Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies (2-8450)
Requirements
A total of 48 units will be required for the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies major. Courses cannot be counted for more than one category within the major. Requirements include: 6 lower division units and 42 upper division units distributed among the following:
Lower Division – 6 units
- WGSS 101 Women & Their Bodies
- WGSS 102 Women in Contemporary Society
Core Requirements
Theory and Methodology – total 15 units
9 units to include:
- WGSS 300 Principles of Feminism
- WGSS 301 Feminist Research Methods
- WGSS 415 Feminist Theory
One of the following for 3 units:
- WGSS 392 Feminist Pedagogy
- WGSS 496 Community Service Learning in Women’s Issues
Senior Capstone Seminar – total 3 units:
- WGSS 495 Senior Capstone Seminar
Clusters
- To include a minimum of 3 units from each of the following five clusters and an additional 3 units from any cluster.
The Clusters
Gender and Sexuality
This cluster focuses on the study of the construction and maintenance of sexual difference, sexual behaviors, desires and idenities.
- WGSS 205 Introduction to Queer Studies
- WGSS 356 Lesbian Histories & Cultures
- WGSS 416 Queering Gender
- WGSS 442 (ENGL) Sexing Chicana Literature
- WGSS 490 Special Topics (depending on topic and with prior apporval of the WGSS advisor)
Cultural Studies
The courses in this cluster address women’s place in culture through which societal ideas about women and gender have historically been created and maintained.
- WGSS 318I U.S. Women of Color
- WGSS 365I Popular Culture: Women, Gender & Sexuality
- WGSS 410 Women, Religion and Spirituality
- WGSS 432 Women in the City
- WGSS 445A Latinas & Revolution: Central America & Late 20th Century Mexico
- WGSS 445B Latinas & Revolution: Caribbean, U.S. & Early 20th Century Mexico
- WGSS 490 Special Topics (depends on topic and with prior approval of the WGSS advisor)
Feminist Aesthetics
This cluster examines art, literature and film as sites of women’s theoretical and political work and as sources of the constructions and representations of gendered identities.
- WGSS 216 Hollywood & Beyond: Gender, Race & Sex in the movies
- WGSS 314 Women Narrate Their Lives
- WGSS 316 (FEA) Women in the History of U.S. Film
- WGSS 420 Mothers & Daughters
- WGSS 490 (depends on topic and with prior approval of the WGSS advisor)
Feminist Analysis
This cluster examines the role of women within the legal, economic and political structures of our society.
- WGSS 307I U.S. Women & the Economy: Money, Sex & Power
- WGSS 308 Women & the Law
- WGSS 350 Feminist Issues in Mental Health
- WGSS 401I Bodies & Borders: Feminism & Globalization
- WGSS 440 Issues in Women’s Health
- WGSS 490 (depends on topic and with prior approval of the WGSS advisor)
Feminist Change
Courses in this cluster focus on women as agents of change and in social movements that address gendered lives.
- WGSS 424 Women & Environmental Justice: Ecofeminism
- WGSS 425 Women & Power
- WGSS 430 Women & Violence
- WGSS 449 Feminism & International Human Rights
- WGSS 490 (depends on topic and with prior approval of the WGSS advisor)
In addition, students are required to take an additional 9 units from any combination of WGSS classes.
Note: Courses cross listed with any of the above courses are accepted as substitutes. Students must earn a grade of at least “C” in all upper division major courses.