Allegheny College: Women's Studies Catalogue

Professors DeHart, Dickey, Hellwarth, Quinn, Treckel, Werner, Wesoky, McCullough

Women’s Studies uncovers, documents, and validates the diverse realities of women’s lives, examining the reasons for and consequences of the social distinctions between women and men. Going beyond, and often challenging, the traditional knowledge, methods and theories of other areas of inquiry, women’s studies develops a new and more comprehensive understanding of social relations. The objectives of the major are: 1) to provide a coherent body of scholarship for the study of gender; 2) to critically analyze the historical development of feminist theory; 3) to consider the lives of women across time and culture; and 4) to provide instruction in research methods for investigating gender.

An interdisciplinary, liberal arts program, Women’s Studies draws upon the Departments of Art, Biology, Dance Studies, Communication Arts, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, History, Modern and Classical Languages, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. It permits flexibility in course selection so that students’ individual interests and needs are met, while at the same time encouraging a developmental and substantively focused approach to studies.

The Major

A major in Women’s Studies leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree and requires the completion of a minimum of 36 semester credit hours. At graduation, Women’s Studies majors are required to have a GPA of at least 2.0 in courses submitted in fulfillment of major requirements. All courses required for a Women’s Studies major taken at Allegheny on a letter grade basis are included in the calculation, with the exception of repeated courses for which only the most recent grade counts. Majors need to secure the permission of Professor Rose to take courses for the major program on a Credit/No Credit basis. All majors are required to take Women’s Studies 100, 200, 580 and 620, and five electives. Double majors are possible.

The Minor

A minor in Women’s Studies requires the completion of 20 semester credit hours. It includes Women’s Studies 100, 200, 580 and two courses selected from two of the four areas listed below. As an interdisciplinary minor, Women’s Studies may be combined with majors from any other division: humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences.

Electives

Majors are required to take at least one course from each of the four categories listed below (historical perspectives; representations and images of women; theoretical perspectives; contemporary issues). At least two of the courses must be at the 300-level or above. Majors must consult with a member of the Women’s Studies Steering Committee (Professors Rose, DeHart, Dickey, Hellwarth, Quinn, Treckel, Werner and Wesoky; Ms. McCullough) for assistance in selecting a combination of courses that exhibits substantive integrity.

In addition to the following regularly offered courses, some special topics courses may qualify to be counted in the Women’s Studies program. For more information about elective courses, students may contact Professor Rose or the Registrar’s Office.

1) Historical Perspectives (choose at least one course):
History 336 - History of American Women
History 372 - Race and Ethnicity in Classical Antiquity
History 560 - Witchcraft in Colonial New England
History 562 - The Family in American History
History 564 - Freedom and Justice in the American South
Political Science 235 - Women in U.S. Government and Politics
Political Science 345 - Civil Rights and Liberties
Political Science 428 - Women and War: Feminist Conceptions of National Security

2) Representations and Images of Women (choose at least one course):
Art 330 - The Renaissance Woman
English 211 - Women and Literature
Philosophy 325 - The Body in Western Culture
Spanish 425 - Latin American Women Writers

3) Theoretical Perspectives (choose at least one course):
INTDS 306 - Cultural Construction of Sexuality
INTDS 320 - Science and Transformation of American Life
Philosophy 210 - Oppression and Liberation
Philosophy 340 - Environmental Philosophy
Philosophy 380 - Challenges to Comtemporary Philosophy
Religious Studies 225 - Feminist Theology
Women’s Studies 325 - Topics in Feminist Theory

4) Contemporary Issues (choose at least one course):
Economics 236 - Economics of Gender, Race and Work
Environmental Science 352 - Culture and Environment
Political Science 195 - Ecofeminism
Political Science 230 - Women, Suffrage, Political Participation
Political Science 231 - Women and Public Policy
Psychology 102 - Sex and Gender
Psychology 540 - Internship Seminar (when taken with WS 501 and WS 502)
Women’s Studies 501 - Women’s Services Internship I
Women’s Studies 502 - Women’s Services Internship II

Affiliated Faculty

Professor Carr, Art; Professors Coenen, Kleinschmidt, Wurst, Biology; Professor Murphree, Chemistry; Professors Sinha-Roy and Watkins, Communication Arts; Professors Adams, Bailey, Casler, and LaPointe, Economics; Professors Bomberger, Cabellero, D’Amico, Hellwarth, Miller, Quinn, Rose, and Slote, English; Professor Bensel, Environmental Science; Professor Treckel, History; Professor Lakins, Mathematics; Professors Dodge and Riess, Modern and Classical Languages; Professor Bywater, Philosophy and Religious Studies; Professors Seddig and Wesoky, Political Science; Professors Dickey, Ozorak and Searle-White, Psychology.

An introduction to women's studies that delineates some of the parameters and interdisciplinary connections in feminist scholarship. The evolution of power structures and associated representations of women are explored and the ways in which femininity and masculinity are constructed by cultures are analyzed. In considering the impact of cultures, we explore how the realities of women are influenced by race, class, and sexuality. Factors associated with change are considered, including women's empowerment in the face of asymmetrical gender arrangements.

An examination of debates about contemporary feminist theories with an emphasis on their shifting conceptualizations of gender, race, class and sexual orientation. Feminist critiques of traditional knowledge, methods and theories in other areas of inquiry are examined along with the possibilities for distinctive feminist methodologies. Prerequisite: Women's Studies 100 or permission of the instructor.

An upper division course that focuses upon a specific aspect of feminist theory, a particular theorist, or the evolution of a specific strain of thought within women's studies. This advanced course builds upon a basic understanding of feminist theory while providing for a sustained and concentrated examination of theoretical modes of thought. Possible emphases include: the work of Luce Irigaray; the theoretical basis of eco-feminism; theorizing political and social justice within a feminist context. Prerequisites: Women's Studies 100 and Women's Studies 200. The latter may be taken concurrently.

A two-semester internship at Women's Services, a non-profit social service agency for women and children in Crawford County. Students complete the Women's Services volunteer training during part one of the internship and participate in one or more aspects of the organization's program: advocacy, support, information and referral, community education and crisis intervention. The intern meets regularly with the agency administration for discussion and supervision and has regular conferences with the internship instructor. The intern's performance is evaluated by the on-site supervisor in consultation with the supervising faculty member. In addition, the supervising faculty member evaluates the student's written work consisting of a journal integrating on-site experience with assigned readings. In the context of the corequisite, Psychology 540, the student develops an in-depth research project. The student is expected to take Women's Services Internship II the following semester. The sequence may be begun in either the Fall or Spring semester. Two credit hours. Prerequisites: Women's Studies 100, Psychology 102 or 160, and/or approval of the supervising faculty member. Corequisite: Psychology 540.

An extension of Women's Services Internship I in which the student continues participation in the agency's program and completes the research project, as described above. Two credit hours. Prerequisite: Women's Studies 501. Corequisite: Psychology 540.

Selected topics relating to the study of women from multi-disciplinary and feminist perspectives. Students normally are expected to complete a major research project and to present their research to the seminar in a formal oral presentation. Prerequisites: Women's Studies 100, Women's Studies 200 or permission of the instructor.