Women’s and Gender Studies, B.A.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate understanding of concepts central to Women’s and Gender Studies, including:

• The social construction of gender
• Systems of privilege and oppression
• Intersectionality and difference
• Feminist and queer theories
• Feminist and LGBTQ activism
• Major feminist issues, in historical contexts and in contemporary US and global contexts. Examples of such issues include domestic violence, pornography, job equity, issues of representation, and reproductive rights.

2. Demonstrate critical reading, writing and oral presentation skills

• Close reading skills to texts from multiple disciplines, historical eras and global cultures
• Argue a thesis persuasively in writing, employing correct grammar and mechanics
• Share the results of research or a project in an oral presentation

3. Engage in interdisciplinary research

• Locate, evaluate, and interpret scholarly sources from several disciplines
• Apply methodologies derived from multiple disciplines to problems in women’s and gender studies
• Conduct primary and secondary source research, incorporate others’ work into original arguments, and properly credit sources
• Design and implement a project, creatively employing interdisciplinary research towards an original analytical, creative or activist problem

General Education Requirements (30-40 Credits)

Prerequisite coursework may be required to satisfy certain General Education courses and will count as elective credit.

Total Credits Required for the Major: 36-41

Minimum Competence Requirement

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses used in fulfillment of the Women’s and Gender Studies Major

Department Writing Requirement

All courses offered in WGST at the 200 level or above require significant writing assignments. Successful completion of  WGST 310 ,  WGST 320 , WGST 430 ,  and WGST 490 ,  WGST 493 , or WGST 495  fulfills the writing requirement.

Sample Course Map

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2022: please select the bulletin year in which you entered the college (matriculated) at the top right of this page.

Curriculum Map  

• First Year
  • Fall - 14 Credits
    • WGST 100 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies  - Credit(s): 3 
    • WRTG 105 - Writing Seminar: (subtitle)  - Credit(s): 4
    • Math/Quantitative - Credit(s): 3
    • World Language 101 - Credit(s): 4
  • Spring - 16 Credits
    • Global Elective - Credit(s): 2
    • History/Politics Elective - Credit(s): 4
    • World Language 102 - Credit(s): 4
    • Global Society: DPP - Credit(s): 3
    • Global Society: SST - Credit(s): 3
• Second Year
  • Fall - 15 Credits
    • WGST 310 - Race, Class, and Gender  
    • Social World Elective - Credit(s): 3
    • Natural Science
    • Global Society: WCV - Credit(s): 4
    • Elective
  • Spring - 15 Credits
    • WGST 320 - Gender and Sexualities  
    • Sexualities Elective - Credit(s): 4
    • Global Society: CAI - Credit(s): 3
    • Global Society: CGC - Credit(s): 3
    • Elective
• Third Year
  • Fall - 15 Credits
    • Humanities/Arts Elective - Credit(s): 4
    • Focus Area Elective - Credit(s): 4
    • Elective
    • Elective
    • Elective
  • Spring - 15 Credits
    • Focus Area Elective - Credit(s): 3
    • Integrative and Applied Learning - Credit(s): 3
    • Elective
    • Elective
    • Elective
• Fourth Year
  • Fall - 15 Credits
    • WGST 430 - Feminist Theories 
    • Elective
    • Elective
    • Elective
  • Spring - 15 Credits
    • WGST 490 - Senior Capstone Seminar  or WGST 493 - Honors Research  or WGST 495 - Internship  
    • Electives
    • Elective
    • Elective

Total Credits: 120

Course Rotation: Work closely with your advisor and carefully read course descriptions for the course rotation to see when courses will be offered.

Note: Variation in the order of courses is possible, depending upon prerequisites. Consult course information in the bulletin or your academic advisor to customize your eight semester plan.  

KEY - Participation in a Global Society (PGS)

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