The Women's Studies Program is an interdisciplinary academic program housed in NIU's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Any undergraduate student in the university may earn a minor in Women's Studies by taking 3 core courses and 3 additional courses selected from related electives offered for credit towards a minor (Learn more about the Women's Studies minor). The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences also offers students the opportunity to construct an individualized major in Women’s Studies- B.A. or B.S. (Learn more about the Women's Studies Contract Major).
As an interdisciplinary field, Women's Studies offers courses which:
Elective courses are offered in a wide range of departments, including anthropology, art, communication, English, foreign languages and literatures, geography, history, human and family resources, management, nursing, political science, psychology, and sociology. For example, students may study such topics as communication and the sexes, equal opportunity and employment, women and politics, growing up female, marriages and families, gender and crime, visual images of women, or women in U.S. history. We also offer a popular internship option that gives students practical experience working in women's organizations, government agencies, and other settings. Click here to see a current listing of courses.
Students have found that a background in Women's Studies has benefited them in other college courses and in their work after college, regardless of career. Students entering social service fields such as psychology, health sciences, education, and others find it particularly valuable to have an in-depth knowledge of women's issues. In addition, Women's Studies may provide individuals with a greater awareness of the importance of gender in the workplace.
