Program
Requirements
Major in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 72 Queering Feminisms: Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- Two courses which explore the broad, foundational questions
and arguments in feminist approaches within specific disciplines
or interdisciplinary fields of study, covering a diversity of
perspectives, including attention to local, national and
transnational issues and context. Courses currently available in
this category:
ANTH 147
WGSS 73
SOC 188
ED 192
ENG 177
REL 104
ANTH 146
SOC 30
PHIL 48
Sex and Money
Introduction to Queer Studies
Masculine Mystique
Feminist Theories in Education
Feminism, Literature, Theory
Feminist Theologies
Global Feminism
Sex & Gender in Society
Feminist Philosophy
Five elective courses chosen from the WGSS course list and representing at least three different departments. Three of these electives should be clustered into a concentration area within the study of women, gender and/or sexuality towards developing the focus of the senior capstone project or thesis. Students define their own concentration areas or choose one from those suggested with the advice and approval of the Director of WGSS.
WGSS 190 Doing Feminist Research (Fall)
WGSS 193 Senior Project (Fall or Spring) or WGSS 198/199 (Full Year)
The major in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies gives students the
opportunity to pursue their own intellectual interests within the multi-faceted
study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. All majors take two interdisciplinary
courses offered by the Program (WGSS 72: Queering Feminisms: Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and WGSS 190: Doing Feminist
Research); two core courses that explore the broad, foundational questions and
arguments within specific disciplines or interdisciplinary fields of study; and
five electives chosen from at least three different departments or programs
that engage particular subjects, issues, and materials in the study of women,
gender, and/or sexuality. Among the five electives, students take at least
three within a concentration area or designed individually in consultation with the program director
based on a student's focus of interest.
In addition, all majors do a capstone
project in the senior year that develops from the concentration area, either
as a mentored independent project (WGSS 193) or, if eligible, an honors thesis
(WGSS 198/199). The Director of WGSS serves as academic advisor to the major
and oversees the progress of all students in the Program. Two faculty mentors
from different disciplines appropriate to the topic advise on the capstone
project or thesis in the senior year. With the Director's approval, one
internship for credit, one Experimental College course, and one independent
research course may count as electives. All courses must be taken for a letter
grade and receive a grade of C- or higher. With approval from the Director,
up to four credits can be transferred from another institution towards the major.
*NOTE FOR ALL COURSES: To count a course towards a WGSS major or minor, the significant writing/research projects in the course must focus on a relevant topic in the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. Limit of 4 transfer courses for major and 2 for minor.
Minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
The WGSS interdisciplinary minor complements and may also integrate with a student's major. Students pursuing the minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies take a total of six credits, including two interdisciplinary courses offered by the Program (WGSS 72: Queering Feminisms: Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and WGSS 190: Doing Feminist Research) and three electives from at least two different departments or programs that engage particular subjects, issues, and materials in the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. It is recommended that one core course be included among the electives. In addition, all minors do a capstone project in the senior year, either as a mentored independent project (WGSS 193) or, with approval from the Program Director, by doing a substantial research paper/project in a fourth WGSS elective course. The Director advises on course selection to fit each student's interests and to identify a framework for the capstone project. Two faculty mentors from different disciplines appropriate to the topic advise on the capstone project in the senior year. If completed by doing a substantial research paper/project in a fourth WGSS elective, the instructor of the course acts as mentor and grades the paper, a copy of which must be delivered to the WGSS office to fulfill the capstone requirement. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and receive a grade of C- or higher. With approval from the Director, two credits can be transferred from another institution towards the minor.
Required Courses for the Major and Minor
WGSS 72 Queering Feminisms: Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
An interdisciplinary survey of major issues in the academic study of
women, gender, and sexuality. This course emphasizes intersections
with race, class, ethnicity, culture and other categories of
identity and difference, and includes a strong global or
transnational perspective.
WGSS 190 Doing Feminist Research
Taken in preparation for senior project, this course
addresses the practices and methods of feminist interdisciplinary
research in a cross-cultural framework. It explores how feminist
inquiry rethinks assumptions and categories within the traditional
disciplines; what counts as knowledge; the relation between subjects
and objects of study; international issues in feminist analysis. It
also focuses on developing a topic, compiling a bibliography, and
drafting a project proposal.
WGSS 193 Senior Project
A one-semester mentored independent project culminating in
an interdisciplinary research paper or other creative or activist
work with an analytical component, which explores and tests
traditional and contemporary scholarship on women, gender and/or
sexuality. Two faculty members from different departments
appropriate to the topic serve as mentors for student projects.
Includes a series of group meetings during Spring semester. See
Senior Project Guidelines for more
information.
OR
WGSS 198/199 Senior Honors Thesis
For eligible students, a two-semester mentored independent
project culminating in a substantial interdisciplinary research
paper or other creative or activist work with an analytical
component, which explores and tests traditional and contemporary
scholarship on women, gender, and/or sexuality. Two faculty members
from different departments appropriate to the topic serve as mentors
for the thesis project through both semesters. Students doing an
honors thesis participate in the WGSS 193 group meetings during
Spring semester. See
Senior Honors Thesis Guidelines for more information.
OR (For Minors Only, with pre-approval by Program Director)
An
extended research paper/project in a fourth elective course, mentored and
graded by the instructor of the course and submitted to the WGSS
office. See Fourth Elective Course Capstone Option Guidelines for more information.
*NOTE FOR ALL COURSES: To count a course towards a WGSS major or minor,
the significant writing/research projects in the course must focus on a relevant
topic in the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. Limit of 4 transfer credits
for major and 2 for minor.