Country institutional report: New Zealand

Abstract

Waikato University pioneered the development of Women’s Studies as an academic discipline in New Zealand, with the first paper on this subject being offered in 1974. By 1982, a programme of papers was offered within five departments and the subject could be taken as a second supporting subject. A Centre for Women’s Studies was established in 1986, and, by 1988, was offering five taught core undergraduate papers and six electives, all of which could be taken towards a first or second support. A supporting BSocSci major in Women’s Studies became available in 1988, along with a Diploma in Women’s Studies. The full major became available in 1990. At this time, the major comprised a limited selection of core Women’s Studies papers complemented by a wider range of elective papers offered by other departments. This structure ensured that the programme had strong interdisciplinary, and in some cases inter-faculty linkages, along with wide support across the university through a network of elective teachers. These linkages appear to have facilitated strong growth in student numbers during the late 1980s and early 1990s.