The College of Arts and Sciences is now offering a new gender studies minor.
The program examines the construction of gender in a variety of cultures and in different historical epochs.Susan Rensing, co-advisor of the Ellen Bryant Women’s Resource Center and gender studies program, said the program offers courses from a number of departments.
“The curriculum of the program has classes from departments such as sociology, history, English and psychology, to just name a few,” Rensing said.
She said both men and women are encouraged to receive the gender studies minor.
“Part of why we switched the name from ‘women’s studies’ to ‘gender studies’ is to reflect that we are really trying to focus on gender and not just women,” she said.
Rensing said that masculinity and femininity are taught equally and that gender roles have changed over time.
Kristi Fondren, instructor of Introduction to Gender Studies, said some students come into her class with stereotypes of the meaning of gender.
“Many students come into my class thinking that women are supposed to perform different tasks while men are supposed to perform others,” Fondren said. “But the thing is when they leave the class they have a whole new understanding of what gender really is.”
Fondren also said the minor will be beneficial to students of all majors.
“Someone getting a degree in sociology or in history would really benefit from the gender studies minor,” she said.
There has been the option of having the gender studies on students’ transcripts, but it has always been a certificate rather than a minor.
“I think a minor carries a lot more weight on a transcript than a certificate does,” Rensing said.
Fondren said the minor doesn’t only look good on a transcript, but offers a lot to students.
“The gender studies minor gives an insight to students about how the genders have changed over time and how different things are now,” she said.
Students who choose to get the minor are required to receive more credits than the certificate did. To earn the minor, students are required to take 18 total credits.
“We added new courses to the curriculum because of the students having to receive more credits,” Rensing said. “We are hoping to add even more courses in the next few year, along with adding to our faculty.”
MSU freshman Brittney Holzhauer thinks gender studies would be an interesting minor.
“I am planning on taking Introduction to Gender Studies soon,” she said. “I am a political science major. I think it will be beneficial in the long run.