Women's Studies at Simon Fraser University began in 1976 with a minor program. Since that time the undergraduate offerings have expanded to include a major, joint majors, certificate and diploma programs. To date, approximately 250 students have graduated with undergraduate degrees in Women's Studies. In order to complete degrees in Women's Studies, students choose from a wide variety of interdisciplinary courses listed below.
A central purpose of SFU's Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Department is to undertake a comprehensive exploration of women's experiences and achievements, and to develop new criteria and methods for the appraisal of women's status. An integrated sequence of broadly interdisciplinary courses helps students achieve a better understanding of the role of women, and suggests ways of improving the situation of women. Students may take a Major, Minor or Extended Minor, a joint major in WS and Criminology, WS and English, WS and History, WS and Humanities, WS and Political Science, WS and Psychology, and WS and Sociology/Anthropology as part of a Bachelor of Arts Degree, a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma with a concentration in Women's Studies or enter the Co-op Program.
The Women's Studies Major Program requires the following:
Lower Division Requirements: 12 lower-division credit hours in Women's Studies including both of WS 101-3, WS 102-3, and either WS 207-3 or WS 208-3.
Upper Division Requirements: 32 upper-division credit hours in Women's Studies. Students may substitute up to eight credit hours of upper division courses offered by other departments and approved by the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Department.
Students interested in a joint program in Women's Studies and Criminology should contact both department advisors. To be admitted to the joint major program, students must satisfy the admission requirements for majors in both criminology and women's studies. To continue in the joint major students must maintain a CGPA of 2.25, and will not be permitted to register in upper division criminology courses with a CGPA of less than 2.25. However, a student whose CGPA is between 2.00 and 2.25 may be eligible for a major in women's studies. Students must complete all criminology lower division requirements before application, and before formal admittance is granted to undertake upper division criminology courses. A grade of 1.67 (C-) or better is required for all non-elective courses.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours in Women's Studies, including both of WS 101, WS 102, and either WS 207 or WS 208.
Criminology: Students must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours including all of: CRIM 101, CRIM 103, CRIM 104, CRIM 131, CRIM 135, CRIM 213, CRIM 220, CRIM 230 plus SA 150, plus one of PHIL 001, PHIL 100, PHIL 110, PHIL 120, PHIL 150, PHIL 151, PHIL 220, PHIL 244, PHIL 280 , plus one of POL 100, POL 151, plus both of PSYC 100, PSYC 102, plus one of STAT 101, STAT 203.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 upper-division credit hours in Women's Studies. Recommended: WS 303 Special Topics, when offered as Women and the Law.
Criminology: Students must complete a minimum of 25 credit hours with a minimum of CGPA 2.25, including all of CRIM 300, CRIM 320, CRIM 330, CRIM 333, CRIM 432. NB. CRIM 369 or CRIM 462 are not permitted for a joint major program.
The joint major in English and Women's Studies is an inter-departmental program designed for students who are interested in exploring the various relationships between the study of English literature and Women's Studies. Students must consult the advisors in both English and Women's Studies to plan their program.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours including both of WS 101, WS 102, and either WS 207 or WS 208.
Note: Completion of WS 101 and 102 will be waived for students who, prior to the 1994 Fall semester, completed WS 100 or its equivalent in transfer credits.
English: 18 semester credit hours including two of ENGL 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 199 (see English major calendar entry for possible substitution); both of ENGL 204 and 205; and two of ENGL 206, 207, 210, 212, 214, and 216. However, only one of ENGL 199, 210 or transfer credit ENGL(3)-Writing may be used towards lower division English requirements.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 upper-division credit hours in Women's Studies chosen from any 300 and 400 level Women's Studies courses. Exceptionally, and only with the per-mission of the Department, a maximum of one course of designated Women's Studies Credit offered by another department may substitute for one WS course.
English: 20 semester hours in upper division English courses, one of which must come from within the series ENGL 300 to 308; one from within the series ENGL 310 to 322; and the remainder may be chosen from anywhere among the series ENGL 300 to 394 and ENGL 441 to 446. A cumulative G.P.A. in English of 2.00.
ENGL 364 and 366 are recommended if the student is interested in critical theory. Students are encouraged to select courses which focus on women writers and/or offer an explicit feminist perspective.
The joint major in Women's Studies and History is an interdepartmental program designed for students who are interested in exploring the relationship between the study of History and Women's Studies. Interested students must plan their program in consultation with the advisors in each department.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours including all of WS 101, WS 102, WS 201, WS 202, and either WS 207-3 or
WS 208-3.
History: 18 credit hours in 100 and 200 level history courses, including six hours in 100 level History courses.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 credit hours including one of WS 400 or WS 405
History: 24 credit hours of 300 and 400 level history courses, of which 12 hours must be in 400 level courses. Courses must be distributed within the three geographic groups. Students must take at least two courses from any two groups and at least one from the remaining group. For description of the three groups, see the calendar entry for History.
The joint major in Women's Studies and Humanities is an interdepartmental program designed for students who are interested in exploring the relationships between the study of Humanities and Women's Studies. Interested students should consult with the advisors in each department.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours in women's studies courses, including both of WS 101, WS 102, and either WS 207 or WS 208.
Humanities: 15 credit hours including HUM 102 and two of HUM 201, 202 and 203, and two further Humanities courses at the lower level.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 credit hours in upper level women's studies courses. Recommended: WS 303, WS 305, WS 306.
Humanities: 22 credit hours in upper lever humanities courses including WS 495-2. Recommended: WS 320, HUM 321, HUM 325.
This program explores both the political dimensions and context of women's experience, and the impact of women and feminist theory on the practice and study of politics. Consult advisors in both departments.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours including both of WS 101, WS 102, and either WS 207 or WS 208.
Political Science: 15 credit hours including POL 100, plus one of the BUEC 232, CRIM 220, POL 201, PSYC 201, SA 255, STAT 203, STAT 270. Plus an additional nine semester hours of lower division courses taken from three of the five Fields of Study (Field A, B, C, D and/or E), for a total of 15 lower division semester hours. POL 201 is recommended.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 upper-division credit hours in Women's Studies courses.
Political Science: 24 upper division credit hours from at least three Political Science Fields of Study. It is strongly recommended that POL 416 be included in this selection.
The joint major in Psychology and Women's Studies is an inter-departmental program designed for students who are interested in the study of women's psychological development, social functioning, and mental health and illness in an interdisciplinary context. Students will be encouraged to consider the importance and interaction of psychological, social, political, and cultural factors in determining women's psychological functioning and in determining gender-related differences.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 15 lower-division credit hours including both of WS 101, 102 and either WS 207 or WS 208. Note: Completion of WS 101 or 102 will be waived for students who, prior to the 1994 Fall semester, completed WS 100 or its equivalent in transfer credits.
Psychology: 23 credit hours including PSYC 100-3, 102-3, 201-4, 207-3 & 210-4 and any two of PSYC 221-3, 241-3, 250-3, 260-3, 270-3, 280-3
Upper Division Requirements:
Women's Studies: 20 upper-division credit hours Women's Studies courses. Exceptionally, and only with the permission of the Department, one course of designated Women's Studies Credit offered by another department may be substituted for one course.
Psychology: 20 semester hours in upper division Psychology courses. No more than 5 of these credit hours may be in directed studies courses. At least 11 upper division psychology credit hours must be taken at Simon Fraser University.
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Women's Studies have common interests in teaching and research pertaining to women's issues and the social sciences. The following joint major program is aimed at students who share these interests. It should be noted that it is possible to take a joint major in Sociology or Anthropology and Women's Studies.
Lower Division Requirements:
Women’s Studies: 15 lower division credit hours in Women’s Studies courses, including both of WS 101, WS 102 and either WS 207 or WS 208.
Sociology: 19 lower division credit hours including SA 101, 150, 250, 255 and STAT 203.
Anthropology: 20 lower division credit hours including SA 101, 201W, 255 plus 2 – 200 level S or A courses. It is highly recommended that students also take SA 231.
Upper Division Requirements:
Women’s Studies: Students must complete 20 upper division credit hours in Women’s Studies. Exceptionally and only with department permission, one course designated as Women’s Studies credit offered by another department may be substituted for one WS course.
Sociology: Students must complete 20 upper division Sociology credit hours, the option courses for the sociology courses must be S or 'S or A' when designated sociology, including SA 350 and SA 355.
Anthropology: Students must complete 20 upper division Anthropology credit hours optional courses for anthropology courses must be A or 'S or A' when designated anthropology, including SA 301 and SA 356.
The Women's Studies Minor Program requires the following:
Lower Division Requirements: 9 lower-division credit hours of WS including both of WS 101-3 and WS 102-3.
Upper Division Requirements: 16 semester hours of credit in 300 and 400 numbered courses. PLEASE NOTE: students are restricted to a maximum of five hours of designated credit to count toward the minor.
The Women's Studies Extended Minor Program requires the following:
Lower Division Requirements: 12 semester hours of credit including both of WS 101-3, WS 102-3 (or WS 100-4), and either WS 207-3 or WS 208-3.
Upper Division Requirements: 16 semester hours of credit in 300 and 400 numbered courses. Courses in other departments that are designated as WS credit may be counted toward the WS requirements. Information on these courses is available from the Women's Studies Office. Other courses which may have a high WS content will be considered for designated credit toward the minor upon application by the student to the Coordinating Committee. PLEASE NOTE that effective in Fall 1986, students are restricted to a maximum of five hours of designated credit to count toward the minor. (That is, all the upper division requirements for a Minor in Women's Studies).
Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Students may participate in co-operative education through the Arts Co-op Education Program. This program is for qualified students who wish to acquire practical experience in Women's Studies. For admission students must have completed 30 credit hours with a CGPA of 3.00 and have completed WS 101-3, Introduction to Women's Issues in Canada, WS 102-3, Introduction to Western Feminisms, and two 200-division Women's Studies courses. Transfer students must completed at least 15 semester hours at SFU. Women's Studies Co-operative Education courses are:
WS 421 - Practicum I WS 422 - Practicum II WS 423 - Practicum III WS 424 – Practicum IV
For further details including co-op semester fees, please contact Arts and Social Science Co-op office at 778-782-5839 or cmcrosby@sfu.ca. Arts Co-op Education webpage: http://www.sfu.ca/coop/arts
ARX is a network where students doing research in classes or directed studies can connect with non-profit community organizations that need research but have limited resources.
Community groups submit project proposals to SF PIRG. If the project matches the guidelines of the program and is suitable for academic requirements at SFU, the project is posted online and publicized to the campus community. Motivated students choose a project that matches their interests, areas of study, and class requirements, and SF PIRG facilitates matching students with groups.
A faculty member approves the project so that it can be counted toward the student's course credit, and the student works under the guidance of the community group and the faculty member. The finished project is credited to the student but remains under the ownership and control of the community organization.
At the same time students benefit from research experience that is community-based, practical, and progressive, community organizations gain accessible and responsible research that can be used in the way they decide.
To learn more about ARX, please visit their website at www.sfpirg.ca/arx
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