Women & Gender Studies
Advocacy, Scholarship, Activism
Women & Gender Studies at UD
Welcome
The Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Delaware offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary program that explores the complexities of gender and its intersections with other social categories such as race, class, sexuality, and nationality. Students can pursue a B.A. degree with an honors option, as well as minors in Domestic Violence Prevention and Services, Sexualities and Gender Studies, and Women and Religion. The department emphasizes experiential learning through internships and provides customized advisement to align academic pursuits with career goals. With award-winning faculty and a commitment to addressing contemporary issues through scholarship, advocacy, and activism, the department prepares students for diverse professional paths in fields such as law, social services, education, and policy development.
WHY WOMEN & GENDER STUDIES?
- Lectures and events such as the Carter Series and the Ida B. Wells lecture bring renown scholars and leaders in the field to campus, allowing students to hear first-hand from experts.
- A vast network of community partners gives students a wide variety of opportunities and connections for internships and employment after graduation.
- The Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence — housed in the Department of Women and Gender Studies — is the first of its kind in the country to provide professional training that integrates current research and scholarship at the undergraduate level to prepare students to work in the field of gender-based violence prevention and intervention. It is the only center that has a dual commitment to generating scholarship and professional training.
- The Women & Gender Studies Capstone (WOMS410) aims to give graduating majors a space to reflect on their undergraduate work, ultimately exploring their individual embodiment of "the personal is political." The Capstone promotes collaborative thinking, working, and expression.
"In my experience, most collegiate courses measure knowledge and success in very limited and, quite frankly, white (as well as male and wealthy) ways of knowing. Our comprehension is measured with timed exams where we are expected to write lengthy essays, solve complex math problems, and recall details about content we might have needed to teach ourselves. What if English isn’t your first language? What if you have differing physical and mental abilities? What if you are a first-generation college student who was not prepared throughout life to take exams like this? Who decided that doing well via these measurements meant you were smart or successful in the first place? The WOMS410 capstone course challenged the privileging of white ways of knowing/being. Unlike many other courses, my personhood and life were not asked to be left at the door - in fact, they were invited inside and acknowledged throughout the entire capstone experience. Majoring in women & gender studies at the University of Delaware was my greatest decision and one that continues to influence my scholarship, practice, and daily interactions."
- Recent graduate of Women & Gender Studies
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For the Record, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
October 04, 2024 | Written by UDaily staffUniversity of Delaware community reports new presentations, honors, appointments -
Respect, clear communication can address ‘mismatch in care’ for postpartum Black women
September 03, 2024 | Written by Erin Welsh of HealioArticle quotes Micki Burdick, assistant professor of women and gender studies. “The disparities we’re seeing in reproductive health outcomes for Black women, including maternal mortality and morbidity, are tied to experiences of racism on individual and structural levels in health care systems,” they said. -
For the Record, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024
August 30, 2024 | Written by UDaily staffUniversity of Delaware community reports new publications, presentations, honors, service