Undergraduate Programs

The main purpose of an undergraduate education is to sharpen communication, writing, analytical and teamwork skills. The U-M Women’s Studies Department uses an interesting, relevant, feminist focus to achieve all these goals in exciting ways.

The interdisciplinary nature of Women’s Studies at Michigan is reflected in the areas of our undergraduate curriculum:

Feminist Practice and Activism
Feminist Theory
Gender and Health
Gender in a Global Context
Gender, Culture and Representation
Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Sexuality Studies

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Women's Studies @Michigan, LSA produced a four minute video about the Department. Watch it here.

You also may be interested in the book Transforming Scholarship: Why Women's and Gender Studies Students Are Changing Themselves and the World by Michele Tracy Berger and Cheryl Radeloff and an article from Ms. Magazine in fall 2012 about the field of Women' Studies, "So You Want to Change the World? by Michele Tracy Berger.

Women’s Studies Major and Minors

In 2012, 51 students graduated with a major in Women’s Studies (a medium-sized major in the College of LSA), along with 86 students who completed academic minors in the Department: 66 minored in Gender and Health, 5 minored in Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual, Transgender,Queer Studies and 5 minored in the study of Gender, Race, and Nation. While Psychology is usually the most popular field for our major and minors, the range of student interests is truly extraordinary:

Most of the social sciences, from Political Science through Sociology and Anthropology.
Many of the humanities, including Art & Design, English, and Philosophy.
Interdisciplinary programs like Afroamerican and African Studies, Latina/o Studies, Museum Studies, Environment, Communication Studies, International Studies, and Community Action and Social Change.
Biological Sciences and Engineering
Mathematics and Statistics

For more information on the Women’s Studies major and minors, please see Women’s Studies Major and Women’s Studies Minors.

The Women’s Studies Honors Program provides an opportunity for majors to do a comprehensive, original independent project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, as the culmination to their undergraduate studies. The topic of the Honors thesis will be a topic on which the student has already done some academic study. The thesis is researched and written in the two terms of the student’s senior year. Students interested in pursuing Honors should schedule a meeting with the WS Honors advisor. Applications for honors are due December 1^st of the student's junior year. Students who have maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.4 and a 3.5 GPA in Women’s Studies are eligible to apply for the Honors concentration. Students admitted to the Women's Studies Honors Program take WS 389, Junior Honors Seminar in winter term of their junior year.

Opportunities for Activism, Study Abroad, and Service Learning

Women’s Studies students consistently rate their feminist practice and service learning experiences as among the most beneficial components of their undergraduate educations. They point out the numerous ways in which their experience has contributed to their growth as feminist practitioners of change, their personal maturity, and their success in the post-graduate job market.

They cite expanded knowledge, enhanced interpersonal competencies, and an increased sense of agency as students and as citizens of the world. In addition to the LSA Student Government, our students are leaders in such organizations as Eco Girls, the American Friends Service Committee's Healing Justice Program, The F Word, Students for Choice, the Muslim Student's Association, Alternative Spring Break, It’s Great to be a Girl Feminist Mentorship Program, Ozone House, SAPAC (U-M Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center), and Domestic Violence Project/SAFE House,

Study Abroad and other service learning opportunities can be a valuable and integral part of your undergraduate education at Michigan. Women’s Studies encourages students to study abroad in order to enhance their education and gain international perspectives on gender issues and feminism. Students routinely look back on their time spent abroad as a valuable aspect of their undergraduate career. The Center for Global and Intercultural Study is committed to working with students to help them find the right study abroad program and there are information sessions on how to study abroad.

What Undergraduate Students Say About Women’s Studies

Women’s Studies is not only about women; it’s about theory, analysis, objectivity, and alternative ways of thinking.

I learned a great deal about how Women’s Studies intersects with other fields such as science and technology, political science, psychology. Its community service orientation not only contributed to my personal growth, but also was a useful tool in the job search.

Women in traditionally male dominated fields need to develop survival skills. They need to know how to support themselves and be advocates for themselves. A Women’s Studies education teaches this.

Women’s Studies was one of the best experiences I had at Michigan. I was able to study issues that I truly care about.

The Women’s Studies Department offers an entirely different U-M experience with small classes, a sense of community, outstanding faculty and a broad view of the world.

Resources for Students with Children

Please see: http://www.studentswithchildren.umich.edu/

Where Women’s Studies Alumni Work After Graduation

In a recent survey, we asked Women’s Studies graduates what they’re doing now. Please see the wide-ranging list by clicking on the links below.

Click here to see an alphabetical list of the jobs of Women's Studies alumni.

Click here to link to an article from Ms. Magazine in fall 2012, "So You Want to Change the World?

Click here to see a powerpoint presentation on Career Options for Women's Studies majors, prepared by the U-M Career Center.

Contact Us

The Women’s Studies Department is located at 1122 Lane Hall, 204 S. State St. (at the corner of E. Washington St.), Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1290.

The Director of Undergraduate Studies is Prof. Anna Kirkland. The Undergraduate Program Coordinator is Donna Ainsworth. If you have questions about the undergraduate program please contact Donna Ainsworth, donnasa@umich.edu, 734.647.0774.