If you are interested in declaring a Women's Studies major
or minor—or you have already done so—please
make an appointment with program advisor Dr. Marieke Van
Willigen (vanwilligenm@ecu.edu)
Women’s Studies has moved to its
new office in Brewster B103. Contact Director Cheryl
Dudasik-Wiggs at the program’s new number: 252.
737.2479.
What is Women’s Studies?
Women's Studies is a discipline that draws on a variety of
academic perspectives to research and study women's
experiences in the United States and around the world. It
offers an interdisciplinary view of issues particularly
relevant to women.
The ECU Women's Studies Program encourages students to
re-vision societal patterns—especially those leading
to prejudice—and to explore new frameworks from which
to analyze contemporary conditions in women's lives.
As part of ECU's commitment to enhancing students'
understanding of America's multicultural heritage and
global inter-connectedness, the Women's Studies program
provides a broad range of courses which examine how women
are affected by such factors as gender, race/ethnicity,
sexual orientation, class, political and economic
structures, and social systems across disciplinary
boundaries. Students are encouraged to study causes and to
seek solutions to the many contemporary issues vital to the
survival of both men and women. The ECU Women's Studies
Program offers a minor on both the undergraduate and
graduate levels, as well as a BA.
Opportunities
for Women's Studies graduates
With a Women's Studies major, minor, or double major, a
student has the opportunity to enhance personal and career
goals through interdisciplinary study. Completing these
programs enhances career preparation. In the next few
years, the majority of the workforce will be women and/or
members of a minority group. The knowledge and awareness of
cultural and gender diversity fostered in Women's Studies
prepare a student to apply for positions in human services,
health and wellness professions, national and international
business, and human resources.