UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Honors Thesis
Internships
Awards
Guide for Obtaining Letters of Recommendation

Courses in the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program emphasize the importance of constructions of gender that shape literature, art, history, political structures, social phenomena, sexuality and sexual behavior, and economic institutions. The curriculum provides opportunities to explore the specificity of women's and men's experiences, concerns, and perspectives and to see how these vary across cultures and within and across social groups and different historical contexts. 

The Major in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies

These requirements apply to all students declaring the major after Spring 2008; those who declared prior to Fall 2008, see below.

A Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major or Second Major in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies requires a total of 27 credits, 21 of which must be taken in courses numbered 300 or above. At least 18 of the 21 upper level credits for the major may only count for the WGS major and may not be double-counted towards another major. Classes that count for the major should be registered as WGSS courses (i.e., with the WGSS designation, L77). All courses taken for the major must be taken for a grade and earn at least a C- or above.

The following five requirements must be fulfilled through WGSS home-based or cross-listed courses taken at Washington University:

• 3 credits of an Introductory-level class
  Either WGSS 100 Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies or WGSS 105 Introduction to Sexuality Studies. You must file a copy of a paper from this course with Donna Kepley, WGSS Administrative Assistant.

• 3 credits of Theory
  The following courses may fulfill this requirement: WGSS 335 Feminist Theory, WGSS 3031 Queer Theory, WGSS 475 Intellectual History of Feminisms, WGSS 332 Philosophy of Feminism, WGSS 420 Contemporary Feminisms, WGSS 419 Feminist Literary Theory
  Note: The 400-level theory classes will also satisfy the requirement for a 400-level class.

• 3 credits of Methods
  The following courses may fulfill this requirement: WGSS 392 Feminist Research Methods, WGSS 3942 Service Learning: Projects in Domestic Violence, or other WGSS-advisor-approved service learning courses.

• 3 credits at the 400 level OR an Honors Thesis
  Any home-based or cross-listed WGS class at the 400 level OR an honors thesis will satisfy this requirement. Please see your WGSS advisor for approval of your choice. All students must turn in a copy of a paper from this class to Donna Kepley, WGSS Administrative Assistant. Note: Several theory classes will satisfy both this and the theory requirement.

• 3 credits of Cross-Cultural or Historical Material
  A course home-based or cross-listed in WGSS that examines gender in a historic or cross-cultural context. (Note: A class that satisfies one of the above 4 areas may also fulfill this requirement.).

The Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program has three areas of focus around which courses are organized:

• literature/theory/history
• sexuality/the body/health; and
• global and transnational feminist and gender studies.

Students may choose to concentrate in one of these areas or to investigate all three.

We strongly encourage and support students who wish to study abroad and will accept up to 9 credits from approved programs. Please see Barbara Baumgartner, WGSS Study Abroad Supervisor, about this option.

Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major or Second Major in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies

For students who declared the major before Fall of 2008:

The major consists of nine courses or 27 units in WGSS, 21 of them in courses numbered 300 or above. Included in those units, a student must fulfill the following four course requirements:

• A 100-level WGSS home-based intro course;
• Feminist Theory;
• A course home-based or cross-listed in WGSS that analyzes differences in gender either historically or cross-culturally;
• Feminist Research Methods.

The remaining courses are elective but must be home-based or cross-listed in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. At least 18 of the units for the major must be separate courses, not double-counted towards a minor or second major.