Women and Gender Studies
Associate Degree
A.A. in Women and Gender Studies
Women and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program that involves an interdisciplinary, multicultural, and transnational perspective of gender inequality. Based on the conviction that gender roles are socially constructed through time, the program employs perspectives from disciplines such as history, literature, philosophy, sociology, politics, and psychology to examine how gendered experiences are created and shaped by social and economic institutions, political movements, and individual experiences. The course of study centers on teaching students how to use feminist and social justice frameworks to analyze gender oppression within local, national, and global contexts. The program encourages an intersectional analysis, recognizing how gender is co-constructed with other aspects of identity such as race, class, sexuality, age, ability, and nationality. Women and Gender Studies is inclusive of human rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Catalog Date: August 1, 2024
Degree Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| WGS 300 | Introduction to Women and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WGS 302 | Global Women's Issues (3) | 3 |
| or SOC 345 | Global Women's Issues (3) | |
| A minimum of 12 units from the following: | 121 | |
| ARTH 312 | Women in Art (3) | |
| ENGLT 360 | Women in Literature (3) | |
| ENGLT 401 | Women in Film and Literature (3) | |
| HIST 310 | History of the United States (To 1877) (3) | |
| or HIST 483 | History of the United States - Honors (3) | |
| HIST 311 | History of the United States (1865 - Present) (3) | |
| or HIST 484 | History of the United States - Honors (3) | |
| POLS 340 | Women in Politics (3) | |
| PSYC 356 | Human Sexuality (3) | |
| PSYC 360 | Psychology of Women (3) | |
| SOC 341 | Sex and Gender in the U.S. (3) | |
| SOC 343 | Women and Social Action (3) | |
| SOC 344 | Sociology of Women's Health (3) | |
| WGS 304 | Women, Globalization, and Human Rights (3) | |
| or SOC 347 | Women, Globalization, and Human Rights (3) | |
| Total Units: | 18 | |
1Students must take the "Women's Emphasis" sections of HIST 310, HIST 311, HIST 483, and HIST 484. The "Women's Emphasis" courses are identified in the class schedule.
The Women and Gender Studies Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) one of the following: the SCC General Education, the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- identify women’s activism and social movements that have contributed towards gender equality in the local, national, and global contexts.
- explain the role of oppression and privilege in the lives of women from an intersectional perspective, considering the influence of race, class, ethnicity, age, ability, sexuality, and other aspects of identity.
- identify, summarize, and apply a variety of feminist theories.
- identify and discuss a range of gender issues, including motherhood, gender-based violence, reproductive justice, economic issues, marriage and relationships, political leadership, employment, and physical and mental health issues.
- analyze issues of women and gender from an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and global perspective.
- utilize feminist theories and strategies for social change to better understand one's place in the community and wider world and to inform participation in personal and collective actions to increase gender equality.
- communicate effectively in writing.
Career Information
A degree in Women and Gender Studies provides students with an academically well-rounded knowledge base anchored in strong critical thinking skills, through the lens of feminism and social justice. Students who complete the Women and Gender Studies program develop skills that are attractive to many employers in the twenty-first century, including the ability to think critically, to be open-minded and innovative, and to handle the real-life complexities of the workplace. Students also bring to the workplace a specific awareness of issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia, and class oppression. Students who earn an A.A. degree in Women and Gender Studies may either pursue further study or obtain employment directly in fields such as health and social services, education, law, government and politics, communications, and business. Moreover, a Women and Gender Studies degree gives students the confidence to pursue nontraditional careers.
