Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, B.A.

The Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies major at SUNY Geneseo is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary program designed to be flexible to accommodate multiple focuses. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women and gender minorities. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in the classroom to other areas of their lives.

All students take a core set of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies courses in addition to electives drawn from the program’s course offerings and those from a variety of other fields in the humanities, arts, and social and natural sciences. Electives must include global and historical content. Finally, all students complete a capstone experience designed to apply concepts from the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program toward their future life, educational, and/or career goals.

Program Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate mastery over key concepts pertaining to gender, sexuality, and interrelated systems of structural inequality using appropriate evidence, conventions, and critical terminology
Demonstrate critical reading, writing and presentation skills
1. Demonstrate competence in understanding, analyzing, and synthesizing texts from multiple disciplines, historical eras and global cultures
2. Clearly and effectively argue a thesis in writing using appropriate supporting evidence
Recognize different disciplinary contributions and methodologies to the inter & multidisciplinary field, how those contributions and methodologies advance the field, and how the field challenges traditional disciplinary approaches
Engage in research
1. Locate, evaluate, and interpret scholarly sources within sexuality, gender, and women’s studies or a contributing discipline
2. Demonstrate competence at organizing, expressing, and presenting sexuality, gender, and women’s studies research to diverse audiences
Apply and integrate theoretical/conceptual knowledge with community engagement, activism, or other real-world issues of social justice concern

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: 33-36

Basic Requirements: (15 Credits)

WGST 100 - Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies Credit(s): 3
WGST 310 - Race, Class, and Gender Credit(s): 3
WGST 320 - Gender and Sexualities Credit(s): 3
WGST 430 - Feminist Theories Credit(s): 3
Capstone/Integrative & Applied Learning Experience (3 cr):
WGST 490 - Research Seminar Credit(s): 3 or
WGST 493 - Honors Research Credit(s): 3 or
WGST 495 - Internship Credit(s): As arranged *

Course Cluster Requirements: (15-18 Credits)

One course from each of the following five clusters

In addition, students should select one cluster, from among the above, in which to focus by taking two more courses in that cluster. (6-8 Credits)

Footnotes:

A minimum of 18 credits across the major must be at the 300/400-level.
*Students who wish to use WGST 495 for the Historical, Political, Activist Studies Cluster may not select WGST 495 for the capstone.

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 Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s 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 - Research 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)

Attributes:

Sub Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
DPP	Diversity, Pluralism, Power
WCV	World Cultures & Values
CGC	Contemporary Global Challenges
CAI	Creativity & Innovation
SST	Sustainability

Learning Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
ARTS	Arts
HUMA	Humanities
SOSC	Social Science