Major in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS)

Major Requirements (Bachelor of Arts)

The major in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) requires a total of ten WGSS-designated courses (40 credits):

  • One introductory course:
    • WGSS 200 - Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
  • Two courses in Theoretical Inquiries, such as:
    • WGSS 381A - Latin American Sexualities - (Soc 380J, LACS 380C)
    • WGSS 381B - Feminst Theories - (PLSC 387F, HDEV 380P, PPL 380G)
    • WGSS 481A - Feminist & Diaporic Perf. Art - (AAAS 480,COLI 480P, AFST 480S, LACS 484A, PHIL 480B)
    • WGSS 481C - Queer Crit Legal Theory & Law - (PPL 487D, HMRT 488)
    • WGSS 481E - Trans-National Journeys: Dreams - (AFST 480N, COLI 483B, AAAS 480R, PHIL 480N)
  • Two courses in Social Justice, Social Movements, such as:
    • WGSS 282A - LGBTQ History - (HDEV 282A, HMRT 288Y)
    • WGSS 282C - Feminism & Translation - (LING 280H, TRIP 280B)
    • WGSS  382B - Sexualities In Society - (HDEV 357)
    • WGSS  382C - Lit. of N. Africa & M. East - (COLI 483E, ARAB 380E, AFST 462)
    • WGSS 482A - Social Justice - (LACS 480B, HDEV 400, HMRT 483X, SOC 480H)
  • Three courses in Critical Humanities and/or Critical Social Sciences, such as:
    • Critical Humanities
      • WGSS 283A - Queerness & Gender Film Culture - (ANTH 281G, GERM 281D, COLI 281K, CINE 285C)
      • WGSS 383B - Transnationalism & Film - (ENG 300A, COLI 331D, AAAS 380D, CINE 380G)
      • WGSS 383C - Indigenous Feminisms - (ENG 380D)
      • WGSS 383G - Women in Film: World Cultures - (THEA 389D)
  • Critical Social Sciences

    • WGSS 384B - Prisoner Writings & Activism - (LACS 380F, SOC 380K, AFST 380R, ENG 380Q, HMRT 389J, PPL 380F, HDEV 380K)

    • WGSS 384C - US War on Drugs & Latin America - (AFST 380C, LACS 380N, SOC 380I, HDEV 380I, PPL 380M)
    • WGSS 384E - Whiteness - (AFST 380H, SOC 380T)
    • WGSS 384I - Language & Gender - (TRIP 380L, LING 380V, ANTH 380X)
    • WGSS 484D - Sexuality Studies Seminar - (ANTH 514, ANTH 463)
  • Two General Topics courses, such as:

    • WGSS 380C - Sex and Law in the Modern U.S. - (HIST 380D, PPL 380B, HMRT 380F)

    • WGSS 380D - Race & Gender in Am Lit - (ENG 300I)

    • WGSS 380F - Sexual Trafficking, Sexual Trsm - (LACS 380D, SOC 342)

    • WGSS 380G  - Women in Ancient Theater - (THEA 389F, AMS 310)

    • WGSS 480A  - Feminist Cultural Stud Biomed - (GPH 480A)

    • WGSS 480G  - Gender and Violence in Africa - (PLSC 485X, PAFF 582, GMAP 518B, SOC 480J, GMAP 481E)

    • WGSS 480H - Gender and Masculinity - (SOC 480M)

The above courses must also meet the following requirements:

  • At least six courses (24 credits) must be at the 300 level or higher
  • At least three courses (12 credits) must be cross-listed, each with a different department
  • At least five courses (20 credits) must be taken at Binghamton University, including at least three courses (12 credits) at the 300 level or above, and at least one advanced course (4 credits) at the 400 level (e.g., a seminar, internship, or independent study course)
  • Students must receive a grade of "C" or higher for a course to be counted toward the major (courses taken Pass/Fail do not count)

Note: Some non-WGSS courses may be used to meet the above requirements if approved by the WGSS Committee or Program Director. Students should take 200-level courses before enrolling in more advanced 300- and 400-level courses.

For more information visit the University Bulletin or contact WGSS director, Dara Silberstein.