Gender Studies Concentration

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

A Gender Studies Concentration offers students the opportunity to explore traditional disciplines through an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses on the significance of gender as a social construct. Students study the unique contributions of women and men to society, science, humanities, and the arts; the importance of gender and gender roles in a variety of social and historical contexts; and new scholarly methods and theories arising from interdisciplinary study. The concentration encourages students to examine historical and contemporary representations of women and men in religion, in the arts and literature, in social and political theory, and in the sciences. It fosters scholarly investigation that recognizes gender as an empirical reality. While the immediate goal of Gender Studies is to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to provide new strategies for investigation, the long-term goal is to help Davidson men and women function freely and fairly in the world.

Application Procedure

The Gender Studies Concentration is administered by the Gender Studies Advisory Committee of the Faculty. The faculty liaison is Dr. Ann Fox. Students shall meet with the faculty liaison to declare the concentration by the last day of fall semester of the junior year. During this meeting, the student and faculty liaison will discuss the courses to be used to satisfy the concentration requirements. If one of the proposed electives is an independent study, tutorial, practicum, or internship, the student shall provide to the faculty liaison for the Advisory Committee’s approval a complete description of that course prior to the term of enrollment. Certification of completion of all the requirements for the concentration is made by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the Gender Studies Advisory Committee.

Requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of 5 courses to include:

b. one 400-level seminar or a department seminar to be designated by the Advisory Committee;

a. one introductory course from:

ENG 295 - Women Writers Credits: 1
HIS 306 - American Women To 1870 Credits: 1
HIS 307 - American Women, 1870 To The Present Credits: 1
POL 215 - The Politics Of Feminism Credits: 1
SOC 217 - Gender And Society Credits: 1

c. three electives, one of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

Electives are selected from any course in section a. above as well as the following group:

ANT 343 - Gender, Power, And Culture Credits: 1
ART 222 - Painted Women, Women Painting Credits: 1
CHI 207 - Engendering Chinese Cinema Credits: 1
ECO 227 - Gender And Economics Credits: 1
ENG 261 - Modern Drama Credits: 1
ENG 282 - African American Literature Credits: 1
ENG 392 - Studies In Literature By Women Credits: 1
FRE 222 - Literature And Revolt Credits: 1
FRE 223 - Childhood And Youth Credits: 1
FRE 225 - Male And Female Credits: 1
FRE 320 - The French Novel Credits: 1
HIS 225 - Women And Work: Gender And Society In Britain, 1700-1918 Credits: 1
HIS 228 - The Modern Body: Gender, Sex, And Politics In France Credits: 1
HIS 336 - European Women And Gender, 1650-Present Credits: 1
HIS 364 - Gender And History In Latin America Credits: 1
HIS 422 - Gender In Early Modern Europe (C. 15Th – 18Th Centuries) Credits: 1
POL 205 - Family And Justice Credits: 1
REL 142 - Autobiography And Religion Credits: 1
REL 248 - Christianity And Nature Credits: 1
REL 320 - The Genesis Narrative Credits: 1
REL 355 - Woman And The Body In The Christian Tradition Credits: 1
REL 365 - Women In American Religion Credits: 1
SOC 246 - American Families Credits: 1
SOC 310 - Gender, Race, And Sports Credits: 1
SPA 375 - Latin American Women Writers Credits: 1

Additional Information

The above list, while as complete as possible, is not exhaustive. Every semester, as new courses are developed and extant courses are revised, there are often courses not on this list which can be approved as electives for the Gender Studies Concentration. In addition, many departments offer special topics courses that can be approved as electives for the Gender Studies Concentration. Please check with the faculty liaison for the most current, complete listing of approved electives when planning a program of study. If there is a question about when a particular elective will next be offered, please consult the department offering that course.