Programs

The major in Feminist Studies requires a minimum of 12 courses (a core of 5 plus 7 others) for a total of at least 60 units above the 100 level. It also requires a practicum and two quarters of FEMST 104. If taken as one of multiple majors none of the 60 units may overlap with units counted towards another major. If taken as a secondary major, up to 30 units may overlap if it is acceptable to the other program/department.

Core (5 courses)
The core consists of 3 required Feminist Studies courses: FEMST 101(Introduction to Feminist Studies), one of a few designated theory courses, and FEMST 103 (Feminist Methods). FEMST 101 is a prerequisite for the theory and methods courses. The core also includes two electives, one from the humanities and one from the social sciences. One of these courses must offer a cross-cultural perspective.

Practicum
The practicum, taken for 3-6 units, brings theory and practice together. Each major designs his or her practicum, which can involve field research, community action, teaching or other supervised research. The practicum will normally be done over the summer between the junior and senior year. Majors must take FEMST 104A (1 unit) in the winter quarter of their junior year. 104A is a seminar in which students prepare for the practicum. In the fall of the senior year, following the practicum, majors must take FEMST 104B, in which they will reflect on their practicum and its relation to their academic work. They will also prepare an oral presentation on their practicum for the Feminist Studies community. Juniors are required to attend these presentations at the end of the Fall quarter.

Thematic Focus (5-7 courses)
The focus - a theme or issue that brings together work across disciplines - is the center of the Feminist Studies major. The focus is built up of 5 to 7 courses not part of the core. At least 3 of these must be Feminist Studies courses or approved courses in other departments or programs. At least one course should provide an initiation into the practice of study in a field that is particularly suited to the focus: a major survey, methodology, or theory course.

Examples of suggested thematic foci

Advisors
Every major will have two advisors: the Director of the Program in Feminist Studies, and a Departmental Advisor - a member of the Feminist Studies Resource Faculty. The Departmental Advisor should be someone with expertise in an area related to the students' focus in the major; he or she should be a member of the Academic Council and cannot be a visitor.

Procedures for Declaring a Major and Submitting a Proposal

You can consult with the Program Administrator (723-2412) at any time in this process.

1. Meet with the Mentor in the Major to discuss your plans. Bring an unofficial transcript to this meeting, and have your Frosh advisor send your file to Feminist Studies. Also, bring a draft proposal for your major. This proposal does not have to be complete - the Mentor in the Major will help you think it out, but you should come in with some idea of what you want to do. The Mentor in the Major will help you find an advisor if you haven't found one already.

2. The Proposal includes a statement (one or two pages) of purpose - what are your motivations and goals in the major, and particularly in your focus. It also includes a complete proposal for courses you will take to complete the major. You can use the Major Requirements Worksheet to draft your program, and you will submit the final program on the Course list .

3. Select a departmental advisor. Meet with this advisor and with the Director of Feminist Studies to finalize your proposal.

4. Submit your final proposal to the Program Administrator. It must include:

• The cover sheet, signed by your departmental advisor and the Director of the Program in Feminist Studies.
• A coherent, well written statement that describes your focus and articulates your reasons for the major and for the focus.
• The Final Course List.
• Your transcript. We advise you to remove all incompletes before submitting
your proposal.

5. Declare your major on Axess.

The minor in Feminist Studies requires a minimum of 6 courses (two core courses and four thematic courses) for a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 36 units.

The core consists of 2 required Feminist Studies courses: FEMST 101 (Introduction to Feminist Studies) and either one of the designated theory courses or FEMST 103 (Feminist Methods). FEMST 101 is a prerequisite for theory and methods courses.

Of the 6 courses required for the minor, at least 4 courses should reflect a particular thematic focus. These courses must be Feminist Studies courses or approved courses in other departments or programs. At least one course should be cross-cultural and courses must be in at least two departments.

Click here to view examples of thematic foci and other options for individually-designed foci.

Each minor will select one faculty advisor from among the Resource Faculty. The Director of the Program in Feminist Studies will be the second advisor.

Declaration
It is recommended that students declare a minor as early as possible, usually by winter quarter of their junior year. Courses for the minor should be completed by winter quarter of the senior year. The process for declaring is the same as for the major, as described above, except that people declaring a minor will submit a Minor Proposal and a Minor Requirements form.

The Honors Thesis in Feminist Studies is an opportunity for students to focus on their own independent research for an extended analytical paper utilizing an interdisciplinary feminist theoretical framework. As a part of the Honors program each student will participate in a year long writing workshop with their cohort. This workshop is a supportive atmosphere where students will offer each other peer editing and commentary on their developing work. It is also a means to discuss ongoing advisor relationships, investigation of new bibliographic material, the organization of the paper, etc.

A: The Feminist Studies honors program is open to students with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or better in course work in Feminist Studies. Students must initiate their application by May 1 of the junior year by meeting with the Director of the Program in Feminist Studies, or with the Feminist Studies Program Mentor. Students should design a project in consultation with a thesis advisor and the Feminist Studies Director or Mentor. The final application will include a detailed proposal describing the project and a completed application form. Final applications must be submitted by the last day of classes in the spring quarter of the junior year.

Q: What are the requirements for the thesis?

A: 1. In addition to the normal requirements for the major (or designated courses in the case of a non-major), students enroll in FEMST 105 for 10-15 units towards the preparation of the honors thesis, and one unit of directed research with the director of the program which is granted for satisfactory attendance at regular writing workshop meetings conducted by the honors tutor throughout the year. 2. Throughout the senior year, students work with faculty advisers and the Feminist Studies honors tutor. The final thesis must be submitted by May 31 and be of acceptable quality to the student’s faculty advisor.

Q: Can I earn honors in FS if I am majoring in another department?

A: Honors certification in Feminist Studies for majors in other departments or programs, as distinguished from honors for students pursuing a major in Feminist Studies, is intended to complement study in any major. Admission—Honors certification is open to students majoring in any field with a GPA of 3.3 or better, if their project falls within the subject matter of Feminist Studies. As a prerequisite, students must have completed the following courses with a grade of (B+) or better: FEMST 101 and a core theory course, or three Feminist Studies courses related to the topic of their proposed honors research.

Q: I'd like to write a creative thesis- perhaps a collection of short stories or a screenplay. What are the guidelines for doing this?

A: Creative projects of high intellectual caliber are eligible if they are accompanied by a scholarly analysis. This analytical component can be broadly conceived and should be developed with the thesis advisor and the honors writing tutor. It will be no shorter than 10 pages, but length will be determined by its function within the whole of the thesis.

However, students should not think of this option as a coupling of the creative work(s) with a paper about them. Rather, your thesis must offer a contextualization for the creative work, a framework in which you present your poetry, graphic images, stories, etc., as an integral part of your research project overall. Thus, the thesis builds up to the creative component. It offers a setting for your work, an argument for it. It presents your work as another citation of sorts, another text you are referring to, just as you might choose a feminist author to posit his/her work as an example. The additional analytical component for the creative work is not the entirety of your thesis, but another section where a close reading of your creative work can be laid out for your audience. Your honors thesis can present the creative component as an answer to a problem, or an exploration of an issue. The creative component offers a way of thinking about issues and areas of thought that is not possible in analytical research form, and vice-versa.

Also note, the close reading of your work doesn't necessarily have to be conceived of as a separate section. In the course of your honors thesis, your final chapter, for example, may present your poetry, stories, etc., as your example of a feminist re-vision of a particular genre. You may cite the creative works and blend them into your argument. In this example, your creative component is an appendix, referred to in the thesis.

Most important is to remember that these are not hard and fast rules, but guidelines to be negotiated. We suggest setting up a meeting with your advisor and discuss a possible structure for the thesis you have in mind. That should help you balance what you want to achieve with what Feminist Studies needs from you. Your proposal for the honors program is your "pitch". As long as it is rigorous, and sufficiently feminist in its conception, it should be accepted. Your advisor will be working with you closely, as will the research and writing mentor and your peers as part of the honors workshop, so you'll be formulating your project throughout your senior year..

Q: How do I find an advisor for my honors project?

A: First, you can use our Faculty page here on the Feminist Studies website to see a list of our resource faculty. Second, make an appointment to meet with Director Heather Hadlock to discuss your interests and who might be an interesting match.

back to top