Women's and Gender Studies Courses (WGS)

WGS 1040. Women's and Gender Studies: Introduction — 3 hrs.

Interdisciplinary study of women's and gender issues from historical and contemporary perspectives, using the methods and theories of feminist scholarship and gender analysis. Topics may include study of systems of domination and subordination, stereotyping and gender bias, intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, class. (Fall and Spring)

WGS 2040. Introduction to LGBTQ Studies — 3 hrs.

This class is dedicated to the interrogation of institutions of oppression and the ways that power circulates. We will examine the constructed and essential components of sex, gender, sexuality, and relationships to see how these axes operate in everyday life and in institutions. The approach taken is decidedly eclectic, with influences from history, feminism, queer theory, performance studies, linguistics, the arts, sociology, STEM, and law. (Fall and Spring)

WGS 2050. Masculine Cultures — 3 hrs.

Recent theoretical developments have challenged stereotypes by showing how myriad "masculine" identities (of and for both men and women) are produced within specific cultural domains. Masculinities, in their various forms, shape the lives of both men and women, and this course will use an intersectionality perspective to explore the construction, reproduction, and impact of masculinities on the cultural institutions of politics, education, work, religion, sports, family, media, and the military, to name a few. Paying careful attention to the conjunctions between materiality and culture, this course will interrogate how masculinities shape individual lives, groups, nationalisms, organizations, and institutions. (Fall and Spring)

WGS 3195/5195. Internship in Women's and Gender Studies — 1-3 hrs.

Experiential application of theory and scholarship. Responsibilities determined by faculty advisor, on-site supervisor, and student, according to organizational needs and career goals. Prerequisite(s): Women's and Gender Studies minor with completion of two or more core courses; junior standing. For graduate students: consent of WGS Director. (Variable)

WGS 6195. Graduate Internship in Women's and Gender Studies — 1-4 hrs.

Field experience for students enrolled in the Applied Track of the Women's and Gender Studies MA program. May be repeated for maximum of 4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Must be admitted to Women's and Gender Studies M.A. program; consent of Women's and Gender Studies Director. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

WGS 6289. Graduate Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies: Comparative Feminist Theories — 3 hrs.

Analysis of identities and oppressions from national and international feminist perspectives. (Spring)

WGS 6291. Graduate Proseminar in Women's and Gender Studies — 1 hr.

This class provides graduate students with an overview of Women's and Gender Studies. It explores the differences between interdisciplinary programs and those based within a single discipline and gives students tools to recognize and address tensions between disciplines that may occur in and out of the classroom. It assists students in understanding the rigors of graduate work, provides strategies for how to better approach, understand, and succeed in graduate school, explores the wide variety of career options available to those with a Women's and Gender Studies MA degree, and prepares students for the job market or future work in academia. (Fall)