Women’s studies gives new interests to UCLA

By Marcelle Richards
Daily Bruin Reporter

Hands flew up in the air as a room full of women clamored to
debate reproductive rights.

“The right to choose,” “more resources for
mothers” and “shifting more responsibility to men on
birth control” were some of the students’ ideas in
Women’s Studies 210 that filled the white board.

Hypothetical situations to equalize gender roles were presented,
such as the prospect of a birth control pill for men.

Laughter erupted when one student smirked and remarked that she
wouldn’t trust her boyfriend with the pill.

Meanwhile, Christine Littleton, law professor and co-chair of
the women’s studies program, stood poised at the front with
the shadow of a smile across her face. She fought for the program
from the beginning and finally, after 12 years, the graduate
program in women’s studies finally made its debut on campus
in the fall of 2000.

“It produces a focus on the women’s studies field
that is simply unavailable in other fields,” Littleton said.
“Women are foregrounded. There’s always been a
significant number of students researching women’s issues but
they haven’t had a program.”

The availability of graduate classes has allowed students within
and outside the field to get a taste of what the graduate program
is like.

“It’s not so much about feminism, but it’s
having the cross-disciplines,” said Kelly Garcia, a doctoral
candidate in psychology who is pursuing a concentration in
women’s studies. “What I wanted was a way to broaden my
thinking about women’s issues and it’s definitely done
that.”

Men often take undergraduate level courses, though the numbers
tend to decrease at the graduate level. At UCLA, a few male
professors occasionally teach courses in the program, according to
Littleton.

“We have had a few (men) apply for graduate studies, but
it is true that the overwhelming number of applicants are
women,” she said. “There’s no good reason why men
shouldn’t be interested too.”

The demand for the program has come from a core group of faculty
and students, especially for those seeking a way to enhance their
work in other disciplines.

“It creates a form of promotion; it raises the importance
of women in research and academia,” said Sharmila Lodhi, who
is pursuing a master’s degree in women’s studies.
“I had already been to law school and I wanted a chance to do
some more research on gender, which I didn’t get a chance to
do in mainstream curriculum.”

The program was first sketched on the drawing board 12 years ago
when faculty requested graduate courses in women’s
studies.

Plans were delayed, however, when they were told they could not
have graduate courses without a graduate program.

After six years of working to get a graduate program approved,
the university announced the arrival of a women’s studies
graduate program for fall 2000.

A proposal was made to the Graduate Council, which then
underwent review by a UC faculty committee. UC Board of Regents
made the final call to approve the program.

“I think it’s a very profitable interdisciplinary
undertaking,” said Kathleen Komar, associate graduate dean.
“My hope is that it will do well at UCLA and I think it
will.”

UCLA has joined the ranks of other UC campuses like UC Santa
Barbara and UC Davis, which already have graduate programs in
place.

Many other major universities with similar programs in
women’s studies have had to confront political battles, said
Littleton, who was pleased that no such problems arose with
UCLA’s administration.

“There are very few universities, and even fewer research
universities that offer graduate degrees in women’s
studies,” Littleton said. “We met with no opposition,
simply delay and scarce resources.”

Though the undergraduate women’s studies program has
offered a degree since 1981, the process to create a graduate level
program was halted by a lack of available professors and funding to
hire more professors.

“We need more faculty positions,” Littleton said.
“We have much more demand for our faculty and classes than we
can satisfy.”

Currently, the program is aiming to keep the number of admits at
five students per year.

“We hope to be producing the best women’s studies
scholars, teachers and activists in the country,” Littleton
said. “We not only hope, we expect it.”

WOMEN’S STUDIES GRADUATE PROGRAM
Eligibility for women’s studies graduate
program: B.A. degree or equivalent Eligibility for
concentration in women’s studies: Graduate student
enrolled in another UCLA department, program or professional school
Admittance: Targeted goal of 5 students per year;
based upon intellectual ability, past performance and the fit
between the graduate program and personal/professional goals
Average length of M.A. program: 1-2 years Average
length of Ph.D. program: 4+ years Course requirements for
MA: 40 units of course work including the core sequence
(WS 201-210-203), master’s essay under the supervision of a
UCLA women’s studies faculty member Course
requirements for Ph.D.: 60 units of course work, including
12 units of dissertation research. Must pass a proficiency exam in
one foreign language and a qualifying exam. A doctoral dissertation
under the supervision of a UCLA women’s studies faculty
member is also required. Expected student profile:
3.5 GPA or better, > 600 GRE score Average amount
granted for M.A. fellowships: $10,000 plus fees
Average amount granted for Ph.D. fellowships:
$12,000 – $14,000, fee remission in most cases Original by YU
WANG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Web adaptation by MONICA KWONG/Daily
Bruin Senior Staff