WOMEN'S STUDIES AT HAMILTON is certainly not for women only. It is not even exclusively about women. Instead, women's studies provides a powerful perspective on culture and history by placing women at the center of its analysis. Who are we as individuals and as members of a society? Who shapes those identities, and how? How do gender, power, race and class affect the interactions of women and men? These are issues that every thoughtful person must address. Women's studies at Hamilton gives students the tools to address them with intellectual rigor in an inclusive, supportive environment. More ...
Academic Program
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Women's studies combines theory and practice in creative, productive ways, so research is always central to the process of learning and applying knowledge. It may take the form of traditional scholarship, or it may involve less conventional forms of study and participation, but women's studies students at Hamilton are engaged students. They attend small classes and forge strong relationships with their teachers. They collaborate with one another and with faculty members on projects. And they use their growing command of written and spoken argument to take their place in a vibrant intellectual community.
The interdisciplinary nature of women's studies also lends itself to creative combinations of academic interests. Women's studies courses often lead students to re-examine and re-evaluate the theories, assumptions and methods of traditional disciplines. Students can then create their own interdisciplinary major by combining courses in women’s studies with courses in another discipline, culminating in an interdisciplinary senior thesis.
One recent interdisciplinary major combined courses in women's studies, Spanish and creative writing, then wrote a senior thesis in the form of a novella composed in Spanish and English about the lives of Puerto Rican women. Other students choose to complete a double major by meeting the requirements of two distinct majors. Women's studies might be paired, for example, with government or physics or English, with students taking courses in one discipline that complement the other.
THE SENIOR PROGRAM
Seniors in women's studies pursue a one-semester senior project that can take the form of either a written thesis or some form of performance. Students work independently on the senior project, but they are supervised by one or more faculty members. The senior project represents a culmination of each student’s undergraduate experience; it synthesizes coursework, discussion and personal reflection into a focused statement of intellectual growth and insight.
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RESOURCES
The Jane Watson Irwin
Chair is an endowed professorship that brings a noted teacher and scholar to
campus each year to join the women’s studies program. Recent visiting
professors include Minnie Bruce Pratt, Chandra Talpade Mohanty and Gita Rajan.
The larger Hamilton community provides many resources valuable to
the women's
studies program. The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center provides
students with
opportunities for civic engagement through a Community Outreach Office,
service
learning projects, and faculty-student collaboration in community based
research. Burke Library provides a growing range of books, journals and
video
related to women’s studies; the library also houses Hamilton's
Multimedia Presentation Center, a state-of-the-art media and computer
facility
that all students may use to develop presentations, performances and
other
projects.
Women's studies at Hamilton is an interdisciplinary program, grounded in a wide range of fields and approaches. This broad focus challenges students to move beyond abstract and personal arguments and to think critically about the economic, educational, artistic, scientific, legal and policy implications of gender and class roles. The accomplished women's studies faculty includes a Carnegie Foundation New York State Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the College's prestigious Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
One-on-One Discussions
As an interdisciplinary program, women's studies offers a full range of courses at every level: introductory surveys; intermediate courses in feminist history, theory, practice and philosophy; and advanced seminars that focus on women and race, class, gender, sexuality, education, arts, science, religion, law and public policy. Classes are small and feature intensive student-faculty interaction.
Broad Appeal
The broad appeal, growing importance and versatile range of women's studies make it a valuable adjunct to other disciplines as well as a popular concentration. Students may major or minor in women's studies; they may combine it with another discipline to create their own interdisciplinary major; or they may work toward a double major. Students who don’t wish to major or minor in the field still find that introductory and intermediate women's studies courses provide useful tools to re-evaluate and gain perspective on traditional disciplines.
Endless Possibilities
Women's studies graduates make excellent use of their Hamilton degrees by successfully entering careers and graduate study in a wide range of fields, including social work, education, public policy, law, science, medicine, art and business.
Women's studies at Hamilton is an interdisciplinary program, grounded in a wide range of fields and approaches. This broad focus challenges students to move beyond abstract and personal arguments and to think critically about the economic, educational, artistic, scientific, legal and policy implications of gender and class roles. The accomplished women's studies faculty includes a Carnegie Foundation New York State Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the College's prestigious Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
One-on-One Discussions
As an interdisciplinary program, women's studies offers a full range of courses at every level: introductory surveys; intermediate courses in feminist history, theory, practice and philosophy; and advanced seminars that focus on women and race, class, gender, sexuality, education, arts, science, religion, law and public policy. Classes are small and feature intensive student-faculty interaction.
Broad Appeal
The broad appeal, growing importance and versatile range of women's studies make it a valuable adjunct to other disciplines as well as a popular concentration. Students may major or minor in women's studies; they may combine it with another discipline to create their own interdisciplinary major; or they may work toward a double major. Students who don’t wish to major or minor in the field still find that introductory and intermediate women's studies courses provide useful tools to re-evaluate and gain perspective on traditional disciplines.
Endless Possibilities
Women's studies graduates make excellent use of their Hamilton degrees by successfully entering careers and graduate study in a wide range of fields, including social work, education, public policy, law, science, medicine, art and business.
Women's studies at Hamilton is an interdisciplinary program, grounded in a wide range of fields and approaches. This broad focus challenges students to move beyond abstract and personal arguments and to think critically about the economic, educational, artistic, scientific, legal and policy implications of gender and class roles. The accomplished women's studies faculty includes a Carnegie Foundation New York State Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the College's prestigious Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
One-on-One Discussions
As an interdisciplinary program, women's studies offers a full range of courses at every level: introductory surveys; intermediate courses in feminist history, theory, practice and philosophy; and advanced seminars that focus on women and race, class, gender, sexuality, education, arts, science, religion, law and public policy. Classes are small and feature intensive student-faculty interaction.
Broad Appeal
The broad appeal, growing importance and versatile range of women's studies make it a valuable adjunct to other disciplines as well as a popular concentration. Students may major or minor in women's studies; they may combine it with another discipline to create their own interdisciplinary major; or they may work toward a double major. Students who don’t wish to major or minor in the field still find that introductory and intermediate women's studies courses provide useful tools to re-evaluate and gain perspective on traditional disciplines.
Endless Possibilities
Women's studies graduates make excellent use of their Hamilton degrees by successfully entering careers and graduate study in a wide range of fields, including social work, education, public policy, law, science, medicine, art and business.
Women's studies at Hamilton is an interdisciplinary program, grounded in a wide range of fields and approaches. This broad focus challenges students to move beyond abstract and personal arguments and to think critically about the economic, educational, artistic, scientific, legal and policy implications of gender and class roles. The accomplished women's studies faculty includes a Carnegie Foundation New York State Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the College's prestigious Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
One-on-One Discussions
As an interdisciplinary program, women's studies offers a full range of courses at every level: introductory surveys; intermediate courses in feminist history, theory, practice and philosophy; and advanced seminars that focus on women and race, class, gender, sexuality, education, arts, science, religion, law and public policy. Classes are small and feature intensive student-faculty interaction.
Broad Appeal
The broad appeal, growing importance and versatile range of women's studies make it a valuable adjunct to other disciplines as well as a popular concentration. Students may major or minor in women's studies; they may combine it with another discipline to create their own interdisciplinary major; or they may work toward a double major. Students who don’t wish to major or minor in the field still find that introductory and intermediate women's studies courses provide useful tools to re-evaluate and gain perspective on traditional disciplines.
Endless Possibilities
Women's studies graduates make excellent use of their Hamilton degrees by successfully entering careers and graduate study in a wide range of fields, including social work, education, public policy, law, science, medicine, art and business.
AFTER HAMILTON
Hamilton graduates who concentrated in Women's Studies are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
Art Teacher, Renbrook School
Campaign Manager, The Advertising Council
Development Manager, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Physician, Butler Hospital
Prevention Case Manager, House of the Good Shepherd
