In a world of shifting gender roles, Central students are learning to critically examine the issues in the women’s and gender studies minor.

Judith Hennessy is an associate professor of sociology and is also director of the women’s and gender studies minor.

Hennessy said that there has been a significant increase in the enrollment of students in the minor since she showed up.

“We had 24, but I just added a couple, so I think we have 26 minors right now,” Hennessy said. “So the program has grown quite a bit. We just had nine in 2007.”

In 2007, the program’s title was changed from “women’s studies” to “women’s and gender studies,” Hennessy said.

“I’ve been here nine years, and it was a minor when I was first here,” Hennessy said.

According to the minor’s website, the program originally started in 1972, when Alice Low Yee, former dean of women, was hired to establish the Women’s Center and facilitate returning women to Central.

The minor program was revamped in 1987.

Hennessy said that the program is an interdisciplinary approach, which brings a variety of perspectives not often seen in mainstream media culture.

“The core class that’s required is the intro to women’s and gender studies,” Hennessy said.

Other requirements for the minor include classes from the anthropology, communication, history and sociology departments, as listed on the minor’s website.

“We’ve also added women’s and gender studies, to branch into looking at sexuality,” Hennessy said.

The minor looks at gender and gender inequality, Hennessy said. Part of the requirement of the minor is what is known as a colloquium.

“Basically, [the colloquium] is like a culminating experience,” Hennessy said. “Students do a special project. They do a research paper. It can be an internship. They can do a volunteer experience.”

Hennessy said that some former minor students have worked with the Center for Diversity and Social Justice. They have done projects such as presentations of women, media and images of gender.

These presentations are held in the SURC.

“They’ve done some really creative projects as part of this colloquium,” Hennessy said.

Queer Studies, WGS 250, will be added into the program in the Winter 2015 quarter. The program will look at historical and contemporary theories regarding homosexual issues.

Hennessy said that WGS 250 will be a regular minor offering. She also said that the move to an official course class has been due to an increased interest.

Hennessy said that she has seen sociology, biology, law and justice, psychology and communication majors come through the minor. She also said that students did not have to be women’s and gender studies minors to take the courses.

“It has certainly a wide appeal to go into a variety of different areas,” Hennessy said. “Whether that’s non-profit organizations, or human resources.”

Hennessy also said that the changing cultural world has affected the minor.

“Now we have a more expanded notion of gender,” Hennessy said. “Gender is not limited to women’s issues, when we think and talk about gender. . . our curriculum reflects that change.”