Overview
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies requires twelve term courses and may be taken either as a primary major or as one of two majors. Requirements include two intermediate courses selected from the following offerings: Bodies and Pleasures, Sex and Genders (WGSS 205); Transnational Approaches to Gender and Sexuality (WGSS 206); Gender, Justice, Power and Institutions (WGSS 207 ); Feminist and Queer Theory (WGSS 340 ). Majors are strongly encouraged to take these intermediate courses during their first two years. The major also requires one methodology course, seven courses in an area of concentration, and senior essay. The area of concentration consists of at least seven courses, one of which must be an advanced seminar in WGSS numbered 350 or higher, and the majority of which should be drawn from program offerings. Substitutions to the major requirements may be made only with the written permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
Intermediate courses
Majors are required to take two intermediate courses selected from the following offerings: Bodies and Pleasures, Sex and Genders (WGSS 205); Transnational Approaches to Gender and Sexuality (WGSS 206); Gender, Justice, Power and Institutions (WGSS 207 ); Feminist and Queer Theory (WGSS 340). Majors are strongly encouraged to take these intermediate courses during their first two years.
Methodology courses
Given its interdisciplinary nature, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies necessarily relies on a wide range of methodologies: literary criticism, ethnography, visual analysis, historiography, and quantitative data analysis, among others. Each student is expected to acquire competence in at least one methodology relevant to their own concentration and planned senior essay. Students are advised to take this course by the end of in the junior year, in preparation for the senior essay. The course may come from any department but is subject to approval by the DUS.
Senior Requirement
Yearlong Senior Essay
The yearlong senior essay: The two-term senior sequence consists of the Senior Colloquium (WGSS 490), in which students begin researching and writing a senior essay, followed by the Senior Essay (WGSS 491), in which students complete the essay. The senior essay is developed and written under the guidance and supervision of a WGSS-affiliated faculty member with expertise in the area of concentration. Students are expected to meet with their essay advisers on a regular basis.
Single-term Senior Essay
The single-term senior essay: Majors may opt to complete the senior essay requirement in an approved upper-level WGSS seminar in the fall or spring term, with the approval of the instructor, by writing a senior essay of at least thirty pages in lieu of the course’s normal writing requirements. Students who choose the single-term senior essay take one additional WGSS course of their choosing to fulfill the twelve-term-course requirement. Students are asked to inform the DUS of their intended plans for a one-term essay by the end of the junior year by completing the electronic form on our website.
Senior Essay Guidelines
Below are the page requirements for research-based senior projects for Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies majors:
• Single-term essays: A minimum of 30 pages (excluding front matter, bibliography and appendices)
• Yearlong essays: A minimum of 60 pages and a maximum of 90 pages (excluding front matter, bibliography and appendices).
Students seeking exceptions to these requirements require approval from both their advisor and from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).
Students with appropriate background and training may also choose to complete a creative project in lieu of a research-based essay. Creative projects must be accompanied by a written essay of 12-15 pages (excluding front matter, bibliography and appendices) that situates the project within ideas and scholarship in the field of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The content of the creative project and the accompanying essay should be agreed upon with the advisor.