Gender studies - Faculty of Arts

Offered by the School of Political and Social Inquiry

Gender studies is an exciting interdisciplinary field of inquiry broadly concerned with questions of gender, sexuality and culture. Gender studies is informed by the belief that all social processes are ‘gendered’ and these units bring innovative theory and research techniques to the study of women’s lives, their status in society and the dilemmas and contradictions in gender relations and sexualities. Gender studies units cover specific topics such as how gender issues are represented in film, literature, popular culture, advertising and the media; feminist and gender theory; the relationship between gender and crime; the connections between gender, consumption and marketing; feminist research methodology; how different cultures shape gender identities and sexualities; shifting cultural and historical forms of femininity and masculinity; how questions of sex or gender relate to questions of class and race; and cross-cultural feminism.

The undergraduate program is designed to introduce students to a variety of feminist models of analysis and to assist them in developing a range of methodological skills. Gender studies units also foster the development of transferable professional skills among students. Units offered by the centre are complemented by a wide range of electives offered throughout the school and the faculty. Selected gender studies units may be taken as electives within other majors in the school. Gender studies units are offered on the Clayton campus and selectively on the Malaysia campus.

For information on the units required for a major or minor in gender studies, refer to the ‘Areas of study’ section on the Arts faculty website at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/current/coursework/study-areas.

Relevant courses

For details of the following courses, see ‘Outline of undergraduate studies’ section:

• Bachelor of Arts (and associated double degrees)
• Bachelor of Arts (Global)
• Bachelor of Letters
• Diploma in Arts (Women’s Studies)

Contact details

Email psi@arts.monash.edu.au or visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/schools/psi; inquiries (Clayton): room W1017, West Wing, Menzies building; +61 3 9905 2443; inquiries (Caulfield): room B4.35, building B; Telephone +61 3 9903 2378