Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major represents multidisciplinary approaches to the study of gender and sexuality, particularly as they intersect with race, ethnicity, class, culture, nation, and ability. Centering Women of Color, Transnational, and Queer/Trans feminisms, the curriculum incorporates feminist social justice theory and research to better understand differences in power and privilege and to contribute to practices that help transform our world. Many classes incorporate a social activism component, and students are encouraged to consider the ways knowledge and activist engagements help promote social justice in local and global communities.
Major Code: 808
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Identify and explain the ways in which our lived experiences and social institutions are structured through the intersections of race, gender, class, sexuality, ability, age, religion, culture, and nation.
- Analyze current social and political situations from multiracial, transnational, and queer feminist perspectives.
- Articulate the ways in which systems of power, privilege, and oppression shape our experiences as individuals and members of communities.
- Develop skills in critical analysis.
- Develop skills and effective strategies for advancing social justice.
A total of 48 credits is required for the major: 31 credits of required WGSS core courses, and 17 credits of elective courses. Electives may include WGSS courses as well as courses that are taught in other academic units that have a focus on gender, sexuality, and/or women's issues, and have been approved as fulfilling the requirements of a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies course. No more than 9 credits of non-WGSS courses may be used toward the major.
All required coursework for the on-campus major must be taken on campus and no more than 6 credits of online elective coursework can be used toward the on-campus major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| WGSS 223 | +*INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| WGSS 262/QS 262 | *INTRODUCTION TO QUEER STUDIES | 3 |
| WGSS 319 | *FEMINIST DECOLONIZING METHODOLOGIES: SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH | 3 |
| WGSS 410 | INTERNSHIP | 3 |
| WGSS 414 | +*SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION IN WOMEN'S LIVES | 4 |
| WGSS 416 | THEORIES OF FEMINISM | 4 |
| WGSS 460 | ^SEXUALITIES, FEMINISMS, WOMEN | 4 |
| WGSS 480 | *GENDER AND TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVISMS | 3 |
| WGSS 498 | +FEMINIST PRACTICE | 4 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 17 credits from the following courses: | 17 | |
| WGSS Electives | ||
| +*GENDER, RACE, AND POP CULTURE | ||
| *FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES ON CURRENT EVENTS | ||
| SPECIAL STUDIES | ||
| *WOMEN: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| +*DISNEY: GENDER, RACE, EMPIRE | ||
| *WOMEN IN THE MOVIES | ||
| +*WOMEN IN WORLD CINEMA | ||
| *GENDER AND SPORT | ||
| *RESISTING GENDER VIOLENCE | ||
| +*ARTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| +*WOMEN WORLDWIDE | ||
| *FEMINISM AND THE BIBLE | ||
| TOPICS IN WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | ||
| *GLOBAL EXPERIENCE: WESTERN CULTURE | ||
| *GENDER AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
| *QUEER POP CULTURE | ||
| *GENDER AND SCIENCE | ||
| *POLITICS OF MOTHERHOOD IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT | ||
| *MEN AND MASCULINITIES IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT | ||
| *SERVING LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES | ||
| *TRANSGENDER POLITICS | ||
| *RELIGION AND GENDER: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | ||
| *MUSLIM WOMEN | ||
| TOPICS IN WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| PROJECTS | ||
| WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISMS | ||
| *QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUES | ||
| *GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND THE PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE | ||
| *WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *QUEER THEORIES | ||
| ^INDIGENOUS TWO-SPIRIT AND QUEER STUDIES | ||
| TRANSGENDER LIVES | ||
| QUEER/TRANS PEOPLE OF COLOR ARTS AND ACTIVISM | ||
| GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON WOMEN'S HEALTH | ||
| RACE, GENDER, AND HEALTH JUSTICE | ||
| CAPSTONE IN SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| TOPICS | ||
| Other Approved Electives | ||
| APPROACHES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| *GENDER, ETHNICITY, AND CULTURE | ||
| +GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | ||
| *AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS | ||
| POWER AND REPRESENTATION | ||
| *INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S VOICES | ||
| FAMILY VIOLENCE AND NEGLECT | ||
| +FAMILIES AND POVERTY | ||
| WOMEN IN UNITED STATES HISTORY | ||
| *LESBIAN AND GAY MOVEMENTS IN MODERN AMERICA | ||
| THE HISTORY OF SEXUALITY | ||
| FEMINIST PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| GENDER AND POLITICS | ||
| *GENDER AND RACE IN AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT | ||
| +*PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT | ||
| *SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY | ||
| GENDER AND SOCIETY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| Remaining Core Ed, CLA Core, BA/BS and Electives | 132 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
Major Code: 808
Bachelor of Arts
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| WGSS 223 | +*INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Language 111 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 262 | *INTRODUCTION TO QUEER STUDIES | 3 |
| Language 112 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS Elective | 4 | |
| Language 113 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS Elective | 3 | |
| Language 211 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 319 | *FEMINIST DECOLONIZING METHODOLOGIES: SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH | 3 |
| Language 212 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS Elective | 4 | |
| Language 213 | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS 414 | +*SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION IN WOMEN'S LIVES | 4 |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 480 | *GENDER AND TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVISMS | 3 |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS 460 | ^SEXUALITIES, FEMINISMS, WOMEN | 4 |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS 416 | THEORIES OF FEMINISM | 4 |
| WGSS Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 410 | INTERNSHIP | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS 498 | +FEMINIST PRACTICE | 4 |
| WGSS Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Bachelor of Science
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| WGSS 223 | +*INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| BS Computer Science | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 262 | *INTRODUCTION TO QUEER STUDIES | 3 |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS Elective | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS Elective | 3 | |
| BS Math or Stats | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 319 | *FEMINIST DECOLONIZING METHODOLOGIES: SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH | 3 |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| BS Math or Stats | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS Elective | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS 414 | +*SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION IN WOMEN'S LIVES | 4 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 480 | *GENDER AND TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVISMS | 3 |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS 460 | ^SEXUALITIES, FEMINISMS, WOMEN | 4 |
| BS Science | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| WGSS 416 | THEORIES OF FEMINISM | 4 |
| WGSS Elective | 3 | |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| WGSS 410 | INTERNSHIP | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WGSS 498 | +FEMINIST PRACTICE | 4 |
| WGSS Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course