By Laura Shiels
It’s time to consider next semester. I suggest you drop that business class and pick up women’s studies instead. Taking a women’s studies class is an excellent way to enhance both your life and your education. women’s studies is often an undervalued field, but the wisdom available holds an immense amount of value. A women’s studies class can help bring you new perspectives on the world, allowing you to see in ways you may have never considered.
While women are the central focus of the women’s studies program, it uses feminist theory in order to explore several other layers of oppression, such as class, race, sexual orientation and ability. For many people, it is an empowering experience to be in a classroom setting where personal knowledge is valued and encouraged, as women’s studies uses experience in addition to the-ory and research. By connecting theory to one’s own experiences, students can begin to see the role they inhabit within their own life, possibly unearthing unknown assumptions. This often leads to a need to take some sort of action, as students realize they have an influence within the world.
Women’s studies also offers students several tools to use in order to enact change. Beyond the personal benefits you will see in your life, a women’s studies class may also give you an edge with a possible employer. There are some organizations that label themselves as feminist, or that may recognize the unique set of critical-thinking skills a student with a women’s studies background holds. With winter semester just around the corner, I suggest you check out registering for a women’s studies class!