Gender and Women’s Studies Major

Requirements for the Major in Gender & Women’s Studies

1. Four core gender & women’s studies courses: GWS 026 PO ; GWS 181 PO ; GWS 190 PO ; GWS 191 PO - Senior Thesis 
2. Two additional courses in feminist theory, to be chosen from GWS 180 PO ; LIT 166 CM ; AFRI 144A AF ; ARHI 186L PO - Critical Race Theory, Representation and the Rule of Law ; ENGL 130 AF - Topics 20th Century African Diaspora Literature ; or other courses approved by the GWS coordinator
3. Three additional electives, at least one of which must be cross-listed with one of the ethnic studies programs

Requirements for the Gender & Women’s Studies Major with Disciplinary Tracks

*Students cannot complete the GWS Major and a second major in one of the areas in which GWS offers a disciplinary focus except in extremely rare cases, by petition and with approval from GWS and the second department.

1. Four core gender & women’s studies courses: GWS 026 PO ; GWS 181 PO ; GWS 190 PO ; GWS 191 PO 
2. One course in feminist theory, to be chosen from GWS 180 PO ; LIT 166 CM ; AFRI 144A AF ; ARHI 186L PO ; ENGL 130 AF ; or another course approved by the GWS coordinator
3. Three electives in GWS including one course cross-listed with GWS and department of disciplinary focus and one course cross-listed with one of the ethnic studies programs.
4. The following courses in the department or program of the disciplinary track:

Asian Studies (ASIA). Student selects an area or region emphasis and eight courses as follows: four courses, three of which are in the selected geographical area (country or region) and an additional course outside the selected geographical area; two courses in Asian studies within the disciplinary focus of GWS (ANTH 088 PZ , CHNT 168 PO , JPNT 177 PO , JPNT 178 PO , RLST 128 PO , RLST 164 PO , or RLST 166A PO ); two semesters of study of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean for students emphasizing East Asia, China, Japan, or Korea. Students emphasizing India, or Southeast or South Asia, who do not take one of these languages, can take two elective courses in Asian Studies that will substitute for the language requirement.

Art History (ARHI). ARHI 051A PO , ARHI 051B PO ; one studio art course; and three 100-level courses, one of which must be a seminar.

Economics (ECON). ECON 051 PO , ECON 052 PO , ECON 057 PO , ECON 101 PO , ECON 102 PO  and two electives, at least one of which must have an intermediate theory course as a prerequisite.

English (ENGL). Emphasis on Literature: ENGL 067 PO ; one course in the period before 1700; one course in the period between 1700-1900; one Advanced Studies Seminar (ENGL 170-series); and two additional courses. Emphasis on Writing: ENGL 067 PO , an Advanced Creative Writing Seminar (ENGL 183-series); one course in the period before 1700; one course in the period between 1700-1900; one Advanced Studies Seminar (ENGL 170-series); and one additional course.

French (FREN). FREN 044 PO  (or equivalent placement) and seven courses numbered FREN 101 PO  or higher, of which one focuses on pre-19th-century literature or culture.

History (HIST). One European history course; one other Western Hemisphere course; one course on Africa; one course on Asia; a course in the HIST 100 series; and two electives.

Media studies (MS). MS 049 PO ; either MS 147 PO  or MS 149 PO ; one production course (digital, video or film); four additional courses in media studies.

Politics (POLI). Three core courses chosen from the four sub-fields of the major (American Politics, International Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory); three electives, two of which must be intermediate (10–99) or advanced (100–190); and one senior seminar.

Psychology (PSYC). PSYC 051 PO , PSYC 157 PO , PSYC 158 PO , PSYC 160 PO  or PSYC 162 PO ; one elective; and one advanced seminar from PSYC 180A PO , PSYC 180B PO , PSYC 180E PO , PSYC 180H PO , or PSYC 180J PO .

Religious studies (RLST). Seven courses, in consultation with the chair of the department.

Science, technology and society (STS). Two courses from the sequence History of Science STS 080 PO , STS 081 PO  and STS 082 PO  (offered by PO, HM, PZ); PHIL 103 PZ ; STS 001 PO ; STS 190 PO ; and three courses in mathematics, science and/or engineering (including experimental and physiological psychology). These courses must be in one department and count toward the major in that department, or be necessary prerequisites to courses that count toward a major in that department. In the Mathematics Department, these courses must include MATH 032 PO  or MATH 060 PO .

Sociology (SOC). SOC 051 PO , SOC 154 PO , SOC 157 PO  and three sociology electives.

Theatre (THEA).  A THEA 001-series course or THEA 002 PO ; THEA 111 PO , THEA 112 PO  or THEA 113 PO ; THEA 188 PO  or THEA 199DRPO ; THEA 052C PO  or THEA 052H PO .