Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies

What Is Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies ?

Women's, gender, and sexuality studies is an interdisciplinary major that explores the complexity of human experiences and lives. Through a broad range of subjects, women’s studies raises questions about gender, race, sexual identity, nationality and social class, focusing particularly on their intersections. Women's, gender, and sexuality studies also examines women’s roles and achievements historically and cross-culturally. This program of study challenges stereotypes and inequalities, promotes critical thinking and self-awareness, and empowers individuals to work for social change. 

Success Factors

Attention to the intersections between theory and practice is at the heart of women's, gender, and sexuality studies. As an interdisciplinary course of study, women’s studies calls for a range of verbal, analytic and critical skills, as well as the ability to integrate different modes of scholarly inquiry. Students with a keen interest in literature, social science or critical analysis can also focus their work in elective courses.

Career Possibilities

• advocate for domestic violence or hate crime victims
• art therapist
• battered women's center director
• business owner
• clinical social worker
• doctor
• health clinic medical assistant
• human services administrator
• lawyer
• minister
• recreational therapist
• town manager
• union organizer
• writer

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site. 

Major Details

The Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is the academic home for the study of women and gender at UC. Through interdisciplinary teaching, research and community outreach, the department seeks to create a more inclusive and transformative understanding of the world in which we live. In addition to the undergraduate major and minor, the department coordinates a graduate certificate of concentration, a master of arts degree and the MA/JD joint degree with the UC College of Law.

Students declaring a major in women’s studies are required to complete 54 credit hours with the following distribution:

• Core Requirements: (8 courses or 24 credits)
  • Introduction to Women’s Studies (WGS 241)
  • Feminist Critical Readings (WGS 380)
  • Feminist Theory (WGS 480)
  • Feminist Methodologies (WGS 580)
  • Capstone Experience (independent study: WGS 531 (fall), WGS 532 (winter) or WGS 533 (spring))
  • In addition, students will be required to take one (1) women’s studies approved course out of each of the following three topic areas: feminist cultural studies, feminist politics studies and feminist science studies. (See master list of approved courses by area.)
• WGS Electives: (10 courses or 30 credits) 
  • All electives must be chosen from the list of women’s studies approved undergraduate courses. (See master list.) Courses not taken to satisfy the topic area requirement may count as electives from the list. 
  • At least three (3) of the ten (10) courses must be in the same discipline.
  • Eight (8) of these ten (10) courses must be at the 300 level or above.
  • The Women’s Studies Internship course (WGS 490) is a recommended elective. 

North American Women’s Studies (concentration within the major)
Only for students planning to apply for and ultimately accept the women’s studies study-abroad program in Mexico or Canada.

• Core requirements remain the same.
• Must take, as part of women’s studies elective credits, Women’s Studies Study Abroad (15 WGS 590, up to 18 quarter credits) by spending a term or summer institute abroad in Canada or Mexico at one of our partner institutions, if accepted, plus two (2) of the following: Feminisms in North America (WGS 589), Latina Feminisms (WGS 588), Women’s Human Rights (WGS 456), Gender and Development (WGS 496) or Comparative Black Feminisms (WGS 450).
• NOTE: Students wishing to study in Mexico must have Spanish proficiency or fluency and have completed at least the top three core courses, one of the specialized track/concentration courses and junior status before going abroad.
  

• Core requirements remain the same.
• Must take, as part of women’s studies elective credits, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies (15 WGS 360), Advanced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies (15 WMST 463) plus one additional sexuality studies course in or approved by the department.

A&S's flexible degree requirements allow for and highly encourage students to pursue multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

• African American studies
• Anthropology
• Area studies
• Communication
• Economics
• English
• Environmental studies
• Geography
• International affairs
• Journalism
• Judaic studies
• Languages
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Urban studies
• Social work

Minor Details

Minor/Certificate Information
The women’s, gender, and sexuality studies minor consists of core courses offered within the department and elective courses offered by other departments across the university. Because of the interdisciplinary structure of the program, students can often pursue this minor with any other major without having to take additional credits or increasing time to degree. Students often minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies to apply their insights on gender to another field and to gain an additional credential that serves them well for graduate and professional work.

Minor/Certificate Curriculum
Students minoring/obtaining a certificate in WGS are required to complete 27 credit hours (nine courses) as follows:

Introduction to Women’s Studies (WGS 241); Feminist Critical Readings (WGS 380); Feminist Theory (WGS 480); three (3) women’s studies approved courses, one from each of the topic areas of feminist cultural studies, feminist politics studies, feminist science studies, plus three (3) additional electives from a list of approved women’s studies courses. Four (4) of these six (6) courses must be taken at the 300 level or above. The Women’s Studies Internship course (WGS 490) may be taken as one of these electives. 

Because of the interdisciplinary structure of the major, students can often double-major or add one or more minors without having to take additional credits or increasing time to degree completion.

Minor/Certificate Application
Students interested in minoring in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies should complete the declartion of A&S minor and Application for Admission to the Women’s Studies Minor and schedule an advising session with the undergraduate director.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Course List

College Requirements Checklist

*Needed to fulfill A&S college requirements.

Course Listing

African American Studies
15 AFST 204 Introduction to Black Gender Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 206 African Diaspora Cultures: Contested Perspectives of Race & Gender (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 305 Black Women in U.S. Society (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 317 Early African American Poetry: Brown to Present (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 343 Issues of Race in African American Literature (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 532 Black Popular Culture (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 589 Early Black Women Writers: Wheatley to Hurston (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 590 Contemporary Black Women Writers: Hurston to Present (3 cr hrs)
15 AFST 593 Current Issues in Black America: Gender & Black Nationalism (3 cr hrs)

Classics
15 CLAS 356 Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greece (3 cr hrs)

Communication
15 COMM 403 Gender Communication (3 cr hrs)
15 COMM 406 Organizational Diversity: Race and Gender in the Workplace (3 cr hrs)
15 COMM 528 Women in Communication (3 cr hrs) UG or G

Economics
15 ECON 560 Women in the Economy (3 cr hrs) UG or G

English
15 ENGB 254 Women's Literature (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 581 Ethnic Women Writers of the United States (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 582 Black Women Writers (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 384 Feminist Literary Criticism (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 388 American Women Writers to 1900 (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 389 American Women Writers 1900 to Present (3 cr hrs)
15 ENGL 509 Postmodern Women Writers (3 to 4 UG or G)

French
15 FREN 396H Tradition, Struggle for Indep. & Gender Roles in African Lit. (3 cr hrs)

German
15 GRMN 274 German Women's Literature in English Translation (3 cr hrs)

History
15 HIST 397H Women and Health in America (3 cr hrs)
15 HIST 425 U.S. Women's History to 1890 (3 cr hrs)
15 HIST 703 U.S. Women's History to 1890 (3 G)
15 HIST 426 U.S. Women's History 1890 to Present (3 cr hrs)
15 HIST 531 Women in India and China to 1800 (3 cr hrs) UG or G
15 HIST 532 Women in India and China Since 1800 (3 cr hrs) UG or G
15 HIST 561 Women in European Society: 1600-1850 (3 cr hrs) UG or G
15 HIST 562 Women in European Society: 1850 to Present (3 cr hrs) UG or G
15 HIST 683 Gender and Latin American History to 1900 (3 cr hrs) UG or G
15 HIST 684 Gender and Latin American History after 1900 (3 cr hrs) UG3 or G

Judaic Studies
15 JUDC 328 Women in the Bible (3 cr hrs)
15 JUDC 352 Gender and Judaism (3 cr hrs) 
15 JUDC 374 Jewish Humor/ Women's Humor (3 cr hrs)

Philosophy
15 PHIL 333 Feminist Political Philosophy (3 cr hrs)
15 PHIL 577 Feminist Philosophy (3 cr hrs)

Political Science
15 POL 314 Women and Politics (3 cr hrs)
15 POL 365 Women and Politics in the Third World (3 cr hrs)

Psychology
15 PSYC 312 Psychology of Women (3 cr hrs)
15 PSYC 314 Research Methods in the Psychology of Women (3 cr hrs)

Sociology
15 SOC 144-201 Barriers to Equality (3 cr hrs)
15 SOC 328 Women, Culture and Society (3 cr hrs)
15 SOC 379 Changing Roles for Men and Women (3 cr hrs)
15 SOC 428 Gender and Social Policy (3 cr hrs)
15 SOC 522 Professional Women (3 cr hrs) or G
28 SOC 284 Sociology of Human Sexuality (3 cr hrs)
28 SOC 285 Sociology of the Family (3 cr hrs)
28 SOC 287 Women in the World (3 cr hrs)

Women's Studies
15 WGS 203 Women's Studies Learning Community (3 to 12 cr hrs)
15 WGS 204 Introduction to Black Gender Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 241 Introduction to Women's Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 250 Introduction to Black Women's Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 301 Current Issues in Women's Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 305 Black Women in U.S. Society (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 340 Women's Movements Worldwide (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 350 Women and the Law (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 360 Introduction to LGBT Studies (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 380 Introduction to Feminist Theory (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 401 Lesbian/Queer Theory (3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 490 Internship in Women's Studies (3 to 9 cr hrs)
15 WGS 510 The Many Voices of American Women (3 to 4 cr hrs)
15 WGS 531 Individual Work in Women's Studies (Fall & 1st Summer) (1 to 3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 532 Individual Work in Women's Studies (Winter & 2nd Summer) (1 to 3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 533 Individual Work in Women's Studies (Spring & 3rd Summer) (1 to 3 cr hrs)
15 WGS 595 American Women's History (3 to 4 cr hrs) 
15 WGS 601 Seminar in Women's Studies (1 to 4 cr hrs) 
15 WGS 602 Seminar in Women's Studies (1 to 4 cr hrs)  
15 WGS 603 Seminar in Women's Studies (1 to 4 cr hrs) 
15 WGS 721 Special Topics on Race, Gender and Class (4 cr hrs) 
15 WGS 722 Special Topics on Race, Gender and Nationalism (4 cr hrs)
15 WGS 723 Special Topics on Race, Gender and Sexuality (4 cr hrs)

Special Opportunities

Students in McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

Students in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at UC experience small classes with much individualized attention, outstanding research and teaching faculty, rigorous and diverse curricula, internship and study-abroad opportunities, graduate student teaching experience, regular symposia and guest speakers, an excellent placement record and a highly supportive environment. They also enjoy mentoring and grant support from the Friends of Women’s Studies, one of the oldest and largest women’s studies community support groups in the country.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA. Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Additional college-prep subjects (3 units)

*McMicken College of Arts and Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

University transfer scholarships are available to those who meet specific requirements and ANY admitted A&S transfer student might qualify for an A&S transfer scholarship. Deadlines and eligibility criteria are online via the previous links.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent, and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

A&S students must meet the college residency requirement of 45.0 hours which begins immediately upon matriculation in the college and consists of courses taught McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, students must:

• Earn at least 180 credits. This can include transfer credit, AP credit and free electives, but does not include preparatory coursework. Students who have met all other degree requirements must continue earning credit until the total number of their earned hours comes to at least 180.
• Attain a 2.0 grade point average for all courses taken at the University of Cincinnati.
• Be in good academic standing, that is, not on either academic probation or disciplinary probation or suspension.
• Complete the residency requirement by earning at least 45 credits after matriculating into the college. These minimum 45 credits must be taught within A&S (15) and also must be completed after gaining admission to the college.
• Complete all of the requirements of at least one major (see major requirements above).
• Complete the College Core Requirements.
• Submit an application for graduation to the registrar's office by their posted deadline.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to McMicken College of Arts & Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in French West, 2nd Floor). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).