The Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies major is an interdisciplinary academic program that provides students with a knowledge of the history and evolution of feminist theory and practice. It imparts to students an understanding of the feminist debates that take place in a multitude of disciplines and the role that these play in broadening and restructuring other disciplines. The program situates Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies within a cross-cultural context and enhances students' awareness of issues affecting women in different cultural, religious, ethnic, economic, and class settings. Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies empowers students to participate in transforming repressive cultural and political practices and to use their knowledge to create a personal and communal agenda aimed at social change.
The Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies major prepares students for postgraduate education in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies and for careers in fields related to social services, education, psychology, communications and the media, the arts, law, health professions and community action work.
120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
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Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 42 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
| Major Requirements | 33 | |
| Free Electives | 42-36 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| GLQS 100 | Introduction to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (GLBTQ) Studies | 3 |
| GLQS 201 | Queer Identities in a Transforming World: The Trouble with Normal | 3 |
| GSWS 102 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| GSWS 200 | Transnational Feminisms | 3 |
| GSWS 402 | Senior Seminar in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies | 3 |
| Distribution Electives | ||
| Historical Issues | ||
| HUMN 283 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient World | 3 |
| or GSWS 201 | Inventing Feminism | |
| Theoretical Issues | ||
| GSWS 301 | Feminist Theory in Transnational Contexts | 3 |
| Professional Development | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Innovation | ||
| Workplace Writing | ||
| Psychology of Leadership: Theory and Application | ||
| Writing Women Safe: Writing, Rape Prevention, and Community Activism | ||
| Major Electives | ||
| Select three courses from the list below, with at least 6 credits at the 200 level or above. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| English | ||
| ENFL 365 | Gender and Sexuality in Film | 3 |
| ENGL 117 | World Literature: Voices of Tradition and Challenge | 3 |
| ENGL 227 | Queer Fiction | 3 |
| ENGL 230 | Images of Muslim Women in Twentieth Century Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 237 | Black Women Writers: US | 3 |
| ENGL 294 | Women Poets | 3 |
| ENGL 301 | The Novels of Toni Morrison | 3 |
| ENGL 372 | Women Prose Writers | 3 |
If focus is appropriate, the following may be used: | ||
| ENGL 250 | Special Topics in English or American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 492 | Seminar in Comparative Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 493 | Seminar in American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 494 | Seminar in English Literature | 3 |
| Entrepreneurship | ||
| ENTR 201 | The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Innovation | 3 |
| ENTR 290 | Special Topics in Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| ENTR 301 | Creating Your Startup Business Model | 3 |
| ENTR 302 | Preparing to Pitch and Launch Your Startup | 3 |
| Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies | ||
| GLQS 206 | Introduction to Fat Studies: Exploring Fat Studies through Race, Class, Gender, and Queerness | 3 |
| GLQS 302 | Special Topics in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies | 3 |
| GSWS 201 | Inventing Feminism | 3 |
| GSWS/SOCI 208 | Men and Masculinities | 3 |
| GSWS 302 | Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies | 3 |
| GSWS/ENGL 308 | Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Literature | 3 |
| GSWS/HIST 314 | Women and Migration | 3 |
| GSWS/JUST 316 | Victimology | 3 |
| GSWS/HUMN 345 | Imaging Medieval and Early Modern Women | 3 |
| GSWS/WRIT 350 | Writing Women Safe: Writing, Rape Prevention, and Community Activism | 3 |
| GSWS/JUST 355 | Human Trafficking | 3 |
| GSWS/PHIL 376 | Feminist Jurisprudence | 3 |
| or JURI 376 | Feminist Jurisprudence | |
| GSWS 401 | Independent Study: Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies | 3 |
| GSWS/JUST 403 | Seminar on Gender and Crime | 3 |
| GSWS 410 | Cooperative Education: Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies | 3 |
| GSWS/POLS 436 | Washington, D.C. Internship | 3 |
| GSWS 481 | The Legal Rights of Women | 3 |
| History | ||
| HIST 215 | U.S. Women’s History | 3 |
| HIST 309 | Feminist Ideas in Western Thought | 3 |
| HIST 334 | Women and Gender in the Middle East: Past and Present | 3 |
| Philosophy/Religion | ||
| PHIL 339 | Contemporary Continental Philosophy | 3 |
| RELG 267 | Women and Religion | 3 |
| RELG 304 | Feminist Views of Religion | 3 |
| Political Science | ||
| POLS 214 | Women in Politics | 3 |
| POLS 416 | Special Topics in Political Science (if focus is appropriate) | 3 |
| Public and Professional Writing | ||
| WRIT 206 | Workplace Writing | 3 |
| WRIT 208 | Digital Writing: Composing with Text, Image, and Sound | 3 |
| WRIT 400 | Community Writing: Theories, Practices, and Partnerships | 3 |
| Sociology | ||
| SOCI 426 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 430 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 411 | Special Topics in Sociology (if focus is appropriate) | 3 |
| Other Electives | ||
| AFAM 207 | The Black Woman: An Introductory Course | 3 |
| ANTH 340 | The Anthropology of Work | 3 |
| ANTH 380 | Anthropology: Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| ANTH 423 | Community and Health | 3-4 |
| ARHT 190 | Women and Art | 3 |
| ARHT 490 | Special Topics in Art History (if focus is appropriate) | 3 |
| ARTX 201 | Culture and Appearance | 3 |
| ECON 250 | Special Topics in Economics (if focus is appropriate) | 3 |
| EDFD 264 | Gender Issues in Education | 3 |
| FSHD 205 | Women in Contemporary Society | 3 |
| FSHD 345 | Gender in a Changing World | 3 |
| FREN/FRIN 283 | Introduction to Women Authors of French-Speaking Africa | 3 |
| HUMN 283 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient World | 3 |
| HUMN 383 | Women in Antiquity | 3 |
| HLTH 290 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| HLTH 295 | Sexuality Education in the Schools | 3 |
| JUST 320 | Women and Prison | 3 |
| LALS 205 | Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction | 3 |
| LNGN 255 | Language and Gender | 3 |
| MUHS 404 | Special Topics in Music History (if focus is appropriate) | 3 |
| PSYC 265 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| PSYC 294 | Psychology of Leadership: Theory and Application | 3 |
| RUIN 297 | Women in Russian Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 473 | Sexual Subversion in Contemporary Hispanic Literature and Film | 3 |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course. | 3 | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course. | 4 | |
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete EDFD 200 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete SASE 210 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GNED 199 | 1 | WRIT 106 | 3 |
| WRIT 105 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (H) Mathematics | 3 |
| CMST 101 | 3 | CSIT 100 | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | GLQS 100 | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | GSWS 200 | 3 |
| GSWS 102 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (I) Natural Science Laboratory | 4 | World Language 2 | 3 |
| World Language 1 | 3 | HUMN 283 or GSWS 201 | 3 |
| GSWS 301 | 3 | GLQS 201 | 3 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | Major Elective course 3 | 3 |
| Professional Development Major Elective | 3 | GSWS 402 | 3 |
| Major Elective course 1 | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| Major Elective course 2 | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education | 1 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| Free elective/Minor course | 3 | Free elective/Minor course | 3 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||