The Major in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The following requirements apply to all students who declared the major Fall  2011. Undergraduates who declared the WGSS major prior to Fall 2011 please consult your advisor.

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

• 3 credits of an Introductory-level course
  Either WGSS 100 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies or WGSS 105 Introduction to Sexuality Studies. You must file a copy of a paper from this course with the WGSS office (McMillan Hall, Room 210).
• 3 credits of a Theory course
• 3 credits of a Research Methods OR a Service Learning course
  • Note: Honors Thesis students must take Feminist Research Methods WGSS 392.
• 3 credits at the 400 level OR an Honors Thesis - Any home-based or cross-listed WGSS class at the 400 level OR an honors thesis will satisfy this requirement. Please see your WGSS advisor for approval of your choice. *Students who write honors thesis must take the Feminist Research Methods class. All students must turn in a copy of a paper from this class to the WGSS office located in McMillan Hall, Room 210.
• 3 credits of a Historical Context course -A course home-based or cross-listed in WGSS that examines gender in a historic context. Note: A class that satisfies one of the above 4 areas may also fulfill this requirement.
• 3 credits of an Ethnic/Global/Racial Context course-A course home-based or cross-listed in WGSS that examines gender in an ethnic/global or racial context. Note: A class that satisfies one of the above 4 areas may also fulfill this requirement.

A listing of courses which fulfill the above requirements is provided (pdf).

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 Interim Abroad Supervisor, about this option.

Current students wishing to take courses at another university during the summer may transfer up to 6 credit hours. These credits do not fulfill the methods, theory or intro. requirement.

Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

A Bachelor's Degree with a Minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies requires 18 units in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, 12 of them in courses numbered 300 or above. All minor courses /must/ be home-based or cross-listed in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

All courses taken for the minor must be taken for a grade.

We strongly encourage and support students who wish to study abroad and will accept up to 6 credits from approved programs.  Please contact the WGSS Study Abroad Supervisor for approval.

Transfer Students - Students transferring to Washington University, who wish to complete a major in WGSS, may transfer no more than 9 credits of WGSS course work taken elsewhere.

The Theory and the Methods/Service Learning requirements MUST be completed at Washington University. Students wishing an exception, to transfer credits in Theory or Methods/Service Learning, may petition the Director and Associate Director, who will consider the request.

Subject Librarian for WGSS
Makeeba Foster