Program Overview

Introduction to the Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Major

The Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Major is a comprehensive program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding gender, sexuality, and women's studies. This major is offered by the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University.

Summary of Degree Requirements

To complete the Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Major, students must fulfill the following requirements:

University Requirements

• MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific courses required for this major are GSWS 3097 or ENG 3097, and GSWS 4396.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
  • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
  • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000 and above).
• For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000 and above) must be taken in Humanities Subject Areas.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
• Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
• Professional Development Requirement: All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major.
• Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:
  • All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language - these courses are numbered 1001 and 1002;
  • All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category;
  • All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
    • Third semester of a foreign language;
    • Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
    • Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
    • Study Abroad at an approved program;
    • Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.

Major Requirements (33 credits in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies)

The major requirements include:

• Introductory Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies courses:
  • GSWS 1006: Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (3 credits)
  • GSWS 3015: Sexuality and Disability (3 credits)
  • GSWS 3097: Feminist Theory (3 credits) or ENG 3097: Feminist Theory (3 credits)
• Two-course sequence:
  • GSWS 4389: Field Work (3 credits)
  • GSWS 4396: Research Seminar (3 credits)
• Elective Courses:
  • Select two courses in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies numbered 2000 and above (6 credits)
  • Select two courses from the GSWS Sexuality Electives List (6 credits)
  • Select two courses from the GSWS Race and Diversity Electives List (6 credits)

Sexuality Electives

The following courses are available as Sexuality Electives:

• ANTH 3355: Anthropology of Sexuality and Gender
• GSWS 2002: Gender in the Cinema or LGBT 2003: Gender in the Cinema
• GSWS 2007: Creative Writing: Fiction: LGBTQ Lives or LGBT 2007: Creative Writing: Fiction: LGBTQ Lives
• GSWS 2128: Men and Masculinities or LGBT 2128: Men and Masculinities
• GSWS 2202: Religion and Human Sexuality or LGBT 2002: Religion and Human Sexuality or REL 2002: Religion and Human Sexuality
• GSWS 2207: Creative Writing: Non-Fiction: Queer Lives or LGBT 2207: Creative Writing: Non-Fiction: Queer Lives
• GSWS 2305: LGBTQ Film: The Coming of Age Genre or LGBT 2305: LGBTQ Film: The Coming of Age Genre
• GSWS 2306: LGBTQ Film: Queer Representation or LGBT 2306: LGBTQ Film: Queer Representation
• GSWS 2405: Queer Lives or LGBT 2405: Queer Lives
• GSWS 2406: LGBTQ Social Movements or LGBT 2406: LGBTQ Social Movements
• GSWS 2815: Love, Marriage, and Family or LGBT 2815: Love, Marriage, and Family
• GSWS 3016: Sexuality Education or LGBT 3016: Sexuality Education
• GSWS 3017: Social Perspectives on Digital Pornography: The Other Sex Ed or LGBT 3017: Social Perspectives on Digital Pornography: The Other Sex Ed
• GSWS 3124: Politics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or LGBT 3124: Politics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or POLS 3124: Politics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
• GSWS 3205: Queer Novels of the 20th Century or LGBT 3205: Queer Novels of the 20th Century
• GSWS 3206: Queer Novels of the 21st Century or LGBT 3206: Queer Novels of the 21st Century
• GSWS 3546: Sexuality and Gender
• LGBT 2400: Topics in LGBT Studies

GSWS Race and Diversity Electives

The following courses are available as GSWS Race and Diversity Electives:

• AAAS 2133: The African American Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Experience
• AAAS 2142: The Black Male Experience
• ARTH 3302: Women and Art
• ASST 3031: Women in Chinese Literature or CHI 3031: Women in Chinese Literature or GSWS 3031: Women in Chinese Literature
• HIST 3542: Women and Society in Japan
• HIST 3566: Race, Gender, and Empire in the Iberian World
• GSWS 3003: Women Writers In Black Literature
• GSWS 3231: German Minority Identities: Gendered and Cultural Dimensions (in English) or GER 3231: German Minority Identities: Gendered and Cultural Dimensions (in English)
• GSWS 3235: Weimar Culture: Race, Gender, Sexuality and Nation (in English) or GER 3235: Weimar Culture: Race, Gender, Sexuality and Nation (in English)
• GSWS 3259: Women and Poverty or SOC 3259: Women and Poverty
• GSWS 3431: Women's Lives Modern Europe or HIST 3431: Women's Lives in Modern Europe
• GSWS 4411: Secularism: Jewish and Muslim Women or REL 4411: Secularism: Jewish and Muslim Women

General Electives

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. Students should consult with an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.