Concentration Requirements Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies
Students completing the concentration in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies must complete these requirements:
Introductory Course
- GSWS 120: Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, or an equivalent
course approved by the GSWS Director
Four Elective Courses
One of these course courses should have a cross-cultural dimension.
Advanced Course
One 300- or 400-level seminar or a capstone experience, subject to the approval of the GSWS Director. The capstone is an independent project that can take the form of a research paper, an art or performance piece, or an action campaign. The capstone must be completed during the student’s senior year, in consultation with a faculty advisor, and in the context of a course, independent study, internship, or some other credit-bearing venue.
These six courses must be taken across three or more academic disciplines, with no more than two courses from the student’s major department. No more than one approved internship may be applied toward the concentration. All courses applied to the concentration must be taken for a letter grade.
Major Requirements Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Students must complete the following requirements:
Introductory Course
- GSWS 120: Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, or an equivalent
course approved by the GSWS Director.
Two Foundational Courses
One course focused on LGBTQ+ topics. Examples include:
- ANTH 255: Genders and Sexualities
- ANTH 386: Global Queer Activism
- CLAS 199: Intro to Greco-Roman Gender and Sexuality
- LATN 399: Constructions of Gender and Sexuality
- FREN 472: Race & Gender in French Cinema
- HIST 401: Gender & Sexuality
- MUSC 390: Music & Gay Rights
- RELS 299: Theology & Sexuality
- RELS 344: Sex, Money, Power and the Bible
- SOCL 274: LGBTQ Studies
- STWL 234: Women Make Film
- THEA 145: Gay Theater and Film
One course exploring the transnational intersections of gender and/or sexuality with other systems of oppression, such as race, social class, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, age, and ability. Examples include:
- ANTH 255: Genders and Sexualities
- ANTH 269: Fashion and Consumption
- ANTH 253: Gender and Development
- ANTH 399: Global Queer Activism
- CISS 399: HIV-AIDS in Global Perspective
- CISS 255: Critical Issues in Global Health
- FREN 472: Race & Gender in French Cinema
- HIST 101: Family and Gender in China
- HIST 101: Sex & Nationalism
- HIST 290: Sex and Society in African History
- POLS 399: Democratization & Women’s Rights
Three Courses Offering Breadth
One course from each of the following three categories:
Aesthetic, artistic or literary representations. Many such courses are found in Academic Division B in the Departments of English, World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, , Music, Spanish, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Examples include:
- ENGL 345: British Women Writers
- ENGL 353: American Women Writers
- ENGL 399: Toni Morrison
- ENGL 399: Irish Women Writers
- ENGL 399: Irish Literary Activism
- ENGL 401: Jane Austen
- ITAL 253: Italian Women's Autobiography
- MUSC 295: African American Music
- STWL 221: Writing Women in the 20th century
- STWL 234: Women Make Film
- THEA 136: Horror Films, Sex and Gender
- THEA 145: Gay Theater and Film
- VAHI 136: Narrative in Art and Film
Structural inequality, power and privilege. Many such courses are found in Academic Division C in the Departments of Economics and Accounting, Education, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology and Anthropology. Examples include:
- ANTH 255: Genders and Sexualities
- ANTH 269: Fashion and Consumption
- ANTH 253: Gender and Development
- ANTH 399: Global Queer Activism
- ECON 299: Gender & Economics
- POLS 399: Democratization & Women’s Rights
- PSYC 228: Psychology of Adolescence
- PSYC 244: Health Psychology
- PSYC 342: Gender Role Development
- PSYC 354: Psychology of Stigma
- SOCL 259: Children and Violence
- SOCL 254: Girls and Violence
- SOCL 277: Gender and Society
- SOCL 299: Sociology of Emotion
- SOCL 376: Women and Non-violence
Historical perspective. Many such courses are found in Academic Division D in the Departments of Classics, History, Religious Studies and Philosophy. Examples include:
- CLAS 221: Women in Classical Mythology
- CLAS 175: Ancient Manhood Contested
- HIST 101: Family and Gender in China
- HIST 101: Sex & Nationalism
- HIST 290: Sex and Society in African History
- HIST 401: Gender & Sexuality
- RELS 118: New Testament
- RELS 199: Gender and Sexuality in the Bible
- RELS 221: Women in Early Christianity
- RELS 284: Sex, Money, Power and the Bible
- RELS 323: Ancient Households
Four Courses Generating Depth
Four courses that deepen the student's understanding of a single theme and/or region of the world that they choose in consultation with their advisor; two of these courses must be at least at the 200 level, and one must be at the 300 level or above.
Themes might include topics such as: sexuality, intersecting identities, gender and aesthetics, gender and health, challenging normativity, gender violence in political contexts, narrative representations of gender or sexuality, or global feminisms/masculinities.
Capstone Experience
An independent project that can take the form of a research paper, an art or performance piece, or an action campaign. The capstone must be completed during the student’s senior year, in consultation with a faculty advisor, and in the context of a course, independent study, internship, or some other credit-bearing context.
*Students must take a minimum of ten courses.