Women’s and Ethnic Studies (WEST), BA

Women’s and Ethnic Studies (WEST) is an interdisciplinary program that centers on the histories, experiences, and cultural expressions of women and racial or ethnic groups not only in the United States but also across the world. Our approach is intersectional in that it explores the connections among race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and other socially constructed hierarchies. WEST emphasizes cultural responsiveness, critical and cross-disciplinary thinking, creative and innovative teaching, community engagement, and local and global awareness.  We aim to create an equitable and sustainable world by analyzing structural inequality from a historical and cultural perspective and exploring strategies to achieve these goals. WEST offers one-on-one mentoring, small classes, travel courses, and a range of scholarship opportunities.

General Information

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Women’s and Ethnic Studies requires the following:

• A minimum of 31 credit hours of WEST course work. At least 22 of those hours must be upper division (courses numbered 3000 or higher).
• A grade of C or better in courses applied to the major.
• A minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained in all WEST course work.
• No more than 60 credit hours of WEST course work may apply to the bachelor’s degree.

Additional course work is required to complete the Women’s and Ethnic Studies, BA degree.  Please see the advising guide on the Academic Advising website for more information.

Learning Outcomes

• Interdisciplinary approach: To think critically about the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, disability, and other hierarchies. Understanding history, culture and society from a range of perspectives, including those emanating from communities whose stories and lives have been marginalized or silenced.
• Scholarly sophistication: To write sophisticated self-reflective, critical or analytical, and research papers; promote creative expression; and express oneself with clarity and confidence.
• Developing knowledge: To develop consciousness about a range of socio-political issues locally, domestically, globally and transnationally.  To become well versed in the rapidly increasing scholarship on women and racial/ethnic groups with special focus on transnational studies; literary and artistic achievements; historical, social, political, and economic conditions; families and communities; and people’s strategies for liberation.
• Engaged teaching and learning: To excel in classes that allow students to develop their critical voices, value their contributions, and challenge and inspire their intellectual imaginations. To study with a multiracial/ethnic group of faculty.
• Community: To develop a sense of belonging to an intellectual, scholarly field and community, which is innovative, multiracial, and inclusive, and learn to work with integrity and openness with people from diverse backgrounds. To build bridges across categories such as race/ethnicity, class, sexuality, nationality, age, disability, and religion, and to apply this knowledge to other disciplines and communities; to see a link between theory and practice. 
• Social change: To develop skills to shape our collective future in ways that foster diversity and equity. To gain the preparation needed to earn graduate degrees and/or obtain employment in WEST-related fields and work with people from a range of backgrounds.

Double Majors

The WEST major, with its low credit hour requirements, provides an ideal second major. A double major in WEST and any other discipline provides skills to address issues of diversity relevant to every field. Today’s job market requires cultural proficiency and experience in working with diverse and global populations.  While a WEST major can be added to any other major, specific agreements exist with:

Sociology and Women’s and Ethnic Studies (WEST) Double Major  and

Psychology and Women’s and Ethnic Studies (WEST) Double Major