Will I be accepted by my male peers in engineering as a female?

[Moonbear]

What on Earth is Women's Studies and why do we need it ?

From the University of Maryland program (just the first one to pop up on Google; no special reason to choose their program as an example):

The Women's Studies major offers students a coherent but flexible program of study, examining scholarship and theory on the history, status, contributions, and experiences of women in diverse cultural communities, and on the significance of gender as a social construct and as an analytical category. Drawing from approximately fifty courses, many of which are cross-listed with other academic units, students fulfill the broad requirements of the major and also have the opportunity to design an emphasis relevant to their special interests.

http://www.womensstudies.umd.edu/undergrad.htm

And yes, they offer a Ph.D. in Women's Studies too.

My experience was that only the hard-core, ultra-radical, man-hating feminists chose that major. Now, some people would take a class here or there, even the odd brave man (I escaped...erm, graduated...before it was a mandatory course for the women's college), but those who actually chose the major had a big chip on their shoulders when it came to men.

 

[Pengwuino]

I hate this feminist crap. Why isn't there Man's study or ... maleism!

 

[Moonbear]

I hate this feminist crap. Why isn't there Man's study or ... maleism!

Because traditionally, that was everything else?

 

[mattmns]

What does one do with a B.S. or Ph.D in Women's Studies?

 

[cronxeh]

What does one do with a B.S. or Ph.D in Women's Studies?

Pelvic Exams?

 

[mattmns]

Hmm, their website says nothing about possible careers for Women's Studies majors, I am tempted to send one of the professors an email. I would probably get something back like: You might be able to find the solution to the inequality and prejudice that has plagued women for thousands of years!

Seriously though, wouldn't it be a better idea for a true feminist to major in engineering, or physics, or something that is male dominated, so she could take it to those punk males?

 

[Pengwuino]

Seriously though, wouldn't it be a better idea for a true feminist to major in engineering, or physics, or something that is male dominated, so she could take it to those punk males?

Yah, that WOULD be a logical choice unless the theory that 'feminists don't want equality, instead they want superiority' is true

 

[Pengwuino]

Because traditionally, that was everything else?

yah good point...

 

[lwymarie]

Well there are all boys and all girls colleges.

In Hong Kong, there are no all boys and all girls colleges. However there are many single-sex high schools and very likely they are good schools.

 

[hitssquad]

their website says nothing about possible careers for Women's Studies majors

google.com/search?q=%22women%27s+studies%22+%22employment+outlook%22
google.com/search?q=%22women%27s+studies%22+%22job+outlook%22

--
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS MINOR
The minor is excellent preparation for further study in law as well as for graduate programs in women's studies, psychology, social work, literature, and education. Graduates with women's studies minors are working in a variety of fields, including business, child and family services, education, journalism, and social service administration.
--

 

[mattmns]

Well I am unsure of how Women's Studies would go into buisiness (maybe to connect with women as consumers?), but the rest of those seem perfectly logical jobs for Women's studies people.

 

[hitssquad]

Well I am unsure of how Women's Studies would go into buisiness

The Department of Human Resources. Every large business has one.

 

[Theelectricchild]

I dunno--- I am an EE, and have noticed that EE seems to have very few girls at my school (Univ of washington).

But other engineering disciplines like BioEngineering and Chemical Engineering are actually close to being 50 - 50 here. I don't know why, but perhaps it's the notion that ChemE and BioE people tend to go on to medical school that attracts females to it... theyre less math oriented than EE and physics, and that may also be a factor. Btw there are pretty hot girls in my EE classes, although few of them. It sucks because the chances of them talking to you is slim considering there are so many guys.

Your thoughts.

 

[Moonbear]

Hmm, their website says nothing about possible careers for Women's Studies majors, I am tempted to send one of the professors an email. I would probably get something back like: You might be able to find the solution to the inequality and prejudice that has plagued women for thousands of years!

Seriously though, wouldn't it be a better idea for a true feminist to major in engineering, or physics, or something that is male dominated, so she could take it to those punk males?

Or animal sciences and then building a career in neuroscience. I consider myself a feminist (in case you couldn't tell from the girls vs women debate ), but not that kind. I really do want equality. I have no interest in trying to push women ahead of men to make up for whatever previous generations did, I just want women to get their fair shake in the modern world.

 

[Fryerpan]

if i can do as what u say, i would have lots of girsl around me..:shy:

The truth is.......

 

[Shahil]

Mining areas in India , Africa do not allow girls , I have heard.Dont know about US.

Africa...I didn't know the entire continent was still one country...

Anyway, that's a load of ... I'm in South Africa and I think they've been allowing girls into engineering since, um, a REALLY long time ago. I've yet to see a class photo from way back when where there weren't any girls...ok I lie, there have been years without girls but if this was the case, I did find another photo from an earlier year that had girls.

Anway, there's only bout 8 girls in my 3rd yea EE class though about 25 or so started with me in 1st year. Theres about 180/200 or so people in my 3rd year class altogether. It's odd though, girls do find eng much harder to grasp initially than boys. Once grasped, I think it's a level playing field though coz the girls in my class are just as good (if not better in some cases) than most of the boys.

At my varsity there are a lot of girls doing chem eng comparitively. However, from the workload and all that goes with it (ie. time dedicated to design and the level of work that you're expected to grasp) chem eng is much easier than the others even though the entrance requirements are much higher.

 

[Shahil]

What on Earth is Women's Studies and why do we need it ?

We really don't. I really think that such courses, which promote one cause over the other are full of prejudice. I'm sorry for "offending" anyone but a degree in this is just absurd. A minor, on the other hand, that, I would say, is important as coupled with your other courses, I'm sure a course like this shall inform you and when coupled with your other choen courses, you can come up with your own conclusions. Geddit??

If stuff like "women's Studies" can be still kept as part of a curriculm 5 years into the 21st century, why not introduce "Terror Studies" to give you a perspective of the world from that of a terrorist..! I think it's the same principle really.

 

[Nomy-the wanderer]

It's true that in the faculty of engineering there r mostly guys, but there are plenty of girls there..For ex I'm a girl who is interested in nuke eng.
Girls form approx 50% of the EE dept...

So i think there's more appeal for girls to study engineering, due to their wild imagination and creativity

 

[Diencephalon]

Yeah, engineering chicks kick ass. I mean there's not a horribly large amount of students in Nuclear Engineering, much less the male to female ratio so I have to wonder if my classes are going to be like the LAN parties I go to in that respect... :P