Listed below are the requirements for the Women’s & Gender Studies major. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the College of Letters & Science breadth and other degree requirements. Degree requirements may vary depending on when you took your first college class. You are strongly advised to consult your advisor to ensure you stay on track towards a degree. Read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages.
Women's and Gender Studies Major Requirements
The Women’s and Gender Studies major requires 36 credits drawn from Women’s and Gender Studies core and cross-listed classes. At least 15 credits in the major must be taken in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in residence at UWM. Completion of WGS 411 and either WGS 500 or WGS 501 satisfies the L&S research requirement. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 in UWM major courses attempted. In addition, the College requires that students attain a 2.0 GPA in all major courses attempted, including any transfer work. Majors should consult regularly with their advisor in Women's and Gender Studies about their course of study.
The major requires completion of the following courses offered through Women’s and Gender Studies:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Select one of these two: 1 | 3 | |
| Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: A Social Science Perspective | ||
| Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: A Humanities Perspective | ||
| WGS 211 | Foundations of Women's and Gender Studies Scholarship | 3 |
| WGS 301 | Queer Theory | 3 |
| WGS 401 | Global Feminisms | 3 |
| WGS 410 | Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WGS 411 | Women's and Gender Studies Research Methods: | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Internship in Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| Independent Reading (taken in the senior year) | ||
Any upper-level (numbered 300 and above) WGS or Women's and Gender Studies-related course approved by the Women's and Gender Studies Chair or Assistant Chair (Undergraduate Advisor) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Advanced Social Science Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies: | ||
| Advanced Humanities Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies: | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits (see below) | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
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Students may not receive credit for both WGS 200 and WGS 201. Only one of these courses can be taken for credit.
Electives
Students must take 12 credits of approved elective courses to reach a total of 36 credits. Approved electives include WGS courses and courses offered by other programs and departments; see the list of approved courses below.
Numerous courses in a wide variety of disciplines have been approved as electives for the WGS major. For information about whether a special topics course in another program might be approved as an elective for WGS, please contact Women's and Gender Studies.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| WGS 150 | Multicultural America | 3 |
| WGS 192 | First-Year Seminar: | 3 |
| WGS 199 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| WGS 297 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| WGS 301 | Queer Theory | 3 |
| WGS 302 | Gendered Bodies: | 3 |
| WGS 303 | Feminist Activism and Movements: | 3 |
| WGS 380 | Honors Seminar in the Social Sciences: | 3 |
| WGS 381 | Honors Seminar in the Humanities: | 3 |
| WGS 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| AFRIC 250 | Black Women and White Women in the Contemporary United States | 3 |
| AFRIC 344 | Global Black Social Movements | 3 |
| AFRIC 350 | The Black Family | 3 |
| AFRIC 351 | Sexuality, Gender, and Health in Africa and the Diaspora | 3 |
| AFRIC 352 | Extended Families in Black Societies | 3 |
| AFRIC 414 | The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 417 | Race, Class and Gender in Southern Africa | 3 |
| AFRIC 418 | Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| ANTHRO 250 | Women's Roles in Cross-Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| BIO SCI 206 | Biology of Women | 3 |
| BUS ADM 441 | Diversity in Organizations | 3 |
| COMMUN 401 | Communication in Marital and Family Relationships | 3 |
| COMMUN 402 | Gender and Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 474 | Rhetoric of Women's Rights in the US | 3 |
| CRM JST 385 | Women and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRM JST 416 | Intimate Partner Violence | 3 |
| ECON 248 | Economics of Discrimination | 3 |
| ED POL 624 | Gender and Education | 3 |
| ENGLISH 243 | Introduction to Literature by Women: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 295 | Women and Film 1 | 3 |
| ENGLISH 395 | Feminist Media Criticism and Theory: 2 | 3 |
| ENGLISH 465 | Women Writers: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 628 | Seminar in Literature by Women: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 629 | Seminar in Literature and Sexuality: | 3 |
| ETHNIC 255 | Migration and Gender: Starbucks, Sex Trafficking, and Nannies | 3 |
| ETHNIC 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 |
| ETHNIC 325 | Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in Milwaukee: | 3 |
| FILMSTD 295 | Women and Film 1 | 3 |
| FILMSTD 395 | Feminist Media Criticism and Theory: 2 | 3 |
| FILMSTD 669 | Screening Sexuality: | 3 |
| GEOG 410 | Gendered Geographies | 3 |
| HIST 141 | Global History of the Family, Gender, and Sexuality | 3 |
| HIST 241 | Women and Gender in Europe: 1350 to 1750 | 3 |
| HIST 242 | Women and Gender in Europe: 1750 to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 243 | History of Women in American Society | 3 |
| HIST 271 | The 1960s in the United States: A Cultural History | 3 |
| HIST 355 | Modern and Contemporary France | 3 |
| HIST 373 | Topics in Gender and History: | 3 |
| HIST 468 | The American Feminist Movement | 3 |
| JAMS 111 | Gender and the Media | 3 |
| JEWISH 332 | Women in the Bible | 3 |
| LGBT 200 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 |
| LGBT 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 |
| LGBT 290 | Topics in LGBT Studies: | 3 |
| LGBT 599 | Selected Topics in LGBT Studies: | 3 |
| LINGUIS 212 | Language and Gender | 3 |
| MUSIC 449 | Women in Music: | 3 |
| NURS 204 | Global Maternal and Child Health: From Evidence to Action | 3 |
| NURS 327 | Nursing Science III: Health Concepts-Women & Children | 4 |
| NURS 620 | Global Food Security and Systems | 3 |
| PHILOS 235 | Philosophical Aspects of Feminism | 3 |
| POL SCI 110 | Sex and Power | 3 |
| POL SCI 368 | Gender and Politics in Developing Nations | 3 |
| POL SCI 425 | Women in Politics | 3 |
| POL SCI 464 | Sex, Gender, and the Law | 3 |
| PSYCH 319 | LGBTIQ Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 320 | Psychology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCIOL 250 | Sex and Gender | 3 |
| SOCIOL 255 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCIOL 260 | Blood, Sex, Money, Power: Families and Intimate Relationships | 3 |
| SOCIOL 442 | The Work-Family Intersection | 3 |
| SOCIOL 444 | Sociology of the Body | 3 |
| SOC WRK 630 | Families and Poverty | 3 |
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ENGLISH 295 and FILMSTD 295 are jointly offered. In other words, they are the same course offered under different subjects. Only one can be taken for credit.
- 2
ENGLISH 395 and FILMSTD 395 are jointly offered. In other words, they are the same course offered under different subjects. Only one can be taken for credit.
Approved Electives
The following courses are approved to count toward the Women’s & Gender Studies Major. Additional courses may be found each semester in the Schedule of Classes. In addition, students are encouraged to consult the Program Coordinator and to petition for the inclusion of relevant courses as appropriate.
| Course Listing | Course Title | Credits | |
| AFRIC 344 | Global Black Social Movements | 3 | |
| AFRIC 351 | Sexuality, Gender, and Health in Africa and the Diaspora | 3 | |
| AFRIC 414 | The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| AFRIC 418 | Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| BIO SCI 206 | Biology of Women | 3 | |
| BIO SCI 545 | Physiology of Reproduction | 3 | |
| BUS ADM 441 | Diversity in Organizations | 3 | |
| COMMUN 401 | Communication in Marital and Family Relationships | 3 | |
| COMMUN 402 | Gender and Communication | 3 | |
| COMPLIT 233 | Literature and Film: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| COMPLIT 365 | Literatures and Cultures of the Americas: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| COMPLIT 464 | Seminar in Comparative Literary Criticism: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| CRM JST 385 | Women and Criminal Justice | 3 | |
| CRM JST 416 | Domestic Violence Research | 3 | |
| ECON 248 | Economics of Discrimination | 3 | |
| ED POL 624 | Gender and Education | 3 | |
| ENGLISH 192 | First-Year Seminar: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 240 | Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 243 | Introduction to Literature by Women: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 316 | World Cinema: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 465 | Women Writers: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 504 | Studies in Literature, 1660-1800: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 547 | Studies in Theory and Criticism: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 622 | Seminar in Irish Literature: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 625 | Seminar in Literary History: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 628 | Seminar in Literature by Women: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 631 | Seminar in African-American Literature: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 685 | Honors Seminar: | 3 | * |
| ENGLISH 878 | Seminar in Feminist Critical Theory: | 3 | * |
| ETHNIC 255 | Migration and Gender: Starbucks, Sex Trafficking, and Nannies | 3 | |
| ETHNIC 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 | |
| ETHNIC 325 | Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in Milwaukee: City of Festivals, City of Division | 3 | * |
| FILMSTD 212 | Intermediate topics in Film Studies: Film, TV and Masculinity | 3 | * |
| FILMSTD 690 | Seminar in Contemporary Cinema and Media: | 3 | * |
| FRENCH 431 | Seminar in Literature of the Francophone World: Ecritures de femmes subsahariennes | 3 | * |
| GEOG 381 | Honors Seminar: Gendered Spaces | 3 | * |
| HIST 141 | Global History of the Family, Gender, and Sexuality | 3 | |
| HIST 241 | Women and Gender in Europe: 1350 to 1750 | 3 | |
| HIST 242 | Women and Gender in Europe: 1750 to the Present | 3 | |
| HIST 243 | History of Women in American Society | 3 | |
| HIST 355 | Modern and Contemporary France | 3 | |
| HIST 398 | Honors Seminar: Selected Topics | 3 | * |
| HIST 600 | Seminar in History: | 3 | * |
| ITALIAN 265 | Italian Women’s Studies: Italian Women and the Mafia | 3 | * |
| ITALIAN 357 | Topics in Italian Culture in Translation: Women, Food and Emotions in Italian | 3 | * |
| JAMS 111 | Gender and the Media | 3 | |
| JAMS 660 | Seminar in Contemporary Issues in Media Studies: Gender, Race and Class in Wedding Media | 3 | * |
| JAMS 661 | Seminar in Media Communication and Society: Gender and Popular Culture | 3 | * |
| JEWISH ST 332 | Women in the Bible | 3 | |
| LACUSL 201 | Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latin@ Arts and Culture: Chican@/Lati@/Ard & Culture: | 3 | * |
| LACUSL 300 | Advanced topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies: Chicana Feminisms | 3 | * |
| LGBT 200 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 | |
| LGBT 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 | |
| LGBT 290 | topics in LGBT Studies: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| LGBT 599 | Selected topics in LGBT Studies: Selected topics | 3 | * |
| LINGUIS 212 | Language and Gender | 3 | |
| NURS 204 | Global Maternal and Child Health: From Evidence to Action | 3 | |
| NURS 620 | Global Food Security and Systems | 3 | |
| PHILOS 235 | Philosophical Aspects of Feminism | 3 | |
| PHILOS 535 | Philosophical topics in Feminist Theory: (also WGS-535) Sex, Gender & Social Constructs | 3 | * |
| POL SCI 110 | Sex and Power | 3 | |
| POL SCI 368 | Gender and Politics in Developing Nations | 3 | |
| POL SCI 464 | Sex, Gender, and the Law | 3 | |
| PSYCH 319 | Gay and Lesbian Psychology | 3 | |
| PSYCH 320 | Psychology of Women | 3 | |
| SOC WRK 630 | Families and Poverty | 3 | |
| SOCIOL 250 | Sex and Gender | 3 | |
| SOCIOL 255 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 | |
| SOCIOL 260 | Blood, Sex, Money, Power: Families and Intimate Relationships | 3 | |
| SOCIOL 442 | The Work-Family Intersection | 3 | |
| SOCIOL 444 | Sociology of the Body | 3 |
* Only selected topics will be counted toward the WGS major. Please consult the Undergraduate Advisor, Morgan Foster, for specific details.