First- and Second-Year Preparation

It is recommended that students complete WGSS 201, the introductory course, and consult the undergraduate adviser.

Requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. Major

Women's Studies Major Course Requirements

Women’s Studies Core Knowledge and Skills

Majors must complete a course in each of the following areas:

Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction. Satisfied by WGSS 201

Social Science Core. Satisfied by 1 course (3 hours) chosen from the following: 

• WGSS 389/ANTH 389 Anthropology of Gender: Female, Male and Beyond (3) (Int)
• WGSS 468/PSYC 468 Psychology of Women (3) S.
• WGSS 521 Women and Violence (3)
• WGSS 562 / POLS 562 Women and Politics (3) S (Int)
• WGSS 640/POLS 640 Politics of Reproductive Policy (3)
• WGSS 653/POLS 653 Gender, War, and Peace (3) S. (Int)
• WGSS 660/ANTH 660 Human Reproduction: Culture, Power, and Politics (3) S. (Int)
• WGSS 689/PSYC 689 Conceptual Issues in Human Sexuality (3)

Humanities Core. Core satisfied by 1 course (3 hours) chosen from the following:

• WGSS 317/ AAAS 317/AMS 317/HIST 317 African American Women: Colonial Era to the Present (3)
• WGSS 320/HIST 320 From Goddesses to Witches: Women in Premodern Europe (3) (Int)
• WGSS 321/HIST 321 From Mystics to Feminists: Women’s History in Europe 1600 to Present (3) (Int)
• WGSS 327 Perspectives in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies (3)
• WGSS 330/AAAS 340 Women in Contemporary African Literature (3) (Int)
• WGSS 510/AMS 510/HIST 530 History of American Women: Colonial Times to 1870 (3)
• WGSS 511/AMS 511/HIST 531 History of American Women: 1870 to Present (3)

Theory. Satisfied by 1 course (3 hours) chosen from the following: 

• WGSS 381/PHIL 381 Feminism and Philosophy (3)
• WGSS 549/HIST 649 History of Feminist Theory (3)
• WGSS 560/AAAS 560 Race, Gender, and Post-Colonial Discourse (3) (Int)
• WGSS 580/ANTH 580 Feminism and Anthropology
• WGSS 600/POLS 600 Contemporary Feminist Political Theory (3)
• SOC 601 Introduction to Feminist Social Theory (3)

International focus. Satisfied by 1 course (3 hours) chosen from the following (not satisfying requirement above): 

• WGSS 320/HIST 320 From Goddesses to Witches: Women in Premodern Europe (3) (INT)
• WGSS 321/HIST 321 From Mystics to Feminists: Women’s History in Europe 1600 to Present (3) (Int)
• WGSS 330/AAAS 340 Women in Contemporary African Literature (3) (INT)
• WGSS 389/ANTH 389 The Anthropology of Gender: Female, Male, and Beyond (3) (INT)
• WGSS 560/AAAS 560 Race, Gender, and Post-Colonial Discourses (3) (INT)
• WGSS 562/POLS 562 Women and Politics (3) S (INT)
• WGSS 653/POLS 653 Gender, War, and Peace (3) (INT)
• WGSS 660/ANTH 660 Human Reproduction: Culture, Power, and Politics (3) S (INT)

Women’s Studies Required Electives

Humanities Elective. Satisfied by any core humanities course not already satisfying core requirement above or any of the approved humanities electives (see catalog).

• WGSS 317/ AAAS 317/AMS 317/HIST 317 African American Women: Colonial Era to the Present (3)
• WGSS 320/HIST 320 From Goddesses to Witches: Women in Premodern Europe (3) (Int)
• WGSS 321/HIST 321 From Mystics to Feminists: Women’s History in Europe 1600 to Present (3) (Int)
• WGSS 327 Perspectives in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies (3)
• WGSS 330/AAAS 340 Women in Contemporary African Literature (3) (Int)
• WGSS 510/AMS 510/HIST 530 History of American Women: Colonial Times to 1870 (3)
• WGSS 511/AMS 511/HIST 531 History of American Women: 1870 to Present (3)
• WGSS 345/AAAS 345 Popular Culture in Africa: Spiritual Thrills, Romance and Sexualities (3)
• WGSS 512/AMS 512/HIST 532 History of Women and Work in Comparative Perspective (3)
• WGSS 513 Modern American Women in Film and Literature (3)
• WGSS 549/HIST 649 History of Feminist Theory (3)
• WGSS 560/AAAS 560 Race, Gender, and Post-Colonial Discourse (3) (if not already used)
• WGSS 565/AAAS 565/AMS 565 Gender, Culture, and Migration (3)
• WGSS 570/HWC 570 Men and Masculinities (3)
• WGSS 575/HWC 575 Body, Self and Society (3)
• WGSS 646/HIST 646 Witches in European History and Historiography (3) (Int)
• AAAS 434 African Women Writers (3)
• AMS 515: American Women and World War II (3)
• CLSX 315 Women in Ancient Art and Society (3)
• EALC 575 Love, Sexuality and Gender in Japanese Literature (3)
• ENGL 572 Women and Literature (3)
• FMS 410 Race, Class, and Gender in Visual Culture (3)
• FMS 620 International Women Filmmakers (3) (Int)
• HIST 533 The History of Women and the Family in Europe, from 1500 to the Present (3)
• REL 477 Women and Religion (3)
• REL 672 Mother as Religious Metaphor
• REL 677 Women in Christianity (3)

Social Sciences Elective. Satisfied by any core social science course not already satisfying core requirements above or any approved social science elective.

• WGSS 389/ANTH 389 Anthropology of Gender: Female, Male and Beyond (3) (Int)
• WGSS 468/PSYC 468 Psychology of Women (3) S.
• WGSS 521/PSYC 521 Women and Violence (3)
• WGSS 562/POLS 562 Women and Politics (3) S (Int)
• WGSS 640/POLS 640 Politics of Reproductive Policy (3)
• WGSS 653/POLS 653 Gender, War, and Peace (3) S. (Int)
• WGSS 660/ANTH 660 Human Reproduction: Culture, Power, and Politics (3) S. (Int)
• WGSS 689/PSYC 689 Conceptual Issues in Human Sexuality (3)
• WGSS 333 The Politics of Physical Appearance (3)
• WGSS 351 Women and Leadership: The Legislative Process (3)
• WGSS 363/ANTH 363/EALC 363 Gendered Modernity in East Asia (3)
• WGSS 580/ANTH 580 Feminism and Anthropology (3) (if not already used)
• WGSS 583/ANTH 583 Love, Sex, and Globalization (3)
• WGSS 600/POLS 600 Contemporary Feminist Political Theory (3) (if not already used)
• WGSS 651/POLS 651 Women and Politics in Latin America (3)
• WGSS 662/ AAAS 662 Gender and Politics in Africa (3)
• WGSS 665/ANTH 665/LAA 665 Women, Health and Healing in Latin America (3)
• WGSS 789/ANTH 789 Anthropology of Gender: Advanced Seminar in the Four Fields (3)
• AAAS 388 The Black Woman (3)
• AAAS 415 Women and Islam (3)
• COMS 440 Communication and Gender (3)
• COMS 552 The Rhetoric of Women’s Rights
• HP&M 620/SOC 617 Women and Health Care (3)
• PSYC 465 Stereotyping and Prejudice Across Cultures (3)
• SOC 273 Women in Society (3)
• SOC 352 Sociology of Sex Roles (3)
• SOC 617 Women and Health Care (3)
• SOC 623 Women and Work (3)
• SOC 780 Advanced Topics in Sociology: Women and Work (3)
• WGSS 498 Independent Study, WGSS 701 Seminar in: _____, and WGSS 797 Directed Readings, may be petitioned to satisfy a social science or humanities elective.

Women’s Studies Electives. Satisfied by any 2 courses not already satisfying core requirements above or any of the following:

• WGSS 396 Studies in: _____ (3)
• WGSS 498 Independent Study (1-3)
• WGSS 499 Honors in Women’s Studies (3)
• WGSS 650 Service Learning in Women’s Studies (3)
• WGSS 696 Studies in: _____ (3)
• WGSS 701 Seminar in: _____ (3)
• WGSS 797 Directed Readings (1-3)

Capstone Experience. Seminar in Women’s Studies (to be taken in the student’s final year), satisfied by WGSS 601.

Note: Courses with a blank (____) at the end of their titles are typically topics or seminar courses that may be repeated for credit. Usually these courses offer different topics each time they are taught. Students should check with the course instructor about the requirements to take the course and what the topic will be when it is offered.

Women's Studies Major Hours & Major GPA

While completing all required courses (above), majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:

Major Hours
Satisfied by 30 hours of major courses.

Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major. 

Major Junior/Senior (300+) Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 18 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.

Major Junior/Senior (300+) Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.

Graduation Plan

With careful planning and commitment to a full-time course load, you can graduate in 4 years. Download a sample 4-year plan for women's studies.

Double Majors

A major in women’s studies can be combined with a complementary second major in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences. Students in the professional schools also may integrate women’s studies with their programs.