Introduction
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies is an academic department that fosters innovative teaching and cutting-edge research by focusing on how relations of gender, intersecting with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, nation and other differences, affect every aspect of society. With a core faculty of five professors and more than thirty contributing faculty, our department is truly interdisciplinary in its scope, breadth and depth. Reflecting our roots in feminist social movements, our courses explore how the lived experiences of women, men and people of diverse gender identities—both in the U.S. and globally—are molded by systematic forces such as law, culture, globalization, medicine, family, economics and imperialism. Students are encouraged to consider how these interlocking power systems can be transformed to create a more just world where people can sustainably thrive.
All WGSS majors take ten courses and must successfully complete a transcript notation internship.
All WGSS minors and Sexuality Studies minors take six classes and must successfully complete a transcript notation internship.
For course descriptions and requirements for the major, refer to the
Courses appropriate for prospective majors
WGSS 100 – Introduction to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 101 – American Childhood
WGSS 202 – Gender, Sport and American Society
WGSS 206 – Fat Studies
WGSS 208 – Introduction to Sexuality Studies
WGSS 220 – History of American Feminism
WGSS 221 – Women of the Middle East: Stories of Resistance
WGSS 224 – Reproductive Justice
WGSS 236 – Psychology of Women and Gender
And other 100- and 200-level WGSS topics courses, including:
WGSS 201 – Arab Cinema: Women and Sexuality, Politics and Revolution
WGSS 101 – Disorderly Women
WGSS 202 – European Women’s History
WGSS 201 – Feminist Genres
WGSS 234 – Gender and Justice
WGSS 227 - Political Economy of Gender
WGSS 201 – Gender and Sexuality in Modern European Art
WGSS 202 – Gender, Politics and Policy in the U.S.
WGSS 216 – Goddesses, Prostitutes, Wives, Saints, and Rulers: Women and
European Art 1200 - 1680
WGSS 101 – LGBTQ Literature in the U.S.
WGSS 201 – Plague Years: Influenza, Polio, and American Memory
WGSS 227 – Political Economy of Gender
WGSS 102 – Psychology of Human Sexuality
WGSS 201 – Sex
WGSS 202 – Sociology of Sexualities
WGSS 101 – Southern Women Writers
WGSS 101 – Women Write War
WGSS 201 – Women, Gender and Judaism
Courses that fulfill distribution requirements
Social Sciences (Division II):
WGSS 100: Introduction to Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 202: American Childhood
WGSS 202: Gender, Sport and American Society
WGSS 224: Reproductive Justice
WGSS 236: Psychology of Women and Gender
WGSS 302: Gender Identity & International Human Rights Law
WGSS 310: Immigration Politics
And other WGSS topics courses, including:
WGSS 101: Disorderly Women
WGSS 102: Psychology of Human Sexuality
WGSS 201: Pause: The Politics of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Hip Hop
WGSS 202: Gender, Politics, and Policy in the U.S.
WGSS 202: Political Economy of Gender
WGSS 202: Race and Second Wave Feminism in the U.S.
WGSS 202: Sociology of Sexualities
WGSS 202: What is Feminismus? Women and Post-WWII German Politics
WGSS 202: Queer Communities
WGSS 220: History of American Feminism
WGSS 301: African American Women Writers
WGSS 301: James Baldwin: Reflections of a Radical
WGSS 301: Seminar on Toni Morrison I & II
WGSS 302: Gender and Development
WGSS 302: Gender and Justice
WGSS 302: Gender and Sexuality in Modern Japanese History
Humanities (Division 1a and 1b)
WGSS 208: Introduction to Sexuality Studies
WGSS 200 History of American Feminism
WGSS 221: Women of the Middle East: Stories of Resistance
WGSS 300: Feminist Perspectives and Theories
WGSS 301: Queer Politics
And other WGSS topics courses, including:
WGSS 101: LGBTQ Literature in the U.S.
WGSS 101: Southern Women Writers
WGSS 101: Women Write War
WGSS 201: Arab Cinema: Women and Sexuality, Politics and Revolution
WGSS 201: Gender and Sexuality in Modern American Art
WGSS 201: Gender and Sexuality in Modern European Art
WGSS 201: Goddesses, Prostitutes, Wives, Saints and Rulers: Women and
European Art 1200-1680
WGSS 201: Pause: The Politics of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Hip Hop
WGSS 201: Women, Gender and Judaism
WGSS 201: Sex
WGSS 301: African American Women Writers
WGSS 301: Early/Modern Crossdressing and Transgression
WGSS 301: James Baldwin: Reflections of a Radical
WGSS 301: Seminar on Toni Morrison I & II
WGSS 302: Gender and Justice
WGSS 351: Writing, Identity, & Queer Studies: In & Out, Either/Or, and
Everything in Between
U.S. Diversity:
WGSS 100: Introduction to Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 202: American Childhood
WGSS 202: Gender, Sport and American Society
WGSS 206: Fat Studies
WGSS 208: Introduction to Sexuality Studies
WGSS 220: History of American Feminisms
WGSS 224: Reproductive Justice
WGSS 236: Psychology of Women and Gender
WGSS 300: Feminist Perspectives and Theories
WGSS 301: Queer Politics
WGSS 310: Immigration Politics
And other WGSS topics courses, including:
WGSS 101: Disorderly Women
WGSS 101: LGBTQ Literature in the U.S.
WGSS 101: Southern Women Writers
WGSS 101: Women Write War
WGSS 201: Gender and Sexuality in Modern American Art
WGSS 201: Pause: The Politics of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Hip Hop
WGSS 202: Gender, Politics, and Policy in the U.S.
WGSS 202: Political Economy of Gender
WGSS 202: Race and Second Wave Feminism in the U.S.
WGSS 301: James Baldwin: Reflections of a Radical
WGSS 301: Seminar on Toni Morrison I & II
WGSS 302: Dance History Seminar: Modernism and the Body
WGSS 302: Gender and Justice
Writing in the Discipline (WID):
WGSS 200: Feminist Practices: Writing and Research
Global Diversity:
WGSS 221: Women of the Middle East: Stories of Resistance
And other WGSS topics courses, including:
WGSS 201: Arab Cinema: Women and Sexuality, Politics and Revolution
WGSS 201: Pause: The Politics of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Hip Hop
WGSS 302: Gender and Development
WGSS 302: Gender and Sexuality in Modern Japanese History
Suggested curricular flow through the major
The WGSS Department encourages study abroad. Early planning makes this possible. The internship may be done while abroad.
The guidelines are written for the entering student who knows they want to major in WGSS. Rather than specify the courses that you “must” have in a given semester, the following are general guidelines regarding courses that we suggest you take during each year. You should think of these guidelines as giving you a fast track into the major – this provides maximum flexibility in your junior and senior year.
First and Sophomore Years
WGSS 100
WGSS 200
Two or three electives from among the four thematic categories
Possible Internship (sophomore year or summer)
Junior Year WGSS 300
One or two electives from among the four thematic categories, including at the 300- or 400-level
Possible internship
Possible study abroad
Senior Year
If still needed, WGSS 300 or 200 (fall semester)
WGSS 400, required for majors, optional for minors (spring semester)
Internship and/or elective(s) as needed (especially 300-levels for major)
Honors
A student pursuing honors must enroll for a one semester, Independent Research (WGSS 550) during the Fall of their senior year to develop a project that will be continued in their Senior Seminar. The year-long project will culminate in a well-researched, original, sophisticated, and clearly written thesis, typically ranging from 50-75 pages.
Students can self-nominate but will be officially selected based on the department faculty’s assessment of the student’s academic ability, including their performance in the major. Typically, students pursuing honors will have at least a 3.5 GPA in the major. The selection is also based on the department faculty’s assessment of the student’s potential for successfully completing the project and the strength of the proposal (see below), which must show strong promise for further development toward a thesis. If the project is accepted, the student should identify an honors committee comprised of three faculty members, including the WGSS 550 advisor and Senior Seminar instructor. Two members of the honors committee must be faculty appointed in WGSS; the third member of the honors committee must be either a faculty member in the department or a WGSS contributing faculty member. In addition, faculty or staff with expertise in the area of the student's project may join the committee in an advisory capacity, without vote.
A student interested in pursuing honors should work with their WGSS advisor or another appropriate WGSS faculty member to start developing a 2-page project proposal with an attached bibliography in the late spring or early summer before their senior year. A final draft that defines the scope, focus and methodology of the preliminary project is due no later than August 15th at the start of the senior year. The 2-page proposal should articulate the project’s central research questions and methods, situating them in relationship to central debates, concepts and dilemmas within the WGSS field. This proposal will be read and voted upon by all members of the WGSS department.
The student will be notified by the first day of classes in the Fall semester whether the proposal has been accepted. If so, the student will enroll in WGSS 550 with the primary advisor with the intention of beginning a year-long research project. If the proposal is not accepted for honors, the student may still seek to enroll in WGSS 550 with the intention of a single-semester independent study.
If accepted, the student will work with their supervisor to refine the project’s scope and methods, as well as develop a schedule of readings, research and writing to pursue in the Fall. Pertinent writing assignments potentially may include an annotated bibliography and literature review: the exact parameters will be determined on an individual basis. By the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving break, the student should have completed a 20-25 page draft of a significant portion of their thesis and have revised their 2-page proposal to reflect the intended trajectory of the project in the Spring semester. The proposal should outline the project’s central research questions and methods, situating them in relationship to central debates, concepts and dilemmas within the WGSS field (if these have changed since the proposal was written) and the student’s writing goals during the Spring Seminar.
Prior to the final week of classes, all departmental faculty will assess the revised proposal and 20-25 page draft to determine if the project is eligible for continuation as a possible honors thesis during the spring Senior Seminar (WGSS 400). The student will be notified by the end of the Fall semester whether the project is approved to continue in pursuit of honors. If the project is not approved, or if the student chooses to discontinue the project after submitting the 20-25-page paper, the student will receive credit and a grade for the independent study. In consultation with their supervisor, the student will revise the paper so that it is a complete, stand-alone research paper. The final paper will be due during finals week.
If the project is approved, the student will continue the research as part of the Senior Seminar. The Senior Seminar requires all students to complete a 25-page capstone research project. Students pursuing an honors thesis will work in tandem with their Fall independent study advisor and the WGSS 400 instructor to adapt this and other course writing requirements and deadlines to their honors-eligible project. Students are expected to complete all assigned WGSS 400 readings as well as additional relevant projects and smaller papers (except when those smaller papers are related to the individual research projects).
The final honors thesis must be completed by two weeks prior to the last class day in the Spring semester of the senior year, so that the student and honors committee members have time to prepare for an oral defense. The thesis will be read by the three-member committee who will determine whether the student should stand for an oral defense. If the project is not so approved, then the paper will fulfill the capstone project requirement of the senior seminar.
If the project is approved to stand for honors, the student will prepare a short presentation of the paper for the committee, with the format to be determined in conversation with the project’s central advisor (usually the Senior Seminar instructor). The presentation will be followed by questions and discussion. At the conclusion of the defense, the committee will vote on honors and notify the student as soon as possible. In rare cases, a vote for honors may require some final, minor revisions to the paper due no later than a week before graduation.
Only the best projects will be granted honors and completing an honors project does not necessarily mean that honors will be conferred. Although students’ topics and methods will be diverse, faculty will evaluate each project on: an original question posed by the student; sophisticated analysis of primary source(s); effective research, demonstrating the integration of concepts and sources drawn from WGSS and other relevant fields of study; a polished, well-written paper; and a clear presentation, with proficient and fluent responses to questions during the defense.
If a student is pursuing honors in two majors through an interdisciplinary thesis, the project must be of a significant length and scope to qualify for honors in two departments. The specific criteria must be established and mutually agreed upon by the student and the advisors of both departments in the Fall semester.
Internships
All students must successfully complete an internship for transcript notation approved by the department chair and the internship office. Please see the Internship section of the WGSS website for more information.