Women's Studies Minor

The Women's Studies minor at ASU gives students the opportunity to learn about the contributions and histories of women. Through a broad range of interdisciplinary courses, Women's Studies raises questions about gender in relation to race, class, sexuality and nation. To complete the minor, students must take WMST 1101 + 12 additional hours of coursework, with at least 9 hours of upper-division credit. A grade of ‘C' is required in all courses.

Students graduating with a minor in Women's Studies should demonstrate knowledge of the following concepts:

  1. The socio-cultural and historical concept of gender
  2. Intersectionality of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and nation
  3. Varieties of feminism and feminist activism
  4. Privilege and oppression, including internalized oppression
  5. Major issues pertaining to women's lives, historically and in contemporary society, e.g. violence against women, reproductive rights, motherhood, beauty and body image
  6. Connections between feminist theory and practice

Before graduation, a student minoring in Women's Studies will submit a portfolio for review to the Women's Studies Program Committee. The portfolio must contain work from three different disciplines; it may also contain a project undertaken outside of a Women's Studies course. The portfolio will also contain a brief, 2-3 page reflective essay. While graduating minors should have a basic knowledge of all of the learning outcomes, their reflective essay should demonstrate more advanced knowledge of 2-3 learning outcomes. The student will also participate in an exit interview.

How Can a Minor in Women's Studies Enhance Education
and Expand Career Options?

Men and women interested in Women's Studies researchers might explore topics such as literature, film, performance art, medicine, technology, work, sexuality, aging, racism, the family, and education. They might be interested in researching, teaching, or applying feminist scholarship in the real world.