Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS)

  • Major: Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
  • Courses required for major: 8
  • Capstone requirement: GSWS 400

The program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies offers an interdisciplinary major and minor.

Major Requirements

A major in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies requires eight courses.

  • Four Core Courses
    • These courses provide students with a theoretical and methodological perspective and framework with which to understand issues of gender and sexuality.
      • GSWS 200      Gendered Perspectives
      • SOC 241         Sociology of Gender and Sexuality
  • One course from:
    • CJCR 343 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
    • GSWS 300 Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
    • PSY 212 Research Methods in Psychology
    • SOC 330 Research Methods I
    • GSWS 400      Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Capstone
  • Four Elective Courses
    • Students must take four elective courses from the following list with a minimum of three different prefixes. At least two courses must be at the 300-level or higher. GSWS 300 may not count as both a core course and an elective.
      • ANTH 101           Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives
      • ANTH 103           Cultural Anthropology
      • ANTH 310           Food and Culture
      • ARHI 339             Gender and Identity in Art
      • CJCR 247             Victimology
      • CJCR 334             Race, Class, Gender and Crime
      • CJCR 448/449    Criminal Justice Practicum
      • ENGL 229            African American Literature
      • ENGL 334            Women and Literature
      • ENGL 336            Shakespeare
      • FVA 320               Narrative Filmmaking
      • FVA 330               Documentary Filmmaking
      • GSWS 300          Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
      • HIST 324              Early American Law and Society
      • HIST 338              Rights, Reform and Protest
      • HIST 342              Women and Reform
      • PSY 118                Adolescent Psychology
      • PSY 220               The Psychology of Close Relationships
      • PSY 448               Practicum in Psychology
      • REL 333               Old Testament Women
      • SOC 220              Sociology of Family
      • SOC 228              Aging and Society
      • SOC 448              Practicum in Sociology
      • THEA 333            Theater History II

Capstone Requirement

All majors must successfully complete GSWS 400.

Diversity and Writing Courses

The following courses satisfy either the Domestic or Global Diversity Requirement: GSWS 200 and 300. A list of courses that, when scheduled as W courses, count toward the Writing Requirement, can be found on the Registrar’s website and in the GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS section of the catalog. 

Minor Requirements

A minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies requires GSWS 200, SOC 241, and three courses from the elective courses listed for the major.

200
GENDERED PERSPECTIVES
An examination of gender issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Explores the social construction of gender and gendered institutions as well as relevant critical approaches such as feminist, utopian, and queer theories. Topics may involve language, art, science, politics, culture, violence, race, class, ethnic differences, sexuality, and pornography. Fulfills either Domestic or Global Cultural Diversity Requirement.

300
TOPICS IN GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND WOMEN’S STUDIES
An examination of selected topics in Women’s and Gender Studies designed to allow students to pursue particular subjects in more depth and detail than in the general introductory course. Prerequisite: ENGL 106, 107, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics are different. Fulfills either Domestic or Global Cultural Diversity Requirement.

400
GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND WOMEN’S STUDIES CAPSTONE
An independent research project under the supervision of a GSWS faculty member whose expertise is aligned with the project of interest.

N80-N89
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
With the approval of the Coordinator, an appropriate special course or independent-study project may be substituted for one of the four cross-listed courses required for the minor.