Major & Minor

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Major Requirements

The WGS major requires only 9 courses, allowing you to customize the degree to your interests or pursue a double major.

Core Courses (4) 

  • WGS 120: Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies 
  • SYS 208: Advocacy & Social Change (or approved elective) 
  • WGS 300: Theory (or approved alternative)
  • WGS 400: Senior Seminar

Electives (5)

Customize the major to your interests!

  • Global elective on gender or sexuality*
  • Historically marginalized women and/or LGBTQ+/Queer scholarship
  • WGS Electives
  • Cross-listed or affiliated electives**

*Outside the US and Europe

**No more than 2 Affiliated Electives, from other departments.

Core Courses with full course descriptions

Minor Requirements

WGS requires only 6 courses for the minor, many of which fulfill other curriculum requirements.

Core Courses (3) 

  • WGS 120: Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies 
  • WGS 300: Theory (or approved alternative)
  • WGS 400: Senior Seminar

Electives (3)

  • One elective that focuses on intersectional gender or sexuality
  • One core or cross-listed elective
  • One additional approved elective

Prospective majors and minors in WGS are strongly encouraged to talk with a WGS advisor as early as possible in their academic careers. Because there is a preferred sequence of courses, all mandatory courses require careful planning. Students are strongly encouraged to take WGS 120 in the first or second year, WGS 300 OR WGS 310 (Fall) and, ideally, WGS 290 (Spring) in the third year, and WGS 340 (Fall) and WGS 400 (Spring) in the senior year.

*WGS 300 and WGS 310 are offered alternating years in the fall. Students planning to study abroad are encouraged to do so in their sophomore year or in the spring of their junior year.

Cross-Listed and Affiliated Courses

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Cross-listed courses reflect the latest feminist and/or sexuality studies scholarship and are located in other academic departments. Affiliated courses are offered by academic departments and contain significant feminist and/or sexuality studies content.

Cross-Listed Courses

Cross-listed courses reflect the latest feminist and/or sexuality studies scholarship and are located in other academic departments.

Affiliated Courses

Offered by academic departments and containing significant feminist or queer content