Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (B.A.)

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.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements42
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-9
Major Requirements33
Free Electives42-36
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Required Core
GLQS 100Introduction to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (GLBTQ) Studies3
GLQS 201Queer Identities in a Transforming World: The Trouble with Normal3
GSWS 102Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies3
GSWS 200Transnational Feminisms3
GSWS 402Senior Seminar in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies3
Distribution Electives
Historical Issues
HUMN 283Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient World3
or GSWS 201 Inventing Feminism
Theoretical Issues
GSWS 301Feminist Theory in Transnational Contexts3
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 Credits33

Major Electives

English
ENFL 365Gender and Sexuality in Film3
ENGL 117World Literature: Voices of Tradition and Challenge3
ENGL 227Queer Fiction3
ENGL 230Images of Muslim Women in Twentieth Century Literature and Culture3
ENGL 237Black Women Writers: US3
ENGL 294Women Poets3
ENGL 301The Novels of Toni Morrison3
ENGL 372Women Prose Writers3
If focus is appropriate, the following may be used:
ENGL 250Special Topics in English or American Literature3
ENGL 492Seminar in Comparative Literature3
ENGL 493Seminar in American Literature3
ENGL 494Seminar in English Literature3
Entrepreneurship
ENTR 201The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Innovation3
ENTR 290Special Topics in Entrepreneurship3
ENTR 301Creating Your Startup Business Model3
ENTR 302Preparing to Pitch and Launch Your Startup3
Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies
GLQS 206Introduction to Fat Studies: Exploring Fat Studies through Race, Class, Gender, and Queerness3
GLQS 302Special Topics in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies3
GSWS 201Inventing Feminism3
GSWS/SOCI 208Men and Masculinities3
GSWS 302Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies3
GSWS/ENGL 308Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Literature3
GSWS/HIST 314Women and Migration3
GSWS/JUST 316Victimology3
GSWS/HUMN 345Imaging Medieval and Early Modern Women3
GSWS/WRIT 350Writing Women Safe: Writing, Rape Prevention, and Community Activism3
GSWS/JUST 355Human Trafficking3
GSWS/PHIL 376Feminist Jurisprudence3
or JURI 376 Feminist Jurisprudence
GSWS 401Independent Study: Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies3
GSWS/JUST 403Seminar on Gender and Crime3
GSWS 410Cooperative Education: Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies3
GSWS/POLS 436Washington, D.C. Internship3
GSWS 481The Legal Rights of Women3
History
HIST 215U.S. Women’s History3
HIST 309Feminist Ideas in Western Thought3
HIST 334Women and Gender in the Middle East: Past and Present3
Philosophy/Religion
PHIL 339Contemporary Continental Philosophy3
RELG 267Women and Religion3
RELG 304Feminist Views of Religion3
Political Science
POLS 214Women in Politics3
POLS 416Special Topics in Political Science (if focus is appropriate)3
Public and Professional Writing
WRIT 206Workplace Writing3
WRIT 208Digital Writing: Composing with Text, Image, and Sound3
WRIT 400Community Writing: Theories, Practices, and Partnerships3
Sociology
SOCI 426Sociology of Sexuality3
SOCI 430Sociology of Gender3
SOCI 411Special Topics in Sociology (if focus is appropriate)3
Other Electives
AFAM 207The Black Woman: An Introductory Course3
ANTH 340The Anthropology of Work3
ANTH 380Anthropology: Gender and Sexuality3
ANTH 423Community and Health3-4
ARHT 190Women and Art3
ARHT 490Special Topics in Art History (if focus is appropriate)3
ARTX 201Culture and Appearance3
ECON 250Special Topics in Economics (if focus is appropriate)3
EDFD 264Gender Issues in Education3
FSHD 205Women in Contemporary Society3
FSHD 345Gender in a Changing World3
FREN/FRIN 283Introduction to Women Authors of French-Speaking Africa3
HUMN 283Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient World3
HUMN 383Women in Antiquity3
HLTH 290Human Sexuality3
HLTH 295Sexuality Education in the Schools3
JUST 320Women and Prison3
LALS 205Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction3
LNGN 255Language and Gender3
MUHS 404Special Topics in Music History (if focus is appropriate)3
PSYC 265Psychology of Women3
PSYC 294Psychology of Leadership: Theory and Application3
RUIN 297Women in Russian Literature3
SPAN 473Sexual Subversion in Contemporary Hispanic Literature and Film3

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
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 Perspectives3
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 Credits42

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

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 Credits3-9

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
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GNED 1991WRIT 1063
WRIT 1053GENERAL EDUCATION (H) Mathematics3
CMST 1013CSIT 1003
GENERAL EDUCATION (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences3GLQS 1003
GENERAL EDUCATION (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives3GSWS 2003
GSWS 1023 
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts3GENERAL EDUCATION (K1) Social Science – American and European History3
GENERAL EDUCATION (I) Natural Science Laboratory4World Language 23
World Language 13HUMN 283 or GSWS 2013
GSWS 3013GLQS 2013
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION (L) Interdisciplinary Studies3Major Elective course 33
Professional Development Major Elective3GSWS 4023
Major Elective course 13Free elective/Minor course3
Major Elective course 23Free elective/Minor course3
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Free elective/Minor course3GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education1
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
Free elective/Minor course3Free elective/Minor course3
 15 13
Total Credits 120