Department of Women's Studies

The Centre for Women’s Studies was started in 2004 with the financial support of the University Grants Commission in the X plan period. It was upgraded into a full-fledged Department of Women’s Studies in the year 2008 in the XI plan period. The department was upgraded as a statutory department in 2009. In the year 2012  the Department of Women’s Studies was moved to phase II, in the same plan period the department has qualified to phase III from April 2016 onwards with enhanced financial assistance from Rs.46, 00,000/- to Rs.63, 00,000/-. The Department was  started with One Director and One Assistant Professor and upgraded to Phase III with One Director, Two Assistant Professors, Two Research Associates, Two Research Assistants  and  four non teaching staff members. 

The department is involved in Teaching, Research, Extension and Field action projects. It offers M.A, M.Phil, Ph.D in Women’s Studies and Post Graduate Diploma in Women Entrepreneurship (PGDWE). The Department specializes in Women Empowerment, Women and Child Welfare, Women and Child Rights, Gender Sensitization, Gender Budgeting and Gender Audit, awareness on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,  Prohibition and Redressal ) Act 2013, Internal Committee (IC), Gender  Equity Vs Gender Equality. 

• Field practicum with NGO’s and SHG’s.
• IFS (Internal Faculty Seminar on current topics once in a week)

The Department of Women’s Studies carries out full-fledged research and extension activities in the community. The thrust areas included Redemption from Domestic Violence, Human Rights – In International Perspective, Matrimonial Property Rights, Drug Abuse awareness, Gender Budgeting training, Gender Sensitization, Gender Equality and Equity , Gender Audit, Gender Champion, Empowerment of Destitute/Marginalized Women, Cyber Crime, Drug Abuse Prevention , Women Welfare Laws in India, Women and Health, Women and Media, Women and Bio-diversity, Menstrual Hygiene, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Breast Feeding, Women Entrepreneurship,  Significance of Feministic Research Methods, Women in Agriculture.

The Department of Women’s Studies, Bharathiar University is a Empanelled Institute to conduct Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act 2013 awareness programme from 2017 to till date by Ministry of Women and Child Development. 

• The Department achieved III phase under UGC with the enhanced funding status
• Introduction of PG diploma in Women Entrepreneurship.
• The department has secured financial support from various funding agencies like MHRD, MWCD, NCW, NHRC, NRDMS, MSJE, NSDC, SRDPR, RUSA and UGC
• Introduced Certificate Course “Art of Blissful Living” in association with National BrotherHood Association at Nirmala College.
• Certificate course in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics
• Certificate course in Big Data Analytics 
• Certificate course in Robotic Process  Automation 
• Signed LOC with Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, USA for Faculty and Student exchange collaboration for research and further studies for the period of 2020-2025.
• Signed MOU with five NGOs towards knowledge sharing and field action projects 
• Empanelled institute for creating awareness on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,  Prohibition and Redressal ) Act 2013
• Conducted 40 awareness programmes on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,  Prohibition and Redressal ) Act 2013 for employees of transportation, harbour , college students and school students.
• Associated with ICDS to conduct programmes on nutrition for adolescent girls
• Conducted 12 programmes on gender budgeting  for government officials in various department of Tamilnadu
• Conducted  150 programmes on gender sensitization for affiliated colleges of Bharathiar University  and school students in local area
• Conducted Gender champion programmes to college and school students from 2018 onwards as per the Ministry of Human resources development guidelines
• Conducted five refresher course training programmes for college teachers in association with Human Resource Development Center. 

  Dr.K.Manimekalai Professor and Head, (2006-2007)

  Dr. Malarvizhi, lecturer (2006-2007)

  Dr.M.Jeyarathnam Professor and Director (2008-2013)

  Dr.Rupa Gunaseelan (2013-2014)