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Major in Gender and Women's Studies

• Thirty-one credit hours
• Allows for flexible study plans
• Work with a GWS advisor to help identify courses that best suit your individual interests and career goals
• As an interdisciplinary program, GWS is unusually compatible with other majors and minors.

Grade Requirement

A minimum of “C” is required in all courses applied toward the major. 

Required Courses

• GWS 2000 - Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies (4 cr)  
• At least ONE of the following 3000 level courses:
  • GWS 3200 - Women, Multiculturalism and Social Change (3 cr)
  • GWS 3700 - Special Topics in Gender and Women’s Studies (3 cr) 
  • GWS 3460 - Women in Developing Countries (3 cr) 
• At least ONE of the following 4000 level GWS courses: 
  • GWS 4100 - Special Topics in Gender and Women’s Studies (3 cr) 
  • GWS 4400 - Internship (3 cr)
  • GWS 4980 - Independent Study (3 cr) 
• At least ONE of the following History courses:
  • HIST 3160 - Women in American History (3 cr) 
  • HIST 3360 - Women in European History (3 cr) 
  • HIST 4246 - Topics in Gender and Women’s History (3 cr) 
• At least ONE of the following thematic courses from the disciplines:
  • AFS 3100 - The Black Woman: Historical Perspective (3 cr)
  • ANTH 3480 - Gender and Plastic Bodies (3 cr )
  • ANTH 3600 - Sex, Gender, Culture (3cr)
  • ECON 3090 - Women and the Economy  (3 cr) 
  • PSCI 4210 - Gender and Law
  • SOC 4790 - Male/Female Interaction (also COM 4790) (3 cr) 
  • SOC 5630 - Gender and Justice (3cr)
• The baccalaureate writing course: GWS 4010 - Foundations of Feminist Theory (3 cr)
• Substitutions (approved by the Chair)

Electives

In addition to the interdisciplinary core courses, research and internships opportunities, further classes may be selected from approved electives. The remaining 12 hours should be taken from among the following electives or be approved by the Chair of Gender and Women’s Studies:

• GWS 1000 - Media and the Sexes 
• GWS 2010 - LGBT Studies
• GWS 3000 - Working Women, Past and Present
• GWS 3200 - Women, Multiculturalism and Social Change  
• GWS 3300  Gender Issues in Education  
• GWS 3500 Psychological Perspectives on Gender  
• GWS  3700 Special Topics in Gender and Women’s Studies
• GWS 4010 Foundations of Feminist Theory
• GWS 4100 Special Topics in Gender and Women's Studies
• GWS 4400 Internship Seminar  
• GWS 4980 Independent Study  
• GWS 5000 Seminar in Gender and Women’s Studies
• GWS 5500 Contemporary Feminist Theory
• GWS 5970 Issues in Gender and Women’s Studies: Variable Topics
• GWS  5980 Readings in Gender and Women’s Studies  
• AFS  3100 The Black Woman: Historical Perspective  
• AFS  3600 Black Woman-Black Man Relationships  
• ANTH  3090 Archeology of Inequality and Resistance  
• ANTH 3450  Topics in Anthropology: Gender Issues*  
• ANTH 3600  Sex, Gender, Culture  
• ANTH  5060  Archeology of Gender  
• ANTH  5070  Gender Theories
• ANTH  5220  Poverty, Power, and Privilege
• ANTH 5450 Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology: Feminist Theory*
• ART  5210  Topics in Art History: Women in Art*
• COM 3070  Freedom of Expression  
• COM 4750  Family Communication  
  
• ECON 3090  Women and the Economy  
• ENGL  4100  Special Topics in Literature: Am. Women Poets*  
• ENGL  4100  Special Topics in Literature: Images of Women in Media 
• ENGL  4160  Women in Literature  
• FCS  2050  Topics in Consumer Res. and Technology: Women and Health*  
• FCS  2100  Intro to Human Sexuality  
• FCS  3150  Global Ecology of the Family
• FCS  5680  Gender, Culture, and Families
• FREN  5100  French/Francophone Culture
• HIST  3160  Women in American History  
• HIST  3360  Women in European History
• HIST   4246  Topics dealing with Gender and Women’s History  
• PADM  2000  Intro to Nonprofit Leadership
• PADM  3000  Nonprofit Advancement  
• PADM  4000  Seminar in Nonprofit Leadership
• PHIL  3150  Race and Gender Issues  
• PSCI  3410  Politics Sub-Saharan Africa
• PSCI  3460  Women in Developing Countries
• PSCI  4210  Gender and Law
• PSCI  4500  Seminar in International and Comparative Politics
• SOC  1900 Men and Women in Contemporary Society
• SOC   3900  Marriage and Family Relations
• SOC   4900 Social Context of Sexual Behavior  

*Other courses that address issues associated with Gender and Women’s Studies, including those outside the College of Arts and Sciences, may also count with the approval of the Chair of Gender and Women’s Studies.
**No more than 7 total hours of credits below the 3000 level may count toward the major.