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Office of the University Registrar

2009-10 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, 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 a minimum of 18 hours must be taken at UF, although students may petition the program to accept up to 12 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 prepare 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

General Concentration

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).

Concentration in Theories and Politics of Sexuality

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 3930 (Sexualities Studies). Their remaining 18 hours are drawn from an approved list of TPS 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-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 up to 12 credit hours in approved course work dealing with women's issues in the humanities, social sciences or sciences.

Critical-tracking courses: Women's studies 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 and fourth semesters and two classes in the fifth semester, one of which must be WST 3015 or WST 3415 (three of the four 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, including WST 3015 or WST 3415, with a 2.5 GPA in all critical-tracking coursework (at least three of the four courses must have been at the 3000 level or above)

For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements — Structure of a CLAS Degree.

Recommended semester plan

Semester 1Credits
Composition (GE-C, WR)3
Elective3
Foreign language4-5
Mathematics (GE-M)3
Total 13-14
Semester 2Credits
Elective6-3
Foreign language3-5
Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or GE-B)3
Physical or Biological Science Laboratory (GE-P or GE-B)1
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) or Humanities (GE-H) 3
Total 16-15
Semester 3Credits
Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option)3
Electives3
Humanities (GE-H)3
One approved WST course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Total 15
Semester 4Credits
Elective3
Mathematics (GE-M)3
One approved WST course3
Physical Science (GE-P)3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) 3
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 WST course3
Biological Science (GE-B)3
Electives3
Humanities (GE-H)3
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 WST course (3000 level or above)3
Composition (GE-C, WR)3
Elective (3000 level or above)3
Physical Science (GE-P)3
Total 15
Semester 7Credits
Two WST-approved courses (3000 level or above)6
Elective4
Electives (3000 level or above)6
Total 16
Semester 8Credits
WST 4935 Capstone Seminar in Women's Studies3
One WST approved course (3000 level or above)3
Electives (3000 level or above)9
Total 15