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.
Degree Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SEEDS General Education Requirements | 27-30 | |
| New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| Major Requirements | 33 | |
| Free Electives | 59-56 | |
| 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 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/JURI 376 | Feminist Jurisprudence | 3 |
| GSWS 401 | Independent Study: Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies | 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 | United States 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 | Gender and 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| SPAN 473 | Sexual Subversion in Contemporary Hispanic Literature and Film | 3 |
New Student Seminar
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students in the Adult Learner program must take GNED 100. | ||
| Complete one course from the following. Some courses may be restricted by major. Consult with an academic advisor. | 1 | |
| Pathways to Success | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Chemistry | ||
| First Year Seminar | ||
| Adult Academic Success Seminar | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education | ||
| Pathways to Adult Learning | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| New Student Experience for Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Freshman Seminar for Music Majors | ||
| Introduction to Nursing | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Political Science and Law | ||
SEEDS General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill the SEEDS requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| Effective Writing I | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing I course. | 3 | |
| Effective Writing II | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing II course. | 3 | |
| Interactive Communication | ||
| Complete one Interactive Communication course. | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Complete one Quantitative Reasoning course. | 3 | |
| Political and Civic Life | ||
| Complete one Political and Civic Life course. | 3 | |
| World Language | ||
| Complete two sequential classes in one World Language when starting at the Beginner I or Beginner II level. Complete one class when starting at the Intermediate/Advanced Level. | 3-6 | |
| Exploration | ||
| Complete one course from four different Exploration categories | 9 | |
| Analyzing Cultures and Societies | ||
| Fulfilled by GSWS 102 in the major. | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Ethical Inquiry | ||
| Historical Thinking | ||
| Literary and Artistic Analysis | ||
| Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Total Credits | 27-30 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This recommended degree plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years and 120 credits. This plan is a recommendation and MUST be used in consultation with their academic advisor. Important note: Students should be aware this plan assumes no pre-requisite coursework is required. If pre-requisite coursework is needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which do not appear on the plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GSWS 102 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration – Analyzing Cultures and Societies) | 3 | GLQS 100 | 3 |
| SEEDS: Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | GSWS 200 | 3 |
| New Student Seminar | 1 | SEEDS: Exploration 2 - Creative Expression recommended | 3 |
| SEEDS: Effective Writing I | 3 | SEEDS: Exploration 3 - Historical Thinking recommended | 3 |
| SEEDS: Interactive Communication | 3 | SEEDS: Effective Writing II | 3 |
| SEEDS: Political and Civic Life | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GSWS 301 | 3 | SEEDS: World Language 2 or Free Elective | 3 |
| SEEDS: Exploration 4 - Literary and Artistic Analysis recommended | 3 | GLQS 201 | 3 |
| SEEDS: World Language 1 | 3 | GSWS 201 or HUMN 283 | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 1 | Free Elective | 1 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Professional Development Major Elective | 3 | GSWS 402 | 3 |
| Major Elective course 1 | 3 | Major Elective course 3 | 3 |
| Major Elective course 2 | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | Free Elective or Minor course | 3 |
| Free Elective or Minor course | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||