Welcome to Women’s Studies at
Towson University. The Women’s Studies program at Towson is one of the
very oldest in the country. The first course in women’s studies at
Towson was offered in 1971 and the program began in 1973.
The Women’s Studies major requires successful completion of 39 course
units; 6 units of required core courses and 33 course units of
electives. At least 12 credit hours must be at the 300-400 level.
Courses in women’s studies offer students the opportunity to study the
status and roles of women as individuals and as groups. Courses
emphasize both commonalities among women and differences based on race,
class, and sexuality.
Of the 6 required course units, all majors must take the Feminist Theory
course. For the remaining three credit hours, majors may choose to
enroll in either of two introductory level courses – Women in
Perspective, or International Perspectives on Women.
If students are enrolled in the honors college, they make take the
honors version of these two courses.
The 33 hours of electives are distributed across 4 categories. The first
of these, listed as Section B in the catalog, is Multiculturalism and
Diversity. From this category, majors must select 6 credit hours from a
list which includes such topics as: Women of Color, Gender in
Cross-cultural perspective, or Gays and Lesbians in American History.
The next category, Section C, is the Natural and Social Sciences. Majors
are required to take 9 credit hours of natural and social science
courses on topics such as reproductive technologies and the future of
motherhood, the Biology of women, domestic violence, or women and crime.
From the Arts and Humanities category, or Section D, majors must take 6
credit hours offered from a wide range of disciplines that include
history, English, philosophy, and music. Women and gender in film, women
in ancient Greece, Women writers and The History of the Modern Family
are just a few examples.
From the last category, Section E, Interdisciplinary Women’s Studies
courses, majors are required to select 12 credit hours.
Internships: Women’s studies in the academy grew out of the community
activism, political and social service work of women in the late 60’s,
70’s, and 80’s, which had as its goal, meeting the unmeet needs of women
and ensuring their equal rights.
This tradition of integrating theory and practice, knowledge and
community service is found in the various internship opportunities
available in the women’s studies program.
Students may take up to 6 internship credit hours.
The women's studies internship coordinator is Dr. Cecilia Rio. Students
interested in investigating internship opportunities should contact her.
The Career Center also maintains an updated list of placement
opportunities in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., areas.
Honors work is available to Women’s Studies students. Interested
students may consult the chair of Women’s Studies for more information,
preferably during their sophomore year.
At least 18 of the 39 course credits required to complete the Women’s
Studies major must be taken at Towson University.
All students who wish to major
in Women's Studies must contact the department's administrative
assistant and make an appointment with the chair.
This includes transfer students who have indicated Women's Studies as
their desired major. You will not be officially listed as a major
until you meet with the chair of Women's Studies and are assigned a
faculty advisor.
In your meeting with the chair, you must bring with you the advising
questionnaire, to be completed after your viewing of this presentation.
Failure to bring the advising questionnaire will result in you having to
reschedule your appointment.
To schedule your appointment with the chair please contact Rebecca
Julian, the administrative assistant. Her contact information is
presented on this screen.
8000 York Road | Towson, MD 21252 | 410-704-2000
