Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Record 2006-2007 
    
Undergraduate Record 2006-2007 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Studies in Women and Gender


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Requirements for Major


A Major in Studies in Women and Gender (SWAG) requires that you complete 11 courses or 33 credits from at least three departments. At least nine courses must be at the 300 or 400 level; two courses may be at the 100 or 200 level (including SWAG 210). These courses must include the following:

  1. SWAG 210 Women’s Lives in Myth and Reality: Introduction to Studies in Women and Gender
  2. SWAG 381 Feminist Theory and Methods
  3. SWAG 405 or 406 Senior Seminar
  4. One SWAG course concentrating on cultural diversity, including: non‑Western cultures.
  5. At least 3 SWAG courses (9 credits) drawn from the Humanities (Philosophy, English, Religious Studies, Art, Music, Drama, Architecture, Foreign Languages, Media Studies).
  6. At least 3 SWAG courses (9 credits) drawn from the Social Sciences (History, Government, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology, Linguistics, Afro-American and African Studies).
  7. Completion of 6 courses concentrated in a single department. These courses may include SWAG courses as well as non‑SWAG courses. SWAG courses fulfilling this requirement may also count towards the 11 courses required for the major.

Courses counting toward the SWAG major may include two adjunct courses and two independent readings courses. An adjunct course is one whose central focus is not on women or gender, but is listed as an SWAG course because gender is a significant focus. To turn an adjunct course into a primary course, a student, with the permission of and in dialogue with the instructor, focuses on women or gender in written work and/or additional reading.

Distinguished Majors Program


Majors in Studies in Women and Gender with a strong academic record are encouraged to become Distinguished Majors. Distinguished Majors complete a two semester written thesis (approximately 40-60 pages in length) in their fourth year under the supervision of a SWAG faculty member. The thesis allows students to pursue their own interests in depth and have the intellectual satisfaction of defining and completing a sustained project.

To be eligible, students must have a 3.450 overall GPA at the start of their fourth year. Students pursuing the Senior Thesis will sign up for a 6-credit course, SWAG 491 and 492, under the supervision of a SWAG faculty member. The thesis must also be approved by a second faculty member who the student will choose in consultation with the thesis advisor.

The 6-credit senior thesis course will count toward the 33 credits required for the major. Successful completion of the thesis qualifies the student for graduation with Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction, depending upon the recommendation of the two faculty advisors, and subject to approval of the College’s Committee on Special Programs.

An early start is important to the successful completion of a Senior Thesis. While not required, it is recommended that students make the decision to pursue the Distinguished Majors Program during their third year. This will give them the opportunity to discuss the project with various faculty members, determine suitable advisors, and have the summer between the third and fourth years to further define their project and begin some preliminary reading and planning.

Students choosing to pursue the thesis should complete a DMP enrollment form in the first semester of their final year.

Requirements for Minor


A minor in Studies in Women and Gender requires the completion of seven courses taken from at least three departments; at least four of these courses must be at the 300 level or above. These courses must include SWAG 210, SWAG 381, and SWAG 405 Senior Seminar. Of the seven courses required for the Minor, one may be an adjunct course and one may be an independent readings course. SWAG courses may be “double-counted” toward a major in another department; that is, SWAG courses taken for a major will also count toward a SWAG minor.

Additional Information


For more information, contact Farzaneh Milani, Director, Studies in Women and Gender Program, P.O. Box 400172, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4127; (434)982-2961;mm2z@virginia.edu; www.virginia.edu/womenstudies/home.htm.

Supporting Courses


The program produces a list of cross-listed courses each semester.

  • PSYC 360 - Psychology of Gender (Y) Credits: 3
  • PSYC 362 - Psychology of Sex Roles (Y) Credits: 3

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