Elizabeth Reis, Department Head
541-346-5529
541-346-0652 fax
315 Hendricks Hall
1298 University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1298
info@uoregon.College
The Department of Women’s and Gender Studies offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on the diverse experiences of women and the structures of power in both national and international contexts. The department also examines the meaning of gender as a socially constructed category that shapes personal identities, beliefs, opportunities, and behaviors. Courses explore the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality; the institutional structures that have an impact on women's and men's lives; and the broad range of feminist theory that seeks to explain and influence women's status in society.
The department is administered by a committee of faculty members appointed by the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The department is interdisciplinary, and courses are taught in many areas of study: anthropology, architecture, arts and administration, education, English, ethnic studies, history, international studies, journalism, literature, philosophy, public policy and management, political science, psychology, and sociology, among others.
Any student may take women’s and gender studies courses. Some students take a few courses to complement the curriculum in another major. Others choose to fulfill the requirements for a major in women’s and gender studies or a minor in women’s and gender studies or in queer studies.
Most women’s and gender studies courses satisfy group and multicultural requirements. For courses approved to fulfill these requirements, see the current list on the registrar’s website.
Faculty
Oluwakemi Balogun, assistant professor (globalization, nationalism, African studies). BA, Pomona College, 2003; PhD, California, Berkeley, 2012. (2013)
Yvonne A. Braun, associate professor (gender and development, political ecology, social inequality). BA, 1994, State University of New York, Geneseo; MA, 2000, PhD, 2005, California, Irvine. (2005)
Lynn H. Fujiwara, associate professor (women of color; labor, family, citizenship, and welfare; third-world feminist theory). BA, 1990, California, San Diego; MA, 1993, PhD, 1999, California, Santa Cruz. (2000)
Ernesto J. Martínez, associate professor (comparative ethnic literature; U.S. Latino literature; literary theory). BA, 1998, Stanford; MA, 2003, PhD, 2005, Cornell. (2006)
Judith Raiskin, associate professor (postcolonial literature, feminist theory, sexuality). BA, 1979, California, Berkeley; MA, 1981, Chicago; PhD, 1989, Stanford. (1995)
Elizabeth Reis, professor (U.S. women’s history, history of sexuality, women and religion). AB, 1980, Smith; MA, 1982, Brown; PhD, 1991, California, Berkeley. (2002)
Ellen K. Scott, professor (gender, social inequality, qualitative methods). See Sociology.
Carol Stabile, professor (gender, race, and class in the media); director, Center for the Study of Women in Society. AB, 1983, Mount Holyoke College; MA, 1985, PhD, 1992, Brown. (2008)
Emerita
Barbara Corrado Pope, professor emerita. BA, 1964, Hiram; MA, 1966, Iowa; PhD, 1981, Columbia. (1976)
Linda O. Fuller, professor emerita. BA, 1966, MA, 1977, PhD, 1985, California, Berkeley. (1989)
The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.
Participating
Joan R. Acker, sociology
Barbara Bader Aldave, law
Laura J. Alpert, art
Barbara K. Altmann, Romance languages
Susan C. Anderson, German and Scandinavian
Monique Balbuena, honors college
Judith R. Baskin, Judaic studies
Diane B. Baxter, anthropology
Erin Beck, political science
Aletta Biersack, anthropology
Louise M. Bishop, honors college
Elizabeth A. Bohls, English
Sara N. Brownmiller, library
Krista Chronister, counseling psychology and human services
Suzanne Clark, English
Frances B. Cogan, honors college
Jane K. Cramer, political science
Dianne M. Dugaw, English
Maram Epstein, East Asian languages and literatures
Caroline Forell, law
Linda M. Forrest, counseling psychology and human services
Lisa Freinkel, English
Jennifer J. Freyd, psychology
Alison Gash, political science
Lisa M. Gilman, English
Amalia Gladhart, Romance languages
Marion Sherman Goldman, sociology
Bryna Goodman, history
Sangita Gopal, English
Deborah A. Green, Judaic studies
Michael Hames-Garcia, ethnic studies
Susan W. Hardwick, geography
Leslie J. Harris, law
Ellen Herman, history
Jocelyn Hollander, sociology
Daniel HoSang, political science
Lamia Karim, anthropology
Kathleen Rowe Karlyn, English
Lauren J. Kessler, journalism and communication
Linda Kintz, English
Brian Klopotek, ethnic studies
Cheris Kramarae, Center for the Study of Women in Society
C. Anne Laskaya, English
David Leiwei Li, English
Joseph E. Lowndes, political science
Kathryn A. Lynch, environmental studies
Bonnie Mann, philosophy
Gabriela Martinez, journalism and communication
Barbara D. May, Romance languages
Randall E. McGowen, history
Michelle McKinley, law
Karen McPherson, Romance languages
Debra L. Merskin, journalism and communication
Quinn Miller, English
Fabienne Moore, Romance languages
Geraldine Moreno Black, anthropology
Sandra L. Morgen, anthropology
Madonna L. Moss, anthropology
Lise Nelson, geography
Kari Norgaard, sociology
Dorothee Ostmeier, German and Scandinavian
Eileen M. Otis, sociology
Priscilla P. Ovalle, English
Amanda W. Powell, Romance languages
Scott L. Pratt, philosophy
Jenifer Presto, comparative literature
F. Regina Psaki, Romance languages
Forest Pyle, English
Mary K. Rothbart, psychology
Suzanne E. Rowe, law
Tze-Lan Sang, East Asian languages and literatures
Stephen J. Shoemaker, religious studies
Nancy E. Shurtz, law
Carol T. Silverman, anthropology
Beata Stawarska, philosophy
Lynn Stephen, anthropology
Analisa Taylor, Romance languages
Courtney Thorsson, English
Mia Tuan, education studies
Mark T. Unno, religious studies
Dominick R. Vetri, law
Merle H. Weiner, law
Anita M. Weiss, international studies
Louise Westling, English
Elizabeth A. Wheeler, English
Frances J. White, anthropology
Lisa Wolverton, history
Mary E. Wood, English
Priscilla Yamin, political science
Naomi Zack, philosophy
Virpi Zuck, German and Scandinavian
Preparation
No specific high school preparation is necessary. Students who transfer to the university from other colleges may apply as many as 8 credits of women’s and gender studies courses to the major or to the minors.
Careers
An understanding of gender and of women’s experiences, abilities, and needs is an asset to careers in such fields as education, social service, government, business, law, medicine, the ministry, journalism, counseling, and child care. In addition, a background in women’s and gender studies can be used as a basis for entering a growing number of graduate programs that emphasize the study of women or gender.
Major Requirements
The Department of Women’s and Gender Studies offers an undergraduate major leading to a bachelor of arts (BA) or bachelor of science (BS) degree. Students may major in women’s and gender studies alone or as one of two or more majors. Majors must construct their programs in consultation with women’s and gender studies advisors.
Graded courses in the major must be completed with grades of C– or higher. No more than 12 credits taken pass/no pass in these courses may be counted toward the major.
At least 32 credits must be in upper-division courses. At least 24 upper-division credits must be taken at the University of Oregon. Women’s and gender studies majors must attain a grade point average of 2.50 or higher in courses applied to the major.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| WGS 101 | Women, Difference, and Power | 4 |
| WGS 303 | Women and Gender in American History | 4 |
| WGS 315 | History and Development of Feminist Theory | 4 |
| WGS 321 | Feminist Perspectives: Identity, Race, Culture | 4 |
| WGS 351 | Introduction to Global Feminisms | 4 |
| WGS 352 | Gender, Literature, and Culture | 4 |
| WGS 411 | Feminist Praxis (offered fall term only) | 4 |
| 8 |
| 12 |
| Total Credits | 48 |
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| WGS 101 | Women, Difference, and Power | 4 |
| WGS 303 | Women and Gender in American History | 4 |
| WGS 315 | History and Development of Feminist Theory | 4 |
| WGS 321 | Feminist Perspectives: Identity, Race, Culture | 4 |
| WGS 351 | Introduction to Global Feminisms | 4 |
| WGS 352 | Gender, Literature, and Culture | 4 |
| WGS 411 | Feminist Praxis (offered fall term only) | 4 |
| 8 |
| 12 |
| Total Credits | 48 |
Courses used to satisfy major requirements must be taken for letter grades except for the following courses:
Senior Thesis
Students interested in producing a substantial piece of original research and writing may elect to write a senior thesis in women’s and gender studies. Eligible students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 in women’s and gender studies courses.
Students producing a senior thesis should expect to do this work over the course of a full year prior to their graduation.
Summer-Fall
Students should identify a primary advisor who is either a faculty member in women’s and gender studies or an affiliate faculty member (see website for list of affiliates). By the end of the fall term, they should have a complete draft of a research proposal approved by their thesis advisor. Proposals will be five to eight pages in length and will identify an important issue in the field of gender-sexuality studies and the question or questions the student wishes to pursue about the topic. If an affiliate faculty member is advising the student, the student must have their proposal approved by their primary advisor in women's and gender studies as well. Students should ideally take research or reading credits with their advisor during fall term.
Winter
Students must register for Reading and Conference: [Topic] (WGS 405) and Research: [Topic] (WGS 601). They spend winter term conducting research and writing the thesis, working closely with their advisors and attending the research course. By the end of winter term, students should have completed their research.
Spring
Students write, revise, and produce the thesis. A first draft is due in the third or fourth week of the term. A revised final draft is due in the sixth or seventh week of spring term. The length of a senior thesis will vary, but typically they are thirty-five to fifty pages long.
Honors in Women’s and Gender Studies
To graduate with honors in women’s and gender studies, a student must
- have an overall grade point average for UO and transfer credits of at least 3.50 through the winter term prior to graduation
- gain approval for a research proposal from the department head during fall term of the academic year in which the thesis is completed
- successfully complete Reading and Conference: [Topic] (WGS 405) for thesis research during the academic year in which it is completed
- register for a minimum of 4 credits in Thesis (WGS 403).
The thesis must be completed and approved by the advisor and a second reader, chosen from the WGS faculty by the student, by Monday of the fifth week of the term in which the student intends to graduate with honors. The student’s performance on the thesis and on courses taken during the senior year will be reviewed before the honors distinction is granted. Obtain complete instructions and required forms from the women’s and gender studies office.
Women’s and Gender Studies Minor Requirements
| WGS 101 | Women, Difference, and Power | 4 |
| 1 | 8 |
| 12 |
| Total Credits | 24 |
Additional Requirements
No more than 6 credits in Reading and Conference: [Topic] (WGS 405) and Practicum: [Topic] (WGS 409) may be counted toward the minor. No more than 8 credits may be taken pass/no pass; no more than 8 credits may count toward both the minor and the student's major. Graded courses in the minor must be completed with grades of C– or higher. At least 16 credits applied to the women’s and gender studies minor must be taken at the University of Oregon.
Students must apply for the minor in the women’s and gender studies office well in advance of graduation for transcript evaluation. In order to be eligible for the minor, students must complete all degree requirements and a major in another academic department.
Queer Studies Minor Requirements
| WGS 201 | Introduction to Queer Studies | 4 |
| 1 | 4 |
| 1 | 16 |
| Total Credits | 24 |
Students wishing to minor in queer studies should consult frequently with a women’s and gender studies advisor to determine which courses offered during any given academic year will count toward the fulfillment of the 20 selectable credits. A minimum of 16 of the 24 total credits for the minor must be earned at the University of Oregon. The other 8 may be earned through successful completion of preapproved courses from another university or approved overseas program. A minimum of 16 of the 24 credits must be graded. Students must complete all 24 credits with a grade of P or C– or better.
Students must apply for the queer studies minor in the women’s and gender studies office well in advance of graduation for transcript evaluation. In order to be eligible for the minor, students must complete all degree requirements and a major in women’s and gender studies or another academic department.