Associate or
Full Professor in Feminist Theory and Department Chair
Feminist Scholarship Reading Group
Support the Department of Women's Studies
The Women's Studies Program was established at the University of Iowa in 1974 and is one of the oldest programs in the United States. Our initial strength in joint appointments in the social sciences made the program unique within an interdisciplinary field most often drawn from the humanities. Our recent appointments give us strength in both social sciences and the humanities and enable us to continue to develop the breadth of interdisciplinary strength we believe to be the cornerstone of a strong women's studies program. Certainly, the interdisciplinary nature of the program evokes strong support from faculty and students who consider themselves part of the Women's Studies community even though their ties are informal and their rewards intrinsic.
Since 2000, Women's Studies has had departmental status. Women's Studies has grown dramatically in the last 15 years. Starting with only one half-time faculty member, the Department now has one full-time appointment and seven faculty with joint appointments. About 55 other faculty at the University are affiliated with Women's Studies and regularly cross-list their feminist courses with Women's Studies, supervise graduate students or serve on Women's Studies committees.
News & Events
Kim Marra, Chair of the Department of American Studies and professor of American Studies and Theatre Arts, and Sexuality Studies Program faculty member at the University of Iowa is the winner of the Joe A. Callaway Prize for 2008 for the best book on drama or theatre presented by New York University’s Department of English. Read more...
Johanna Schoen featured in FYI. Read more...
December 5 - Karen Heimer will present "Violence, Victims, and Prisons: How Gender, Race, and Poverty Matter" at 1:00 in 704 Jefferson Building.
Draft of New UI Policy
on Sexual Assault Misconduct
(click to view/download)
Comments on the policy
should be directed to:
jonathan-c-carlson@uiowa.edu
Spotlight on our majors
Meet Susy Hemphill, a senior women's studies and economics major from Des Moines, Iowa. As a Women's Studies major, I have had the opportunity to complete a practicum at the Women's Resource and Action Center and at the Emma Goldman Clinic. At the clinic, I worked directly with the executive director to influence legislative decisions across the state.
Read more...
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Some of you may be aware of discussions, over the past year, of a possible merger of the Sexuality Studies Program and the Women’s Studies Department. I’m happy to pass on the good news that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has offered its full support to moving forward with our proposal to create a new Department of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies (GWS).
Over the course of the 2008/09 year, we will be developing the curriculum of this new program, and moving through the stages of obtaining collegiate and University approval for the new curriculum, including a new major, a new minor, and a new graduate certificate program.
We are also conducting a national search this year for a senior scholar and new Chair to join our faculty.
What will this mean for Women's Studies? It means that we will soon be able to offer a major and minor in GWS. At the same time, we will introduce a graduate certificate, and we look forward to introducing a PhD program some time in the future after that.
If we gain final approval from the College, the Provost, and the Regents, our new major and minor will go into effect on the first day of the Fall 2009 semester at the very earliest. That means that if you are graduating in the 2008/09 academic year, you will continue to work towards your BA or minor in Women's Studies with the requirements as currently outlined on our web page (http://www.uiowa.edu/~women/). Once the new major and minor are available, students will not be allowed to declare the former major or minor.
Please note, however, that all students currently enrolled in the major or minor will have an additional four years from the implementation date of the new programs to complete the former major or minor.
We are committed to seeing all current Women's Studies students through their programs. We will be sure to keep you informed of any changes that might affect your studies.
The chair of the department is Professor Leslie Schwalm. You may contact her at leslie-schwalm@uiowa.edu.
We very excited about these new developments, and we feel strongly that they will offer enhanced opportunities to students interested in gender studies, women's studies, and sexuality studies in the future. Please be in touch if you have any questions
Professor Leslie A. Schwalm and the Women's Studies faculty
.