Women’s and Gender Studies Minor

UMass Dartmouth offers a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies through a flexible interdisciplinary program of courses. Many classes are organized in seminar style to allow the fullest possible participation of all students. Minors work closely with a faculty advisor to explore course options and earn academic credits through independent study and field work.

The WGS minor is composed of 18 credits that are completed in the following way: 

• Three (3) Core Courses for 9 credit hours as follows:
  1. WGS 101: Introduction to Women’s Studies
  2. WGS 201: Introduction to Feminist Theory
  3. One (1) upper level feminist theory course (any ONE of the following: WGS 302, WGS 305, WGS 306, WGS 307).
• Three electives for a total of nine credit hours, one of which is to be from a perspective other than European or American, from an approved list. Two of these electives must be upper level (300/400 level).

According to University policy for academic minors, within the 9 upper-level credits, a course can be counted in only one category. Even if a course could satisfy either a major or a minor, it cannot be double-counted..

Students are encouraged to meet with the Department Chairperson and program facultyto discuss their individual interests and goals, and to be assigned an advisor to plan a course sequence that responds to their individual interests and goals. A student may take WGS courses at any time, although a minor cannot be formally declared until a student earns 54 credits.

A minor must be completed at the time of the degree and will be so noted on the student’s transcript. A student cannot be readmitted to the University to complete only a minor.

Requirements

Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 and a GPA in their major of 2.5.