Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Major
Embracing viewpoints from across the curriculum, the WGSS major brings together scholarship from the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences. With a focus on diverse perspectives, the BA in WGSS teaches students to think and write critically about issues relating to gender, race, age, culture, sexuality and ethnicity.
Honors
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In addition to the general requirements stated under university regulations, students seeking to graduate with special honors must attain a minimum grade point average of 3.7 in courses that count toward the WGSS major, and 3.3 overall. In addition, students must receive a grade of A in WGSS 4199 and submit an honors paper to the program. Upon faculty review of the honors paper, students may be recommended for graduation with special honors. Interested students should contact the WGSS undergraduate advisor.
The Honors application form is currently closed.
Course Requirements
This Bulletin covers the degree requirements for students matriculating in the current academic year. Students who matriculated before the current year can find their requirements in the relevant archived Bulletin.
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
33 credits in courses in the major; at least 27 of which must be taken at the 2000 level or above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| WGSS 2120 | Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | |
| or WGSS 2120W | Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | |
| WGSS 2125 | Varieties of Feminist Theory | |
| or AMST 2125 | Varieties of Feminist Theory | |
| WGSS 4199 | Senior Seminar | |
| One course from each of the following five groups, for a total of 15 credits. A course cannot be counted toward more than one group. | ||
| Race, ethnicity, and class group | ||
| AMST 2410 | Modern U.S. Immigration | |
| or AMST 2410W | Modern U.S. Immigration | |
| or HIST 2410 | Modern U.S. Immigration | |
| AMST 2490 | Themes in U.S. Cultural History (Managing Race and Sexuality) | |
| AMST 3360 | African American History to 1865 | |
| or HIST 3360 | African American History to 1865 | |
| AMST 3361 | African American History Since 1865 | |
| or HIST 3361 | African American History Since 1865 | |
| AMST 4702W | Race, Medicine, and Public Health | |
| ENGL 2610 | Introduction to Black Literature of America I | |
| or ENGL 2610W | Introduction to Black Literature of America I | |
| ENGL 2611 | Introduction to Black Literature of America II | |
| or ENGL 2611W | Introduction to Black Literature of America II | |
| ENGL 2710 | Postcolonialism, Race, and Gender in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| or ENGL 2710W | Postcolonialism, Race, and Gender in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| ENGL 3570 | Nineteenth-Century Black Literature | |
| ENGL 3960 | Asian American Literature | |
| or ENGL 3960W | Asian American Literature | |
| PHIL 2125 | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| or PHIL 2125W | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| PSC 2992 | Special Topics in American Politics and Government (Votes for Women) | |
| PSC 2992 | Special Topics in American Politics and Government (Race and Ethnic Politics) | |
| WGSS 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or WGSS 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| or AMST 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or AMST 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| or HIST 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or HIST 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| Global/transnational group | ||
| ENGL 2710 | Postcolonialism, Race, and Gender in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| or ENGL 2710W | Postcolonialism, Race, and Gender in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| ENGL 2711 | Postcolonialism and Migration in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| or ENGL 2711W | Postcolonialism and Migration in Global Anglophone Literature and Film | |
| ENGL 2712 | Bollywood Cinema | |
| or ENGL 2712W | Bollywood Cinema | |
| ENGL 3730 | Topics in Global Postcolonial Literature and Film | |
| or ENGL 3730W | Topics in Global Postcolonial Literature and Film | |
| ENGL 3810 | Selected Topics in Literature (Sex, Politics, and Religion in Italian Literature) | |
| ENGL 3980W | Queer Studies (Transnational Film Studies and LGBTQ Cultures) | |
| HIST 3101 | Topics: Europe (Irish Women 19th Century History) | |
| IAFF 3180 | Special Topics in Security Policy (Gender, Conflict, and Security) | |
| IAFF 3189 | Special Topics in African Studies (Women and Leadership in Africa) | |
| SPAN 3570 | Women Writers of Spain and Latin America | |
| WGSS 2121 | The Anthropology of Gender: Cross-Cultural Perspectives | |
| or ANTH 2501 | The Anthropology of Gender: Cross-Cultural Perspectives | |
| WGSS 3136 | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| or WGSS 3136W | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| or CHIN 3136W | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| WGSS 3481 | Women in Islam | |
| or REL 3481 | Women in Islam | |
| WGSS 3530 | Women in Africa | |
| or HIST 3530 | Women in Africa | |
| WGSS 3820 | Global Domestic Labor | |
| WGSS 3845 | Global Women's Prison | |
| WGSS 3881 | Women, Gender, and Religion in China | |
| or EALL 3881 | Women, Gender, and Religion in China | |
| or REL 3881 | Women, Gender, and Religion in China | |
| Sexualities group | ||
| AMST 2490 | Themes in U.S. Cultural History (Managing Race & Sexuality) | |
| ENGL 3910 | Disability Studies | |
| ENGL 3980 | Queer Studies | |
| or ENGL 3980W | Queer Studies | |
| PHIL 2140 | Philosophy of Love, Sex, and Friendship | |
| PSC 3192W | Proseminar: Political Science (LGBTQ Politics) | |
| WGSS 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| or AMST 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| or HIST 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| WGSS 2385W | Sex and Citizenship | |
| or AMST 2385W | Sex and Citizenship | |
| WGSS 3410 | Lesbian History and Culture | |
| WGSS 3435 | Queer Politics | |
| WGSS 3470 | Sexuality and the Law | |
| Humanities group | ||
| ENGL 3730 | Topics in Global Postcolonial Literature and Film | |
| or ENGL 3730W | Topics in Global Postcolonial Literature and Film | |
| ENGL 3810 | Selected Topics in Literature (Sex, Politics, and Religion in Italian Literature) | |
| ENGL 3840 | Gender and Literature | |
| or ENGL 3840W | Gender and Literature | |
| ENGL 3980 | Queer Studies | |
| or ENGL 3980W | Queer Studies | |
| HIST 3101 | Topics: Europe (Irish Women 19th Century History) | |
| PHIL 2125 | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| or PHIL 2125W | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| PHIL 2140 | Philosophy of Love, Sex, and Friendship | |
| SPAN 3570 | Women Writers of Spain and Latin America | |
| WGSS 1020 | Approaches to Women's History | |
| or HIST 1020 | Approaches to Women's History | |
| WGSS 2135 | A Study of Women and Media | |
| WGSS 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| or AMST 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| or HIST 2380 | Sexuality in US History | |
| WGSS 3136 | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| or WGSS 3136W | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| or CHIN 3136W | Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film | |
| WGSS 3352 | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| or WGSS 3352W | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| or AMST 3352 | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| or AMST 3352W | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| or HIST 3352 | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| or HIST 3352W | U.S. Women's History to 1865 | |
| WGSS 3353 | U.S. Women's History II | |
| or AMST 3353 | U.S. Women's History II | |
| or HIST 3353 | U.S. Women's History II | |
| WGSS 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or WGSS 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| or AMST 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or AMST 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| or HIST 3362 | African American Women's History | |
| or HIST 3362W | African American Women's History | |
| WGSS 3481 | Women in Islam | |
| or REL 3481 | Women in Islam | |
| WGSS 3530 | Women in Africa | |
| or HIST 3530 | Women in Africa | |
| WGSS 3981 | Women in Western Religion | |
| or REL 2981 | Women and Religion | |
| Social science group | ||
| ANTH 3504 | Illness, Healing, and Culture | |
| ANTH 3507 | Kinship, Family, and Community | |
| ANTH 3513 | Anthropology of Human Rights | |
| or ANTH 3513W | Anthropology of Human Rights | |
| IAFF 3180 | Special Topics in Security Policy (Gender, Conflict, and Security) | |
| PSC 2225 | Women and Politics | |
| PSC 2992 | Special Topics in American Politics and Government (Votes for Women) | |
| PSC 2992 | Special Topics in American Politics and Government (Race and Ethnic Politics) | |
| PSC 3192W | Proseminar: Political Science (LGBTQ Politics) | |
| PSYC 2550 | Psychology of Sex and Gender | |
| PUBH 3199 | Topics in Public Health (Women's Health) | |
| PUBH 6550 | Maternal and Child Health I | |
| SOC 2175 | Sociology of Sex and Gender | |
| WGSS 2121 | The Anthropology of Gender: Cross-Cultural Perspectives | |
| or ANTH 2501 | The Anthropology of Gender: Cross-Cultural Perspectives | |
| WGSS 4183 | Practicum in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | |
| Electives | ||
| 9 credits (three courses) taken in any combination of the following categories: the above groups, provided the course is not being counted toward the group requirement; any undergraduate WGSS courses not listed here; up to 6 credits in two gender-related IAFF courses; and other courses approved by an advisor, which might include the following: | ||
| AMST 2410W | Modern U.S. Immigration | |
| HONR 1016 | Honors Seminar: Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought (Body Politics) | |
| HONR 1034 | Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery (Human Reproduction) | |
| PSC 2224 | Issues in Domestic Public Policy (*when taught with a woman- or gender-centered focus) | |
| WLP 1030 | Women and the Creative Process | |