Going Coed

More than a quarter-century ago, the last great wave of coeducation in the United States resulted in the admission of women to almost all of the remaining men’s colleges and universities. In thirteen original essays, Going Coed investigates the reasons behind this important phenomenon, describes how institutions have dealt with the changes, and captures the experiences of women who attended these schools. Key issues covered include: the impact of the women’s movement and the development of women’s studies as an academic discipline, the pressures exerted on institutions by economic necessities and legal challenges, and the strategies women have utilized in adapting to formerly all-male environments.

Leslie Miller-Bernal is a professor of sociology at Wells College. Susan L. Poulson teaches history at the University of Scranton. She is now collaborating with Miller-Bernal on a study of how women's colleges have responded to the challenge of coeducation since the 1960s.