Why study women, gender, and sexuality studies?
Women, gender, and sexuality studies (WGSS) was built out of the dual goals of examining inequalities resulting from gender, race, sexual orientation, and class using an interdisciplinary lens and translating this research into meaningful, tangible knowledge that contributes to the betterment of communities. Our interdisciplinary faculty members are engaged in research that examines many of the cutting-edge issues vexing contemporary times, both domestically and internationally, such as discrimination, violence, human trafficking, health and inequality, and migration, to name a few. The common thread throughout these different areas of research is the focus on investigating the factors that create and contribute to vulnerability and power across time and geography.
WGSS students learn about the ways in which people's roles in society have been constructed and the ways in which these roles have changed and continue to change. WGSS courses will make you informed about, and sensitive to, issues of gender in relation to education, lifestyle, social roles and status, sexuality, legal status, and equity. You will face these issues at work, in society, and in your world; WGSS courses will help you to deal with them in an informed, responsible, and just manner.
What will women, gender, and sexuality studies give me?
- Awareness of the issues facing people of all genders – and the world – today
- Knowledge of many different academic fields
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Strong writing and researching abilities
- A solid base on which to enter the workforce, pursue further education, and have an impact in the world
- Graduates of WGSS go on to do many different things, and the possibilities are endless
Admission to Graduate Studies
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.
- English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required.
Department Admission Information
The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies M.A. program accepts applications for fall admission only. All applications and admissions materials must be received by the deadline listed on the department's website to be considered for admission for the following fall semester.
Application Materials
Applicants should upload the supporting application documents listed below to the online application. There is no need to send copies of application materials directly to the Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies department. Visit the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies website for detailed information about M.A. admission requirements.
- Resume or CV
- Statement of purpose (no longer than two pages, single spaced)
- Three letters of recommendation
Required Course Work
At least 50% of course work for the master's degree must be taken at the 700-level or above.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| WGSS 800 | History of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| WGSS 801 | Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WGSS 802 | Feminist Methodologies | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 15 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
M.A. Final Exam
In the last semester of course enrollment, students will compile a portfolio of work that represents their efforts in the M.A. program. The portfolio consists of:
The student will provide a roughly ten-minute oral presentation that unifies their statement of position and growth, the annotated bibliography, and their chosen assignments. The portfolio will be evaluated by a committee of three faculty members in a one-hour oral exam. The committee composition must meet the requirements outlined in the Office of Graduate Studies' Master's Student Oral Exam Committee Composition policy.
Qualifying Exam
The M.A. exam also serves as the Qualifying Exam for students who wish to continue on to the Ph.D. The committee will weigh the quality of the performance on the exam to determine if the student will be approved to continue on to the Ph.D. Awarding of the M.A. degree does not guarantee approval to continue to the Ph.D.
Further details about meeting the degree requirements can be found in the WGSS Graduate Student Handbook.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| WGSS 501 | Doing Feminist Research | 3 |
| WGSS 502 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| WGSS 510 | History of American Women--Colonial Times to 1870 | 3 |
| WGSS 511 | History of American Women--1870 to Present | 3 |
| WGSS 514 | Politics of Human Trafficking | 3 |
| WGSS 515 | Gender and Sexuality in Greek Culture | 3 |
| WGSS 516 | Gender and Sexuality in Roman Culture | 3 |
| WGSS 517 | Policing the Womb | 3 |
| WGSS 521 | Women and Violence | 3 |
| WGSS 531 | LGBTQ Politics and Policy | 3 |
| WGSS 533 | Rococo to Realism: Painting in Europe c. 1750-1848 | 3 |
| WGSS 534 | Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: 1848-1900 | 3 |
| WGSS 540 | Skin, Sex, and Disease | 3 |
| WGSS 549 | History of Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WGSS 552 | The Rhetoric of Women's Rights | 3 |
| WGSS 553 | Making a Pandemic: The History and Politics of HIV/AIDS | 3 |
| WGSS 562 | Gender and Politics | 3 |
| WGSS 563 | Gender, Sexuality and the Law | 3 |
| WGSS 565 | Gender, Culture, and Migration | 3 |
| WGSS 567 | Native Feminisms | 3 |
| WGSS 583 | Love, Sex, and Globalization | 3 |
| WGSS 598 | Sexuality and Gender in African History | 3 |
| WGSS 600 | Feminist Contemporary Political Theory | 3 |
| WGSS 601 | Seminar in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| WGSS 650 | Service Learning in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| WGSS 652 | Jazz and American Culture | 3 |
| WGSS 662 | Gender and Politics in Africa | 3 |
| WGSS 696 | Studies in: _____ | 3 |
| WGSS 701 | Seminar in: _____ | 3 |
| WGSS 711 | Feminist Jurisprudence | 3 |
| WGSS 717 | Policing the Womb | 3 |
| WGSS 797 | Directed Readings | 1-3 |
| WGSS 803 | Feminist Pedagogy and Professionalization Seminar | 3 |
| WGSS 811 | Black Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WGSS 812 | Affect and Queer Theory | 3 |
| WGSS 821 | Woman and Violence | 3 |
| WGSS 835 | Colloquium in the History of Gender | 3 |
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Analyze and interpret feminist methodologies, the history of WGSS, and theoretical concepts related to gender, sex, and sexuality, particularly as they intersect with scholarship on race, colonization, class, ability, and other key aspects of the field.
- Analyze, synthesize, and assess topics in the field of WGSS through clear, concise, and accurate written communication; show engagement with the field via oral participation in the MA qualifying exam.
- Evaluate, both theoretically and methodologically, institutional and cultural inequality.
