Women's & Gender Studies Program - Kendall College of Arts and Sciences

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Women’s & Gender Studies Program

Women’s and gender studies examines how gender and other intersecting factors such as race, class, culture, sexuality and age have shaped the life experiences of women and men from diverse backgrounds. TU’s program analyzes how contemporary and historical dynamics impact women and men while exploring ways in which they seek equality.

TU’s interdisciplinary curriculum requirements provide students with analytical frameworks and methodological tools to understand life experiences, human interactions, and economic and social institutions.

By promoting awareness and knowledge of status-based oppression, interrelationships and ways in which historical civil rights movements have struggled for equality, TU seeks to change attitudes and practices that silence voices or devalue people’s choices and life experiences. Students may major or minor in women’s and gender studies or pursue a dual bachelor of arts/master of arts degree. All students must complete the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences core and general curriculum standards. Those who major in the program are required to complete at least 30 hours of coursework, 6 hours of women’s and gender studies classes and 24 hours of electives, followed by a capstone senior project. The minor includes 12 hours of program-related courses.

STUDENT OUTCOMES

Many women’s organizations hire experts in women’s and gender studies; and professionals in law, medicine, social work, teaching and counseling seek expertise in gender issues. Recent graduates have pursued jobs in diverse career settings such as AmeriCorps, Teach for America, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma, U.S. Marine Corps and Tulsa Family & Children’s Services.

  • Program Learning Outcomes

    1. Understand and analyze different ways in which genders and sexualities impact individuals and societies.

    2. Analyze and evaluate facts and ethical positions regarding real-world women’s issues in local and global contexts.

    3. Analyze and evaluate feminist, gender, and sexuality theories, and apply them to historical and contemporary texts and situations.

    4. Write and communicate effectively in styles appropriate to the program’s participating disciplines.
  • Degree Options

    Women’s and Gender Studies, B.A.

    Interdisciplinary program considers how gender and other factors, such as race, class, culture, sexuality, and age, have worked to shape the life experiences.

    Women’s and Gender Studies Minor

    Non-majors interested in learning more about women’s and gender studies are encouraged to add it to their degree program as a minor.

  • Typical Four-Year Schedule
    FRESHMAN – FALL SEMESTER FRESHMAN – SPRING SEMESTER
    Exposition and Argumentation* Block I – Aesthetic Inquiry and Creative Experience
    Beginning Language I** Beginning Language II
    Block I – Aesthetic Inquiry and Creative Experience Block II – Historical and Social Interpretation
    Block II – Historical and Social Interpretation Block III – Scientific Investigation
    Freshman Experience General Elective
    SOPHOMORE – FALL SEMESTER SOPHOMORE – SPRING SEMESTER
    Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies WGS Elective (2000 Level, Inequality in Am. Society)
    Block II – Historical and Social Interpretation Block I – Aesthetic Inquiry and Creative Experience
    Block III – Scientific Investigation + lab Mathematics with Applications+
    Intermediate Language I Intermediate Language II
    General Elective General Elective
    JUNIOR – FALL SEMESTER JUNIOR – SPRING SEMESTER
    Feminist Theory WGS Elective (3000, History of Women from 1900s)
    WGS Elective (3000, History of Women to 1900) WGS Elective (3000, Gender Across Culture)
    WGS Elective (3000, Psychology of Diversity) Minor
    Minor Minor (Upper Division)
    Block II – Social and Historical Interpretation General Elective
    SENIOR – FALL SEMESTER SENIOR – SPRING SEMESTER
    Senior Project WGS Elective (3000, Sociology of Sexuality)
    Minor (Upper Division) WGS Elective (3000, Psychology of Women)
    WGS Elective (3000“, Vampire in American Culture) General Elective
    General Elective General Elective
    General Elective General Elective

    *Based on ACT or SAT scores in English, some students may be placed in Introduction to College Writing as
    a prerequisite course.
    **Placement at a higher level will be determined by college placement exams.
    +Based on ACT or SAT scores in math or on the university math placement test, College Algebra may be a
    prerequisite for some.

  • Linda J. Lacey Award for Mentoring Excellence

    The University of Tulsa Women’s and Gender Studies Program’s
    Linda J. Lacey Award for Mentoring Excellence – Call for Nominations 

    Deadline to submit: Friday, March 25, 2022 (5 p.m.)

    The University of Tulsa’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program is accepting nominations for the 15th-annual Linda J. Lacey Award for Mentoring Excellence. Our definition of a mentor is someone who empowers others, helps create opportunities, collaborates, supports, encourages, advises, shares knowledge and gives specific feedback.

    We encourage nominations from TU students, staff and faculty. The nominee can be any student, staff member or faculty member at TU, or a community member.  Note that past awardees of the Mentoring Excellence Award are ineligible (the award can be won only once), as are the director or co-directors of the WGS governing board.

    The award includes inscription on a plaque and $500, and will be presented at WGS’s spring reception.

    Past award recipients

    Nancy Eggen
    Lara Foley
    Elana Newman
    Sherry Walkabout
    Joanne Davis
    Carol Lambert
    Jan Wilson
    Jennifer Airey
    Claire Cornell
    Winona Tanaka
    Holly Laird
    Kirsten Olds
    Alyson Garrison
    Kelsey Hancock
    Karen Dutoi
    Midge Dellinger

    Instructions

    To nominate a student, staff member, community member or faculty member for this award, please send the following information to Professor Jan Wilson (jan-wilson@utulsa.edu) by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 25, 2022:

    •       The name and contact information of your nominee

    •       Your name and contact information

    •       A one-page letter describing why you think the nominee is a superlative mentor.

    Your letter should include specific examples of mentoring excellence with respect to the criteria listed above. Your nominee need not have offered you or others all these forms of guidance, but clear examples of influential mentoring will allow the award committee to make more informed decisions. Finally, if your nominee has demonstrated a notable commitment to women’s and gender studies, please explain.

  • WGS Essay Contest

    The University of Tulsa Women’s and Gender Studies Essay Contest —
    Call for submissions

    Deadline for submissions: Friday, March 25, 2022 (5 p.m.)

    Did you write a great essay or research paper on a topic pertaining to women, gender, or sexuality during the 2021 calendar year? If so, we invite you to enter one of our three essay contest categories!

    Awards will be made in three categories:

    1. Essays written for WS 2013: Introduction to Women’s Studies
    2. Essays written for any undergraduate class at TU other than WS 2013
    3. Essays written for any graduate class during 2021 at TU

    Eligibility

    • Open to all students who were enrolled in at least one TU course in 2021
    • Maximum of one entry per category per student
    • Entries must have been written for a TU course in spring 2021, summer 2021 or fall 2021
    • Undergraduate entries must not exceed 5,000 words
    • Graduate entries must not exceed 7,500 words

    Additional information

    • Entries can be on any topic related to women, sexuality, gender, feminism or feminist theory.
    • Entries must NOT have been submitted for this essay contest in previous years.
    • Essays written for WGS courses and non-WGS courses are accepted.
    • Students may discuss their submission with faculty and revise before submission.
    • Essays will be judged by members of the TU Women’s and Gender Studies faculty.

    Prizes

    • One winner in each of the three categories will be awarded a small cash prize.
    • Winners will be announced at the Women’s and Gender Studies Spring Reception.

    How to enter

    • Submit your paper (MS Word files preferred) to Professor Jan Wilson at jan-wilson@utulsa.edu.
    • Include an application cover page that provides the following information:
      • Essay title
      • Author’s name
      • Contest category for which entry is being submitted
      • Graduation year (expected)
      • Email address
      • Word count
      • Course for which entry was originally written
      • Semester when the essay was written (must be spring, summer or fall 2021)
      • Instructor’s name
    • Because essays will be read anonymously, please put your name only on the application cover page, not on the essay itself.
    • Multiple entries should be submitted separately, each with an individual application cover page.

    If you have any questions, please contact Professor Maria Maurer at maria-maurer@utulsa.edu.