Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, BA

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Gender, women, and sexuality studies creates a critical framework for a systematic re-examination of the concept of gender from historical, economic, political, social, and cultural perspectives. The components of the major include interdisciplinary core courses that survey research methods and scholarship, and a selection of elective courses drawn from a variety of disciplines. Classes offered in gender, women, and sexuality studies examine the rich and complex intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and class from a variety of cross-disciplinary perspectives.

The gender, women, and sexuality studies department and courses address one or more of the following issues: (1) the importance of becoming familiar with contemporary feminist theoretical frameworks, methodologies, issues, and topics, and their relation to traditional disciplines; (2) recognizing the importance of focusing on issues of gender, race, class, and sexuality and the connections among them; (3) broadening and enriching analytic skills while drawing on the interdisciplinary perspectives of gender, women, and sexuality studies; (4) understanding the diversity of women’s experiences in the United States and abroad.

Students may pursue only a gender, women, and sexuality studies major, or a double major with another discipline. Students may also take advantage of the dual degree in gender, women, and sexuality studies and social work.

Students should discuss with the program director any course substitution issues, as well as how to count courses in disciplines outside the College of Arts and Sciences.

Curriculum

Required Courses (9 credits)

GWS 101 - Introduction to Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies (D) 3 Credit(s) *
GWS 257/ SOC 257 - Gender and Society 3 Credit(s)
GWS 355 - Feminist Theories and Methodology 3 Credit(s)
or
a course with a significant feminist theory component, chosen in consultation with the program director 3 Credit(s)

Electives (18 credits)

Students select six courses from the following alpha-numeric course list. At least three courses must be from humanities, and two courses must be from the social sciences; two of the courses from humanities and all courses from social sciences must be upper-level courses.

AH 350 - Women and Art 3 Credit(s)
CJ 230 - Domestic Violence and the Justice System (D) 3 Credit(s)
CJ 245 - Women and Criminal Justice 3 Credit(s)
CJ 260 - Victimology 3 Credit(s)
COMS 345 - Gender & Communication 3 Credit(s)
CSCI 126 - Women in Computing 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 122 - Literature and Critical Writing: Gender and Genre (W) 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 123 - Literature of LGBTQ + Lives (D) (W) 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 125 - Literature and Critical Writing: Identities and Voices in American Literature (W) 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 145 - World Literature 3 Credit(s)
or
HUM 200 - Literature of the Non-Western World 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 314 - Genre Studies: Graphic Narrative 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 356 - Victorian Literature 3 Credit(s)
GWS 188 - Special Topics in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies 1-3 Credit(s)
GWS 239 - Women and Development in Latin America 3 Credit(s) (service learning course)
or
SOC 239 - Women and Development in Latin America 3 Credit(s) (service learning course)
or
ANTH 239 - Women and Development in Latin America 3 Credit(s) (service learning course)
GWS 288 - Special Topics in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies 3 Credit(s)
GWS 388 - Special Topics in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies 1-3 Credit(s)
GWS 394 - Practicum 3-6 Credit(s)
GWS 395 - Practicum 3-6 Credit(s)
GWS 409 - Senior Capstone 3 Credit(s)
GWS 499 - Independent Study 3-6 Credit(s)
HIST 321 - Women in the World Wars (D) 3 Credit(s)
HIST 326 - Sex and Gender in European History 3 Credit(s)
HIST 351 - History of Women in America to 1870 3 Credit(s)
HIST 371 - Women and Work in the 20th Century United States 3 Credit(s)
HIST 386 - Samurai Japan: 1192–1868 3 Credit(s)
HIST 395 - Sex, Gender and Culture in China 3 Credit(s)
PSY 206 - Psychology of Gender 3 Credit(s)
PSY 305 - Psychology of Women, Men, & Work
SOC 204 - Social Problems 3 Credit(s)
SOC 212 - Sexualities 3 Credit(s)
SOC 215 - The Family 3 Credit(s)
SOC 227 - Social Movements and Social Change 3 Credit(s)
SW 225 - Women’s Issues Across the Life Span 3 Credit(s)
SW 270 - Human Sexuality 3 Credit(s)

Related Fields (9 credits)

Three courses from related disciplines to be determined in consultation with the director of gender, women, and sexuality studies.

Total Credits: 36

*Counts for general education distribution credit.

The program of study that appears here applies to students who were admitted for the summer session of this catalog year and later. Students admitted prior to that term should select the appropriate catalog year of their admission. Choose previous catalogs from the Home, Graduate, or Undergraduate Catalog Page at http://Catalog.widener.edu.

Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway

Required Courses

Majors who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate occupational therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

CHEM 101 - Introduction to Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 103 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123 - Anatomy & Physiology I Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 124 - Anatomy & Physiology II Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 211 - Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s)
PSY 212 - Adulthood and Aging 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
SOC or ANTH elective (1 course)

Please Note:

Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway (Humanities and Social Sciences)

Identified majors within the College of Arts and Sciences have an opportunity to pursue a pre-physical therapy pathway. Humanities and social science students can do so by completing their major requirements along with meeting the general prerequisite courses for the graduate program in physical therapy (see list below). Simply completing the specified courses does not guarantee admission into a graduate program. Students should consult with their undergraduate academic advisor or the Institute for Physical Therapy Education Program Director for details about minimum grade requirements and conditions for completing a reserved seat admissions program.

Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway Required Courses

Science Requirements

Anatomy & Physiology

BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123 Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab 0 Credit(s)
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 124 Anatomy and Physiology II Lab 0 Credit(s)

Social Science Requirements

PSY 385 - Statistical Methods with Laboratory for Psychology (Q) 4 Credit(s)
Two Most Recent PSY Electives 6 Credit(s)
One ANTH or SOC Elective 3 Credit(s)