| Physical Science (GE-P) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| 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 WST course | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| 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 WST 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 7 | Credits |
| Two WST-approved courses (3000 level or above) | 6 |
| Elective | 4 |
| Electives (3000 level or above) | 6 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| WST 4935 Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies | 3 |
| One WST approved course (3000 level or above) | 3 |
| Electives (3000 level or above) | 9 |
| Total | 15 |