Women's history, with its distinctive culture, affects women's present status, education and career development. New scholarship on the historical and contemporary contributions of women has influenced course offerings in many disciplines within the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. The interdisciplinary women's studies program provides a framework for the study of gender and the questions of culture, history, politics, and economics. The program also is committed to integrating new scholarship on race, ethnicity, and class together with perspectives on gender. A variety of courses, including Introduction to Women's Studies and Topics in Women's Studies are available to students who wish to direct their future career plans, studies, and research into fields requiring knowledge of the new scholarship on women. Students are also required to pursue a research project and/or an internship.