Women's and Gender Studies Major, BA

Campus: NYC

The WGS major is an interdisciplinary one completed in 36 credits. This major supports double-majoring in another Dyson B.A. program. Up to 18 credits in the WGS major (including approved courses from other academic disciplines) may be "double-counted" towards both the WGS major and the second Dyson major as long as both are BA degree majors. See the WGS Department Chair for details and approvals. To complete a second major, up to 3 courses can be double-counted as part of a Dyson In-Depth Sequence for both the the WGS major and the University Core.

Major Completion Summary

Major Completion Summary
Requirement	Credits
University Core Requirements	44-55
Major Requirements	36
Open Electives	28-40
Total Credits	120

University Core Requirements (44-55 Credits)

See complete University Core requirements.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
University Core
Complete University Core Requirements		44-55
Total Credits		44-55

Major Requirements (36-37 Credits)

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Major Courses
Required Courses		12-13
WS 115	Intro to Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
or WS 115C	Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies through Civic Engagement
WS 166	Gender, Race and Class
WS 399	Feminist Research Methods
WS 499	Applied Feminist Practice
Select one of the following theory courses		3
WS 291	Global Activism and Transnational Feminist Theories
WS 369	Queer Theory
WS 380	Seminar in Feminist Theory
Major Electives
Choose seven major elective courses. A minimum of three courses must be WS courses. Course offerings from WS and other disciplines are below. Students may contact the department for course recommendations for a specialized focus. ¹		21

¹: See WS department chair for guidance and to learn of newly approved electives. Note that most of the listed available elective courses are 3-credit ones.

Elective Courses from WS Department

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
WS 169	Introduction to Queer Studies	3
WS 180	Non-Profit Skills for Social Justice	3
WS 196A	Topic: Gender, Science Fiction, and Fan Communities	3
WS 220	The Medieval Woman	3
WS 234	The Girl Child-A Global Perspective	3
WS 250	Queer Stories:LGBTQ People and Communities in Historical Context	3
WS 267	Meanings and Models of Motherhood in European History and Literature	6
WS 268	Men and Masculinities	3
WS 269	Lesbians in Literature and Film	3
WS 296E	Topic: Historical and Modern Sexual Revolutions	3
WS 275	Gay Male Experiences	3
WS 277	Women in the Arthurian Legends: Medieval to Modern	3
WS 280	Internship in Women's and Gender Studies	1-6
WS 285	Queer Cinema	3
WS 288	Women and Film: Past and Present	3
WS 289	Science Fiction and Gender	3
WS 291	Global Activism and Transnational Feminist Theories	3
WS 293	Transgender Studies	3
WS 296	Topics in Women's Studies	3
WS 296D	Gender, Power, and Grassroots: Politics in American Society	3
WS 296E	Topic: Historical and Modern Sexual Revolutions	3
WS 296F	Topic: Living Under Fire - Women and Warfare	3
WS 296S	Topic: Dress, Desire and Gesture: Sexualities of Renaissance Europe	3
WS 296T	Topic: Melodrama in America	3
WS 296X	Topic: Slumming and Tramping: The Queer America	3
WS 297A	Topic: Asian/American Women	3
WS 297E	"How to Change the World": An Introduction to Feminist Activism and Social Change	3
WS 297F	Topic: Girl's Activism in the 21st Century	3
WS 297G	Topic: Sexualities and the City in North and South America	3
WS 297H	Topic: Women, Gender, and Feminisms in Latin America	3
WS 297I	Topics: Hot Latina/os? Race, Gender, and Sexualities in Latin America	3
WS 297K	Asexuality Studies	3
WS 297P	Topic: Queer/Trans Performance	3
WS 297S	Inclusive Sex Education and Reproductive Health in the Nonprofit Sector	3
WS 297X	Gender and Human Rights: an Introduction to Transnational Feminist Activism	3
WS 297Y	Creative Writing for Social Justice: Feminist, Queer, and Trans Perspectives	3
WS 297Z	Topic: Black Sexualities and Creative Resistance	3
WS 300	Feminist Economics	3
WS 305	Feminist Changemaking: Grant Writing and Fundraising Skills	3
WS 325	Mini-skirts and Headscarves: Gender, Nationality, and Migration in Modern Europe	3
WS 340	Queer Cinema/Theory	3
WS 369	Queer Theory	3
WS 380	Seminar in Feminist Theory	3
WS 395	Independent Study in Women's and Gender Studies	1-9
WS 396A	Topic: Gender Issues in Business	3
INT 197A	Crossroads and Crossfire: The struggle For Women's Rights in a Globalized World	6
INT 197Y	Comparative Racial and Gender Politics of South Africa and the U.S.	6
INT 297J	Performing Identities: Cross-Dressing and Gendered Personas in Drama	6
INT 198K	Gender and Television
INT 198X	Topic: New Media and Gender	7
INT 297Q	Understanding Community and Diversity: Queer Cultures	6

Elective Courses from Disciplines in Other Departments

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
AMS 102	Introduction to American Studies	3
AMS 200	Introduction to Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies	3
AMS 210	Native and Indigenous Peoples Studies	3
AMS 296D	Constructing Whiteness in America	3
ANT 115	Kinship and the Family	3
ANT 214	Latino Families in Cross-Cultural Perspective	3
ANT 218	Women and Gender Through a Global Perspective	3
ANT 225	Black Women in Cross Cultural Perspectives	3
ANT 296D	Topic: Anthropological Perspective of Women and Warfare	3
ANT 296L	Women and Gender Through a Global Perspective	3
ANT 296T	Topic: Sexuality and Nation Building	3
ANT 296W	Topic: Sexuality and Culture	3
BIO 115	Human Sexuality	3
BIO 308	Reproductive Biology	3
CMS 206	Family Communication	3
CMS 214	Interpersonal Communication	3
CMS 292	Hip-Hop Feminism and the Media	3
CMS 296E	Topic: Brat Summer, Demure Autumn: Understanding Viral Postfeminist Narratives	3
CMS 309	Girls’ Media Cultures	3
CMS 335	Media and Gender	3
CRJ 296E	Topic: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse	3
CRJ 296X	Special Topic: Women and the Criminal Justice System	3
ECO 266	Economics of Gender, Race and Class	3
ECO 356	Labor Economics	3
ECO 272	The Economics of Poverty and Income Distribution	3
ECO 396B	Topic: Economics of Women, Men, and Work	3
ENG 215	Rhetorics of the Body	3
ENG 279A	Feminist Issues: Women Writing About Their Lives-Fact to Fiction	3
ENG 300	Language and Gender	3
FSS 155	Freaks, Queers, and Outsiders: Filmmaking from the Margins	3
HIS 113R	The American Experience: Changing Roles of American Women	3
HIS 280	History of American Women	3
HIS 281	European Women and Social Change	3
INT 197C	American Women in Literature and Life: The Changing Roles of American Women	7
LIT 211L	Sex, Gender, and Love in Early World Literatures	3
LIT 211U	Latina/o Voices: Transnational Currents in American Writing	3
LIT 236B	Topic: LGBTQ+ Literature in the 21st Century	3
LIT 242R	Study in American Literature: American Women Poets	3
LIT 290N	Seminar: The Medieval Woman	3
LIT 290Q	Goddesses: Ancient to Early Modern	3
LIT 290R	Fairy Tales from Medieval to Modern: Feminist and Other Readings	3
LIT 292M	Seminar: American Family in Drama	3
LIT 292N	Seminar: Languages of Gender-Shakespeare's Comedies	3
LIT 292Q	Topic: 19th Century American Women Writers	3
LIT 292R	Seminar: The Fairy Tale in Literary Context	3
LIT 296C	Topics: Climate Change, Literature, and Slow Violence	3
LIT 342L	Studies in American Literature: Toni Morrison	3
LIT 359	The Female Gothic	3
LIT 369A	Great Authors: Emily Dickinson	3
LIT 369U	Topic: Great Authors: Jane Austen	3
LIT 379A	Feminist Issues: Women Writing About Their Lives	3
LIT 387G	Topics Open Seminar: Virginia Woolf	3
INT 296S	Beyond the Veil: Women in Middle Eastern History and Literature	6
INT 296W	Children in Urban Society	6
LAS 150	Modern Latin American Divas: Female Political, Social and Cultural Leadership in the Republican Era	6
LIT 211W	Women in Literature I	3
LIT 212W	Women in Literature II	3
LIT 212Y	American Women Writers	3
LIT 236A	Topic: LGBTQ+ Literature in the 20th Century	3
LIT 303	Introduction to Cultural Studies	3
LIT 308	Women and American Literature	3
LIT 326	African American Literature	3
LIT 329	Literary Theory and Criticism	3
LIT 345	Literatures of Diversity	3
LIT 351A	Early Modern Literature: Early Modern Women's Writing	3
LIT 363	Shakespeare: Before 1600	3
LIT 369R	Great Authors: Jane Austen	3
LIT 379	Feminist Issues in Literature	3
LIT 396X	Topics: Trans Literature	3
PHI 181	Contemporary Political Philosophy	3
PHI 220	Introduction to Latin American Philosophy	3
PHI 296I	Topic: Existentialism, Feminism, Gender and Race	3
PHI 296N	Topic: Philosophical Issues in Feminism	3
PHI 296Q	Philosophical Issues in Feminism	3
PHI 296S	Topic: Feminism and Human Rights	3
PHI 296U	Topic: Feminism Film and Philosophy	3
PJS 101	Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies	3
PJS 296B	Topics: Women Activists for Peace and Justice	3
PJS 296L	Topic: Love Inc.: Capitalism, Philanthropy and Humanitarianism	3
PJS 300	Intersectionality, Conflict, and Peace	3
POL 247	International Law and Human Rights	3
POL 249	Feminist Political Theory	3
POL 250	Gender and Politics	3
PSY 111CV	Intro. to Psychlgy II (CAP) - Wonderwomen & Supermen:Sex, Gndr, Health & Behavior Learning Community	3
PSY 207	Intersectional Critical Liberation Psychology	3
PSY 227	Psychology of Women	3
PSY 234	Human Sexual Behavior	3
PSY 296Z	Topic: Children and Youth - A Global Perspective	3
RES 296D	Topic: Women in World Religions	3
SOC 116	Sociology of Deviance	3
SOC 212	Families in Crisis	3
SOC 215	Sociology of the Family	3
SOC 222	Gender and Social Change	3
SOC 223	Sexuality, Reproduction and the Family	3
SOC 248	Social Movements	3
SPA 480A	Seminar: Women Writers of Spain and America	3

Open Electives (28-40 Credits)

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Open Electives
Select 28-40 credits		28-40
Total Credits		28-40

In addition to the courses listed below, students are required to complete two courses with the Anti-Racism Education attribute attached. These courses may be taken during any semester of their education. See advisor for more information.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credits
ENG 110	Composition	3
WS 115	Intro to Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies	3
UNV 101	First-Year Seminar: Introduction to University Community	1
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course and Learning Community (LC) course		6
	Credits	16
Spring
WS 166	Gender, Race and Class	3
ENG 120	Critical Writing	4
MAT 102	Mathematics for Life (Or MAT 104 for double majors that require it)	3
One Lab science course		3-4
COM 200	Public Speaking	3
	Credits	16-17
Second Year
Fall
One elective course in WS		3
One elective course in WS or cross-listed discipline		3
CIS 101	Introduction to Computing	3
First Second Language Course. See Advisor for guidelines		3
One Civic Engagement (CE) course or one major elective in subject WS		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
	Credits	18
Spring
One elective course in WS or cross-listed discipline		3
One elective course in WS		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
ENG 201	Writing in the Disciplines	3
Second Language Course, if applicable		3
	Credits	15
Third Year
Fall
One course in WS Theory (WS 291, WS 380, or WS 369)		3
One elective course in WS or cross-listed discipline		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
Open Elective Course (Writing Enhanced (WE) course)		3
	Credits	15
Spring
One elective course in subject WS (Writing Enhanced (WE) course)		3
One elective course in subject WS		3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
Open Elective Course		3
Open Elective Course		3
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
Fall
WS 399	Feminist Research Methods	3
Take any one remaining Area of Knowledge course		3
Open Elective Course		3
Open Elective Course		3
	Credits	12
Spring
WS 499	Applied Feminist Practice	3
Open Elective Course		3
Open Elective Course		3
Open Elective Course		3
	Credits	12
	Total Credits	119-120