Bachelor's Degree

Welcome!  Here are the steps you take to become a major in Women’s Studies:

1. Contact the undergraduate advisor in Women’s Studies (currently Professor Kathy Ferguson, Saunders 640E, email kferguso@hawaii.edu, (956-6933).
2. Consult the Women’s Studies website for more detailed information about the program. You can download forms and information as well as meet the faculty, read about courses offered, and gain other relevant information about our campus. http://www.womenstudies.hawaii.edu/
3. Decide whether you want a general focus Women’s Studies major or a special focus Women’s Studies major.  It is a good idea to talk this over with the undergraduate advisor. Both require 30 credit hours of coursework.
   A general focus plan gives you an overview of the entire field of Women’s Studies. It consists entirely of courses within the Women’s Studies Program. You may register for cross-listed courses (courses that have a Women’s Studies course number and also that of one (or more) other department(s)) and still count the class as a Women’s Studies class as long as the course is not being counted toward another major or certificate.
   A special focus plan gives you an opportunity to tighten your focus onto a specific topic of interest, such as Gender and Law, or Women and Health. A special focus plan can include up to fifteen (15) outside (non-WS course) credits as long as the courses are pre-approved and match the special focus of the plan. 
   1. Achieve a grade of C or better in each course and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses counting toward your Women’s Studies academic major. This level of excellence is required for graduation with a degree in Women’s Studies. 
   2. Note that WS 151 is a prerequisite to many Women’s Studies courses and may be counted toward the major or the social science core requirement, but not both. 
   3. Also note that courses cannot be double counted for more than one academic major.
   4. If you are interested in a double major, be sure to check with your Arts and Sciences advisor to see whether there are any specific requirements you must satisfy in order to do so. 
   5. Be sure to see an Arts and Sciences advisor regularly to make sure that you are meeting all your graduation requirements.

   Course and credit requirements for the two plans are as follows:

   General WS Degree Focus: Students must complete thirty (30) credit hours of total coursework, including:

   1. Feminist Theory (WS 439/POLS 339);
   2. Feminist Methods and Research (WS 440);
   3. At least three (3) courses from among the Women’s Studies courses focusing on gender, race and ethnicity in transnational perspective (see attached list);
   4. A minimum of nine (9) total credit hours from 300 level Women’s Studies courses (any 300 level course taken in #3 counts toward this total);
   5. A minimum of nine (9) credit hours from 400 level Women’s Studies courses (WS 439, 440 and any 400 level courses from #3 count toward this total);
   6. Additional coursework as necessary to complete thirty (30) total hours of coursework.
      (view the .pdf checklist)

   Special WS Degree Focus:  Students must complete thirty (30) credit hours of total coursework, including:

   1. Feminist Theory (WS 439/POLS 339);
   2. Feminist Research and Methods (WS 440);
   3. At least three (3) courses from among the Women’s Studies courses focusing on gender, race and ethnicity in transnational perspective (see attached list);
   4. A minimum of six (6) total credit hours from 300 level Women’s Studies courses (any 300 level course taken in #3 counts toward this total);
   5. Up to fifteen outside credits at 300 and 400 level;
   6. Additional coursework as necessary to complete thirty (30) total hours of coursework.
      (view the .pdf checklist)