This Proseminar will prepare you for work in graduate-level women's and gender studies. There will be an overview of feminist scholarship, interdisciplinary research, and writing. Reading, discussion, and assignments will focus on the development of women's studies as an academic field and on current trends and standards in scholarship. The Proseminar's grounding in the broad discourse of interdisciplinary women's studies will help you frame and make use of more specialized courses and to conceptualize your thesis or non-thesis project. By the end of the semester, you will be prepared to design and carry out independent research projects required in your women's and gender studies graduate programs. Moreover, you will be familiar with humanities and social science methodologies suitable to women's studies; options for further study and for careers; professional associations in the field of women's studies; and leading journals in the field.