Westminster's Gender Studies Program

Westminster College offers a minor in Gender Studies, an interdisciplinary academic field that has produced some of the most influential and groundbreaking cultural theory. Most of gender studies scholarship engages cross-cultural approaches to gender and explores how gender intersects with class, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

The Gender Studies minor is designed to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and the world in which you live, sharpen your critical thinking skills, and prepare you for careers in business, industry, government, academic settings, or any career and personal pursuit.

Program Description

The interdisciplinary minor in gender studies provides students with the opportunity to understand and analyze critically the impact of sex and gender on individuals, communities, and societies. While integrating the examination of gender with various fields of study, the minor features different theories of feminist and masculinity studies. Some courses focus exclusively on women or on men, while others emphasize broader issues relevant to both genders. The minor is based on an inclusive framework that encourages and supports an emphasis on issues of race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and culture.

Sample Topics of Study

• Gender and Power
• Sex and Sexuality
• Marriage and Family
• Love and Relationships
• Representations of Gender in the Media
• Gender and Education
• Gender in the Workplace
• Men and Feminism
• Prostitution and Pornography
• The Body and Gender
• Economic Development and Gender
• Gender and Physical and Mental Health
• Gender in Scientific Research

Program Requirements

The minor requires 23-24 total credit hours of gender studies classes, many of which are cross-listed with courses offered in other disciplines, such as BIOL, COMM, ENGL, HIST, MATH, PHIL, PSYC, REL, and SOC. The final requirement is the senior project or thesis, which can overlap with a senior project/thesis in the major (one project/thesis may count for both requirements). Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.3 in all gender studies classes.

Contact Information:

Kimberly Zarkin, Program Chair
Foster 102-A, Foster Hall
(801) 832-2823
kzarkin@westminstercollege.edu
 

• Bonnie Baxter, Biology
• Carolyn Connell, Mathematics
• Georgiana Donavin, English
• Susan Gunter, English
• Elree Harris, English and Art History
• Fatima Mujcinovic, English
• Bridget Newell, Philosophy
• Jeff Nichols, History
• Michael Popich, Religion and Philosophy
• Cathleen Power, Psychology
• Natasha Saje, English
• Gretchen Siegler, Anthropology
• Janine Wanlass, Psychology
• Kim Zarkin, Communication