Gender Studies
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the making and meaning of gender — femininity and masculinity — as well as sexuality across cultures and social formations, past and present. The underlying belief of gender studies is that gender influences human options, conditions and experiences. Legal, political, economic and cultural systems are all profoundly gendered. Deep understanding of gender patterns, dynamics and biases can enhance the accuracy and scope of work in many fields, including criminal justice, psychology, anthropology, sociology, literature, philosophy and history. Gender awareness benefits individuals, communities and organizations.
One of the strengths of gender studies is that it teaches critical analysis by taking one of our most basic experiences — that of being a gendered human being — and forces us to question its meaning within a broad range of frameworks. Because students in the minor take courses from a variety of disciplines, such as government, Puerto Rican and Latin American studies, law and police science, and literature, they are exposed to many different methodological approaches and theoretical debates. Students who earn a gender studies minor learn to be supple and critical thinkers, skills that will enhance their eligibility for any post-graduate work or career.
A minor in gender studies is very flexible. Like majors or minors in other social science and humanities disciplines, the gender studies minor does not prepare students for one job, but for many different kinds of employment. Gender studies courses train students in critical thinking, social science and humanities research methods and writing. Coursework provides knowledge about the interplay of gender, race, class and sexuality in the United States and globally. The ability to apply an internship toward credit in the minor allows students the opportunity to evaluate possible careers and provides employment experiences that help graduates find employment. A minor in gender studies, with its combination of cross-disciplinary, analytic and practical skills, provides a well-rounded graduate with the tools to adapt to a world of rapidly changing work and family structures.
Students who pursue gender studies have gone on to work in social services administration, domestic violence advocacy, business, communications, journalism, law enforcement, psychological and counseling services, legal and political fields, and a host of other careers.
Minor Coordinator/Advisor: Professor Allison Pease, Department of English (212.237.8565, apease@jjay.cuny.edu)
Requirements: The gender studies minor allows students to focus on the meanings and implications of gender by taking six courses (18 credits) from the rich variety of gender studies courses offered in the social sciences and humanities.
Courses such as Sex and Culture, Psychology of the African-American Family, Sex Offenders in the Criminal Justice System, History of Gender Images, Gender Issues in International Criminal Justice, Gender in Literature, Women and Crime and Manhood in America offer exciting, new ways of understanding the world we live in as well as important tools for analyzing experience. Gender studies courses are offered every semester by the majority of academic departments at John Jay. The gender studies coordinator/advisor compiles a list of all courses offered in the minor prior to student registration and posts it on the gender studies minor website: http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~wsc/minor.htm.
Other information. Students minoring in gender studies can receive 3 credits toward the minor if they do an internship in a gender-related field.