Minor in WGS

The Women’s & Gender Studies minor is designed for the student majoring in any discipline who wishes to complement their major with an additional concentration in Women’s & Gender Studies.

If you are ready to begin the process of declaring your Minor in Women’s & Gender Studies, you may fill out and submit the

Declaration of Minor Form »

If you have questions about the Declaration process or about the Women’s & Gender Studies program, contact:

Morgan Foster
Undergraduate Advisor
Curtin Hall 529
Phone: 414-251-7306
Email Morgan

The Women’s & Gender Studies minor requires 18 credits drawn from WGS core and cross-listed courses. Students should consult regularly with their advisor in Women’s & Gender Studies about their course of study.

Requirements

Students who minor in Women’s and Gender Studies are required to take 18 credits drawn from Women’s and Gender Studies and cross-listed courses, at least 9 credits of which must be completed in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in residence at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA in all minor courses attempted, including any transfer work. The following courses are required for the minor:

Required
Select one from these two: 13
Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: A Social Science Perspective
Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: A Humanities Perspective
WGS 401Global Feminisms3
WGS 410Feminist Theory3
Electives
Select 9 credits (see below)9
Total Credits18
1

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 an additional 9 credits of elective courses to reach a total of 18 credits. Approved electives include WGS courses and courses offered by other programs and departments; see the list 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.

WGS 150Multicultural America3
WGS 192First-Year Seminar:3
WGS 199Independent Study1-3
WGS 297Study Abroad:1-12
WGS 301Queer Theory3
WGS 302Gendered Bodies:3
WGS 303Feminist Activism and Movements:3
WGS 380Honors Seminar in the Social Sciences:3
WGS 381Honors Seminar in the Humanities:3
WGS 411Women's and Gender Studies Research Methods:3
WGS 489Internship in Women's and Gender Studies1-3
WGS 497Study Abroad:1-12
WGS 500Advanced Social Science Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies:3
WGS 501Advanced Humanities Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies:3
WGS 699Independent Reading1-3
AFRIC 250Black Women and White Women in the Contemporary United States3
AFRIC 344Global Black Social Movements3
AFRIC 350The Black Family3
AFRIC 351Sexuality, Gender, and Health in Africa and the Diaspora3
AFRIC 352Extended Families in Black Societies3
AFRIC 414The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean3
AFRIC 417Race, Class and Gender in Southern Africa3
AFRIC 418Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean3
ANTHRO 250Women's Roles in Cross-Cultural Perspective3
BIO SCI 206Biology of Women3
BUS ADM 441Diversity in Organizations3
COMMUN 401Communication in Marital and Family Relationships3
COMMUN 402Gender and Communication3
COMMUN 474Rhetoric of Women's Rights in the US3
CRM JST 385Women and Criminal Justice3
CRM JST 416Intimate Partner Violence3
ECON 248Economics of Discrimination3
ED POL 624Gender and Education3
ENGLISH 243Introduction to Literature by Women:3
ENGLISH 295Women and Film3
ENGLISH/FILMSTD 395Feminist Media Criticism and Theory:3
ENGLISH 465Women Writers:3
ENGLISH 628Seminar in Literature by Women:3
ENGLISH 629Seminar in Literature and Sexuality:3
ETHNIC 255Migration and Gender: Starbucks, Sex Trafficking, and Nannies3
ETHNIC 275Queer Migrations3
ETHNIC 325Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in Milwaukee:3
FILMSTD 669Screening Sexuality:3
GEOG 410Gendered Geographies3
HIST 141Global History of the Family, Gender, and Sexuality3
HIST 241Women and Gender in Europe: 1350 to 17503
HIST 242Women and Gender in Europe: 1750 to the Present3
HIST 243History of Women in American Society3
HIST 271The 1960s in the United States: A Cultural History (WGS voted to approve cross-listing this course in spring 2023.)3
HIST 355Modern and Contemporary France3
HIST 373Topics in Gender and History:3
HIST 468The American Feminist Movement3
JAMS 111Gender and the Media3
JEWISH 332Women in the Bible3
LGBT 200Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies3
LGBT 275Queer Migrations3
LGBT 290Topics in LGBT Studies:3
LGBT 599Selected Topics in LGBT Studies:3
LINGUIS 212Language and Gender3
MUSIC 449Women in Music:3
NURS 204Global Maternal and Child Health: From Evidence to Action3
NURS 327Nursing Science III: Health Concepts-Women & Children4
NURS 620Global Food Security and Systems3
PHILOS 235Philosophical Aspects of Feminism3
POL SCI 110Sex and Power3
POL SCI 368Gender and Politics in Developing Nations3
POL SCI 425Women in Politics3
POL SCI 464Sex, Gender, and the Law3
PSYCH 319LGBTIQ Psychology3
PSYCH 320Psychology of Gender3
SOCIOL 250Sex and Gender3
SOCIOL 255Sociology of Sexuality3
SOCIOL 260Blood, Sex, Money, Power: Families and Intimate Relationships3
SOCIOL 442The Work-Family Intersection3
SOCIOL 444Sociology of the Body3
SOC WRK 630Families and Poverty3

Approved Electives

The following courses are approved to count toward the Women’s & Gender Studies Minor. 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 minor.  Please consult the WGS Undergraduate Advisor for specific details.