Learning Goals & Mission
Mission
The Women’s Studies Minor Program, initiated in 2006, includes a minor, certificate for evening students, focused courses, activities throughout the academic year and during Women’s History Month. It is an interdisciplinary cross-cultural program that complements and augments students’ major fields of concentration. Students’ academic interests and horizons are expanded by developing courses with multiple departments and offering specific events. The Program provides interested students with an in-depth knowledge of the social constructions of gender, the significance of gender in structuring human social life and women’s contributions to history and culture. The Program emphasizes the link between the personal and the political and using knowledge to create community-based agendas for social change to eliminate gender based inequality.
The Women’s Studies Program is shaped by its Mission Statement. However, unlike more traditional majors and minors, Women’s Studies must be assessed as a total program not just by the minor. Indeed, much of the program’s energy focuses on campus-wide events such as speakers, panels and workshops that involve a greater population than those who take the classes. Assessment, of course, must include the academic side of the program, but a more challenging part of assessment and implementation is how to assess these external activities that are also fulfilling our mission. It is important not just to quantify the number of courses, events and attendees but also to assess their impact.
Learning Goals
- Provide students with instruction in women’s contributions to knowledge, history, society and culture through an interdisciplinary curriculum.
- Develop in students an awareness of the significance of gender and gender inequality in structuring cultural ideas, social structure, social interactions, issues and power in our society and globally.
- Develop in students an understanding, appreciation and ability to function in a diverse and multicultural society.