Women's Studies as Change Agent

Abstract

Students' attitudes toward women and changes in those attitudes after taking a women's studies course were studied. The Spence Attitude Toward Women Scale was administered to 354 undergraduate students at two mid-western institutions. Matched pre- and posttests were obtained for 176 students. Results showed that attitudes toward women became more liberal after taking a women's studies course ( p < .001); also that attitudes were initially more liberal at an affluent liberal arts college than at a regional campus of a state university ( p < .001).