The interdisciplinary women and gender studies undergraduate major and minor offer students a rigorous and flexible program of study that examines women, gender and sexuality in relation to race, class, ability, nation and empire, among other variables. Students explore how gender and sexuality intersect with structures of power in a range of cultural, historical and geopolitical contexts. Drawing from approximately 50 courses, many cross-listed with other academic units, students fulfill the requirements of the major or minor and can design an emphasis relevant to their interests by focusing on one of three cognate areas: 1) gender/sexuality, 2) race/ethnicity and 3) global/transnational.
Requirements
Program Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below.
Students must complete a minimum of 33 credit hours with grades of C- or better in approved women and gender studies courses, a minimum of 24 credit hours of which must be upper-division (3000- or 4000-level). No more than 45 credits in WGST may be applied to overall graduation requirements. Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate.
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| WGST 2000 | Introduction to US Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| or WGST 2600 | Introduction to Global Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies | |
| WGST 3020 | Feminist Methods of Inquiry and Praxis | 3 |
| WGST 3100 | Feminist Theories | 3 |
| WGST 4800 | Senior Colloquium in Feminist Studies | 3 |
| Cognate Areas | ||
| At least three courses, one from each of the three cognate areas (see below) | 9 | |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Two upper-division approved WGST elective courses (those listed under upper-division electives or cognate areas below) | 6 | |
| Two additional lower- or upper-division approved WGST elective courses (see below) | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 33 | |
| 1 | Internships and independent study credit hours may apply, as well as special topics courses (WGST 3701, WGST 3702, WGST 3711, WGST 3712, WGST 4001 and WGST 4002); see advisor or department for more information. |
Cognate Areas
Students must take three courses (for a total of 9 credit hours), one each from the three following cognate areas. Select topics offerings of special topics courses may apply to cognate areas; see advisor or department for more information.
Gender/Sexuality Cognate Area
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one course (3 credit hours) from the gender/sexuality cognate area | 3 | |
| Screening Race, Class & Gender in the U.S. and the Global Borderland (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Queer Theory | ||
RUSS 4251 | ||
| Topics in Sex and Gender | ||
| Disney's Women and Girls | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and U.S. Law | ||
| Violence Against Women and Girls | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and Global Health (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Africa (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Feminist Fictions (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender, Genocide and Mass Trauma (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Sex, Gender and Society 2 | ||
| Special Topics in Queer Literature | ||
| Critical Inquiries in Transgender Studies | ||
| A Global History of Sexuality: The Modern Era (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Lesbian and Gay History: Culture and Politics and Social Change in the U.S. | ||
Race/Ethnicity Cognate Area
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one course (3 credit hours) from the race/ethnicity cognate area | 3 | |
| Dancing Histories: Sex, Gender and Race in U.S. Concert Dance | ||
| Women of Color: Chicanas in U.S. Society | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Crime | ||
| Chicana Feminisms and Knowledges | ||
| American Indian Women | ||
| Gender and U.S. Politics: Protest, Polls and Policy | ||
| Historical and Contemporary Issues of African American Women | ||
| Latina/x Studies | ||
| Gender, Race, Science and Technology | ||
| Women of Color and Activism | ||
| Black Feminist and Womanist Theories | ||
| Gender and Politics in Latin America (may count for global/transnational or race/ethnicity, but not both) | ||
| Indigenizing Feminism: Literature, Art, Film (may count for global/transnational or race/ethnicity, but not both) | ||
| Gender, Race and Immigration in Germany and Europe (may count for global/transnational or race/ethnicity, but not both) | ||
| Gender, Race, Class, and Sexuality in Popular Culture | ||
| Women in East Asian History | ||
Global/Transnational Cognate Area
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one course (3 credit hours) from the global/transnational cognate area | 3 | |
| Gender, Culture, and Sexuality | ||
| Screening Race, Class & Gender in the U.S. and the Global Borderland (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender, Islam and Modernity | ||
| Gender and Development | ||
| Women in Islam | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and Culture in the Modern Middle East | ||
| Global Gender Issues | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and Global Health (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Africa (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender and Politics in Latin America | ||
| Gender, Race, Sexuality and Global Migration | ||
| Who Runs the World? Sex, Power, and Gender in Geography | ||
| Feminist Fictions (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Gender, Genocide and Mass Trauma (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
| Indigenizing Feminism: Literature, Art, Film (may count for global/transnational or race/ethnicity, but not both) | ||
| Sex, Power, Politics: International Perspectives | ||
| Gender, Race and Immigration in Germany and Europe (may count for global/transnational or race/ethnicity, but not both) | ||
| Gender Politics and Global Activism | ||
| A Global History of Sexuality: The Modern Era (may count for gender/sexuality or global/transnational, but not both) | ||
Lower-Division Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| No more than 6 credit hours of lower-division electives | 0-6 | |
| Language, Gender and Sexuality | ||
| Introduction to Queer Literature | ||
| The Social Construction of Sexuality | ||
or WGST 1016 | Sex, Gender, and Society 1 | |
or SOCY 1016 | Sex, Gender, and Society 1 | |
| Introduction to World Literature by Women | ||
or WGST 1270 | Introduction to American Literature by Women | |
or ENGL 1270 | Introduction to American Literature by Women | |
| Femininities, Masculinities, Alternatives | ||
| Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Culture | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greece | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Rome | ||
| Women, Gender, Literature, and the Arts | ||
| Philosophy and Gender | ||
| Gender, Race, Sex and the Body | ||
| Psychology of Gender and Sexuality | ||
| Women and Religion | ||
Upper-Division Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select additional courses from the three cognate areas above or from the following upper-division electives below, total credits toward the degree must equal 33 credit hours | 6-12 | |
ARTH 3209 | ||
| Women and Film | ||
| Gender and Communication | ||
| Topics in Gender and Sexuality | ||
| Italian Feminisms: Culture, Theory, and Narratives of Difference | ||
| Women's Mental Health: A Biopsychosocial Approach | ||
| Marriage and the Family in the United States | ||
| Feminist Practical Ethics | ||
| Sex, Power, and Politics: U.S. Perspectives | ||
| Religion and Feminist Thought | ||
| Women, Gender & Sexuality in Jewish Texts & Traditions | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| Facilitating Peaceful Community Change | ||
| Gender, Personality, and Culture | ||
| German Women Writers | ||
| Women in Buddhism | ||
| Advanced Writing in Feminist Studies | ||
| Performing Voices of Women | ||
| Family and Society | ||
| Religion and Reproductive Politics in the United States | ||
| Special Topics in Women Writers | ||
| Women in 20th-21st Century Russian, East European and Eurasian Cultures | ||
| History of Gender and Sexuality in the United States to 1870 | ||
| History of Gender and Sexuality in the United States from 1870 | ||
| Women, Gender and War | ||
| Gender in Hagiography | ||
Honors
Students may take up to 6 credit hours of honors in women and gender studies; credit hours apply to upper-division electives in the major. For more information about pursuing departmental honors, visit the department honors webpage and the main Honors Program webpage describing qualifications, requirements and deadlines.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WGST 4950 | Honors Research | 3 |
| WGST 4999 | Senior Honors Thesis | 1-3 |
Internship
Students may take up to 6 credit hours of internship in women and gender studies; credit hours apply to upper-division electives in the major. See advisor or department for more information.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WGST 3930 | Women and Gender Studies Internship | 1-6 |
Special Topics
Students may take up to 6 credit hours in WGST topics courses; course topics vary each semester. Ask the women and gender studies advisor or department about how each course applies to major cognate area requirements, if applicable.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WGST 3701 | Topics in U.S. Gender and Sexuality Studies (AH) | 3 |
| WGST 3702 | Topics in U.S. Gender and Sexuality Studies (SS) | 3 |
| WGST 3711 | Topics in Global Gender and Sexuality Studies (AH) | 3 |
| WGST 3712 | Topics in Global Gender and Sexuality Studies (SS) | 3 |
| WGST 4001 | Advanced Topics in Gender and Sexuality Studies (AH) | 3 |
| WGST 4002 | Advanced Topics in Gender and Sexuality Studies (SS) | 3 |
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for more information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in women and gender studies, students should meet the following requirements:
- By the beginning of the second semester, declare the major.
- By the end of the fourth semester, complete WGST 2000 or WGST 2600, WGST 3020 and 9 additional credit hours of major requirements.
- By the end of the sixth semester, complete WGST 3100 and 6 additional credit hours of major requirements (24 credit hours total of the major requirements completed).
- During the seventh and eighth semester, complete WGST 4800 and 6 additional credit hours of the major requirements.
Students should consult with their advisor for specific recommendations. The following sample plan will outline the major requirements, but the order of some classes can vary greatly. It is important for students to check the degree audit and work with the major advisor each semester to make sure of the requirements and graduation timeline.
Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will complete 9 credit hours of the Social Sciences area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement and both the US Perspective and Global Perspective categories of the Gen Ed Diversity Requirement. Depending on other courses taken for the major, students could easily complete the remaining 3 credit hours in the Social Sciences area and much of the Arts and Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| WGST 2000 or WGST 2600 | Introduction to US Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies or Introduction to Global Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences with Lab) | 4 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Elective/MAPS | 3 | |
| Elective/MAPS | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WGST Lower-division elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Arts & Humanities/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective/MAPS | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| WGST 3020 | Feminist Methods of Inquiry and Praxis | 3 |
| WGST Lower- or upper- division elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (QRMS) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WGST Cognate area requirement or upper-division elective (one course from each of three cognate areas required) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| WGST Cognate area requirement or upper-division elective (one course from each of three cognate areas required) | 3 | |
| WGST 3800 | Advanced Writing in Feminist Studies (not required, but fulfills Gen. Ed. Skills: Upper-division Written Communication and WGST Elective) | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WGST 3100 | Feminist Theories | 3 |
| WGST Cognate area requirement or upper-division elective (one course from each of three cognate areas required) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective (Upper Division) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| WGST Cognate area requirement or upper-division elective (one course from each of three cognate areas required) | 3 | |
| Elective or Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities, if needed) | 3 | |
| Elective (Upper Division) | 3 | |
| Elective (Upper Division) | 3 | |
| Elective or Upper-division Elective (if needed) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WGST 4800 | Senior Colloquium in Feminist Studies | 3 |
| WGST Cognate area requirement or upper-division elective (one course from each of three cognate areas required) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences, if needed) | 3 | |
| Elective (Upper Division) | 3 | |
| Elective (Upper Division) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
Knowledge
Students will be able to:
- Analyze how power and privilege function at the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, class, ability, nationality and colonialism.
- Think critically about the historical and global variability of social norms of gender and sexuality.
- Identify the varying forms of feminism across the globe, and the relationships between feminism and other movements for social justice.
Practical Skills
Students completing their degree with the Department of Women and Gender Studies are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:
- Analyze a range of social events, structures and movements using intersectional and decolonial feminist theories.
- Communicate complex ideas from the field of women and gender studies to academic and general audiences.
- Work collaboratively to implement and organize around a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives used in women, gender, and sexuality studies.