The Washington State University Vancouver Catalog

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

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Academic Director: Amy Wharton, Ph.D.; Academic Coordinator: Shellynda Michalek; Faculty: Luz Maria Gordillo, Ph.D. Because the women's studies program is interdisciplinary in nature, courses are all cross-listed with other programs on campus. Faculty can be found in a variety of different programs: anthropology, history, human development, psychology, and more.

The women's studies program can be used as a primary or a secondary concentration for students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, or a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, or as a minor concentration for students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development.

Students pursuing course work in women's studies will find that the program allows for development of an interdisciplinary framework for future study or teaching. It may also be used as part of the preparation for a career in counseling, consulting, or health services to women and families.




Minors

Queer Studies

Completion of the minor in Queer Studies requires a minimum of 16 credits with a 2.0 GPA. At least 9 credits must be from upper-division courses and taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses.
Required core courses (9 credits): WGSS 101 or 120, 369 or 385,  and 485.
Electives:  A minimum of 7 credits from any WGSS courses, except those used as required courses.


Women's Studies

Completion of the minor in Women’s Studies requires a minimum of 16 credits with a 2.0 GPA.  At least 9 credits must be from upper-division courses and taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses.
Required core courses (9 credits): WGSS 101 or 120; WGSS 300, 332, 369, or 385; and WGSS 481.
Electives: A minimum of 7 credits of any WGSS courses, except those used as required courses.



Courses

The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective. Courses showing two entries of the same number indicate that the course information is changing. The most recently approved version is shown first, followed by the older version, in gray, with its last-effective term preceding the course title. Courses shown in gray with only one entry of the course number are being discontinued. Course offerings by term can be accessed by clicking on the term links when viewing a specific campus catalog.


Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies (WGSS)

Spring 2024 Summer 2024 Fall 2024 


101 [EQJS] Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 3 Analysis of gender and power in contemporary society from perspectives of different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

211 [HUM] Sex Matters: Introduction to Queer Culture and Literature 3 Introduction to Lesbian/queer cultural production focusing on popular culture, fiction, and film; work from various queer communities in its cultural/historical context. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 211, ENGLISH 211.)

216 Introduction to American Cultural Studies 3 Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of American cultures and the field of American studies. (Crosslisted course offered as AMER ST 216, CES 216, ENGLISH 216, HISTORY 216, WGSS 216.)

230 Human Sexuality 3 Sexuality in personal development; personal, cultural, biological influences on sexual identification and behavior; fertility, reproduction, sexual functioning, sexuality and personality. (Crosslisted course offered as PSYCH 230, WGSS 230.) Recommended preparation: PSYCH 105. Typically offered Fall.

251 [DIVR] The Sociology of Sex, Relationships, and Marriage 3 Social and personal factors in mate selection; the sociology of sexuality; development of gender roles; and intimate relationships and marriage. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 251, WGSS 251.)

298 History of Women in American Society 3 Exploration of the many roles women have played in American society from the Colonial period through the twentieth century. (Crosslisted course offered as HISTORY 298, WGSS 298.)

300 [DIVR] [M] Intersections of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality 3 Course Prerequisite: SOC 101 or WGSS 101. Intersections between race, class and gender through case studies; experiences in interdisciplinary methods. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 300, ENGLISH 310, SOC 300.) Typically offered Spring.

302 Contemporary Masculinities 3 Analysis of the development of masculinity in its biological and cultural forms. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 302, SOC 302.)

305 Gender and Politics 3 Role of gender in political behavior; voting and political participation; women as subjects and objects of political systems. (Crosslisted course offered as POL S 305, WGSS 305.)

306 [M] Introduction to Literary Criticism 3 Introduction to the systematic study of critical and theoretical approaches to literature; emphasis on problems of interpretation. (Crosslisted course offered as ENGLISH 308, WGSS 306.)

307 [DIVR] Biology of Sex and Gender 3 Course Prerequisite: BIOLOGY 102 or 106. Biological basis of sex and its relationship to body function, women and health care, and the impact of social and cultural perspectives on the experience of being female. (Crosslisted course offered as BIOLOGY 307, WGSS 307.)

307 (Effective through Summer 2024) [DIVR] Biology of Women 3 Course Prerequisite: BIOLOGY 102 or 106. Biological basis of sex and its relationship to body function, women and health care, and the impact of social and cultural perspectives on the experience of being female. (Crosslisted course offered as BIOLOGY 307, WGSS 307.)

309 Women Writers 3 Women's artistic and intellectual contributions to prose, fiction, drama, and poetry. (Crosslisted course offered as ENGLISH 309, WGSS 309.)

310 [M] Women Artists II 3 Women artists of the 19th to 20th century. (Crosslisted course offered as ART 310, WGSS 310. ART 310 formerly FINE ART 310.)

316 [DIVR] Gender in Cross Cultural Perspective 3 Cross-cultural examination of gendered status and roles, sexuality and marriage, folk concepts of sexual anatomy in Western and non-Western societies; concepts of nature and culture are explored through a variety of perspectives. (Crosslisted course offered as ANTH 316, WGSS 316.) Recommended preparation: Sophomore standing. Typically offered Spring.

316 (Effective through Spring 2024) [DIVR] Gender in Cross Cultural Perspective 3 Cross-cultural examination of the status and roles of women and men, sexuality and marriage, and folk concepts of sexual anatomy in traditional cultures in Western science; concepts of nature and culture are explored through a variety of perspectives. (Crosslisted course offered as ANTH 316, WGSS 316.) Recommended preparation: Sophomore standing; ANTH 101, PSYCH 105, SOC 101, or WGSS 101 or 120. Typically offered Spring.

321 Topics in Women's Studies V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits. Focused study of subjects/issues relating to women.

324 Psychology of Gender 3 Contemporary overview of the psychological theory and research on sex and gender. (Crosslisted course offered as PSYCH 324, WGSS 324.) Recommended preparation: PSYCH 105. Typically offered Spring.

332 Global Feminisms 3 Course Prerequisite: ANTH 101, WGSS 101, or WGSS 120. An interdisciplinary approach to examining women's roles and experiences throughout the world and different approaches to feminism/feminisms. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 332, ANTH 317.)

335 [DIVR] Women in Latin American History 3 Survey of women's changing roles throughout Latin America from pre colonial to present. (Crosslisted course offered as HISTORY 335, WGSS 335.)

336 History of Sexualities 3 Historical analysis of the social construction of sexualities in intersection with race and class within national and transnational contexts. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 336, HISTORY 336.)

338 [HUM] Gender, Race, and Popular Culture 3 Feminist study of intersections of gender, race, class, sexuality, and ability through popular film, television, digital media, art, literature, and performance.

350 [HUM] Witches, Nuns, Merchants, and Queens in Europe 1200-1800 3 Women's experiences in Europe from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment and the ideas and roles that affected their lives. (Crosslisted course offered as HISTORY 350, WGSS 350.)

351 [DIVR] The Family 3 Family system and its interaction patterns; family formation and dissolution; marital and partner relations, divorce, sexuality, parenting, work-family balance. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 351, WGSS 351.) Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.

363 [DIVR] Women in Music 3 Intersections of gender, class, race, and culture with popular and country music. (Crosslisted course offered as MUS 363, WGSS 363.)

369 [ARTS] Queer Identities in Contemporary Cultures 3 Course Prerequisite: CES 101, HISTORY 105, HISTORY 305, WGSS 101, or WGSS 120. Analysis of roots/legacies of creative resistance writing by Queer communities of color; students learn to produce creative resistance work. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 369, HISTORY 369.)

373 [HUM] Empire, Gender, and Postcoloniality in Global Literature 3 Literary/cultural texts and theory focusing on postcolonial conditions (and their gendered operations) in the shadow of empire and imperialism. (Crosslisted course offered as ENGLISH 373, WGSS 373). Typically offered Spring.

382 American Literature: 1940-Present 3 Course Prerequisite: ENGLISH 302. Advanced study of major authors and movements from the period including O'Connor, Bellow, Salinger, Baldwin, Pynchon, Morrison, Tan, and Alexie. (Crosslisted course offered as ENGLISH 482, WGSS 382.) Typically offered Spring.

384 Sociology of Gender 3 Construction and maintenance of gender and gender inequality in American society. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 384, WGSS 384.) Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.

385 [EQJS] Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Interdisciplinary exploration of issues related to gender and sexuality, explored transhistorically and cross-culturally, including race, class and age differences. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 385, SOC 385.)

390 Gender and Work 3 Gender and inequality at work including occupational segregation, wage inequality and balancing work and family. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 390, WGSS 390.)

398 [DIVR] Women, Gender, and the History of the Un-West 3 The multicultural history of women in the west through women's literature, archives, and oral history. (Crosslisted course offered as HISTORY 398, WGSS 398.)

399 [EQJS] LGBTQ+ History: Culture, Politics, and Social Change in the U.S. 3 History and theory of queer sexualities and gender identities in the United States including community development, politics and cultures. (Crosslisted course offered as HISTORY 399, WGSS 399.)

403 [CAPS] Violence Toward Women 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Violence toward women and its relationship to broader social issues such as sexism and social control. (Crosslisted course offered as CRM J 403, WGSS 403.) Typically offered Spring.

410 Internship V 1-12 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 12 credits. Course Prerequisite: WGSS 101 or 120; WGSS 300 with a B or better, or 481 with a B or better; by interview only. Supervised experience in approved campus or community agencies or projects focusing on women's issues.

425 Philosophy and Feminism 3 Course Prerequisite: PHIL 101, WGSS 101, or WGSS 120. Feminist philosophy as critique of Western philosophical tradition and as alternate framework for thought. (Crosslisted course offered as PHIL 425, POL S 425, WGSS 425.)

464 Gender and the Media 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; sophomore standing. How news and entertainment media shape and reinforce societal expectations of gender; consideration of race, age, class, and sexual orientation. (Crosslisted course offered as COM 464, WGSS 464.)

481 [M] Feminist Theory 3 Course Prerequisite: WGSS 101, 120, or 300. Introduction to the field of feminist theory, including classic interdisciplinary methods, and applications of this scholarship to contemporary women's issues. Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.

485 [M] Theoretical Issues in Queer Studies 3 Course Prerequisite: WGSS 484 or any 300-400-level WGSS course. Theoretical construction and interpretation of sexualities, gender, and identity.

499 Special Problems V 1-4 May be repeated for credit. Independent study conducted under the jurisdiction of an approving faculty member; may include independent research studies in technical or specialized problems; selection and analysis of specified readings; development of a creative project; or field experiences. S, F grading.

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