The Gender and Women’s Studies curriculum provides a platform for students to study how equity and social justice are connected to gender, sexuality, and identity. Gender and Women’s Studies students explore the field through traditional disciplines, such as literature, history, anthropology, sociology, public health, education, law, biology, psychology, political science, and the visual arts. Students in our courses develop strong analytical and communication skills through classroom discussion, writing, and independent projects. Undergraduates in our programs can pursue research skills through thesis writing, as well as professional development opportunities through career workshops with alumni and in our internship program. As a result, graduates from our programs apply a critical lens in fields like health and public policy, social justice and advocacy, reproductive justice, non-profit administration, clinical medicine, software development, communications, and media production.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
Declaring the major as early as possible allows students to best align major coursework with their interests.
Students declared in the Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies at the Undergraduate Level may not be declared in the Gender and Women's Studies major at the same time. Students who do wish to declare this major must first cancel their declaration in the certificate.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| Mathematics | Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects. A maximum of one course in each of COMP SCI and STAT subjects counts toward this requirement. |
| Language | Complete the third unit of a language other than English. |
| L&S Breadth | Complete: • 12 credits of Humanities, which must include at least 6 credits of Literature; and • 12 credits of Social Science; and • 12 credits of Natural Science, which must include 6 credits of Biological Science and 6 credits of Physical Science. |
| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | Complete at least 108 credits. |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | Complete at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level. |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | Complete at least 120 credits. |
| UW-Madison Experience | Complete both: • 30 credits in residence, overall, and • 30 credits in residence after the 86th credit. |
| Quality of Work | • 2.000 in all coursework at UW–Madison • 2.000 in Intermediate/Advanced level coursework at UW–Madison |
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Majors in Gender and Women’s Studies are required to take foundational work in GEN&WS courses reflecting each of four approaches to knowledge (humanities, social science, theory, and biological or health sciences), one course from three of four issue areas (sexuality, disability and embodiment, race/ethnicity, and global), and a capstone seminar or thesis.
All majors complete a minimum of 30 credits in GEN&WS including: 1
Introductory GEN&WS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 101 | Gender, Women, and Cultural Representation 2 | 3 |
| or GEN&WS 102 | Gender, Women, and Society in Global Perspective | |
| GEN&WS 103 | Gender, Women, Bodies, and Health | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Approaches 3
1 course from each area:
Biology and Health
Explore health as both a physiological and a socio‐cultural experience, and recognize ways in which gender and other axes of social inequality influence health. Develop critical tools to place the medical field, scientific research, and public health and policy organizations into social contexts, and recognize how these institutions both can reflect and perpetuate dominant ideologies. Learn about feminist approaches to, and histories of, science, medicine, and health activism.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 104 | Gender, Sexuality, and Global Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 523 | Framing Fatness: Gender, Size, Constructing Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 524 | Race, Gender, Health, and Medicine | 3 |
| GEN&WS 525 | Gender and Global Health in Critical Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS 527 | The Environment of the Womb: Epigenetics and Parent/Child Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 528 | Sexuality and Science | 3 |
| GEN&WS 529 | The Science and Politics of Reproductive Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 530 | Biology and Gender | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI/MED HIST 531 | Women and Health in American History | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| GEN&WS 533 | Special Topics in Gender and Biology | 3 |
| GEN&WS 534 | Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction: Public Health Perspectives | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEN&WS 536 | Queering Sexuality Education | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| GEN&WS 538 | Special Topics in LGBTQ+ Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 539 | Special Topics in Gender and Health | 3 |
Humanities
Engage with humanities-based theories, content areas, and methodologies as they relate to gender and women's studies. These include, but are not limited to, critical text analysis, discourse analysis, historical approaches and archival work, media studies, ethnography, and digital humanities. (GEN&WS courses with H, L or Z designations)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 105 | Intersectional Approaches to Disability Studies | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 134 | Women and Gender in World History | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/SOC 200 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ Studies | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/LITTRANS 205 | Women in Russian Literature in Translation | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 221 | Introduction to Black Women's Studies | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 222 | Introduction to Black Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS 240 | Feminist Approach to Research and Writing | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ENGL 248 | Women in Ethnic American Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LITTRANS 270 | German Women Writers in Translation | 3 |
| FRENCH/GEN&WS 285 | Rebellious Women from the Global South | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/RELIG ST 305 | Women, Gender and Religion | 3 |
| GEN&WS 310 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and the Humanities | 1-3 |
| GEN&WS 319 | Study Abroad Special Topic: Gender, Women and the Humanities | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM 321 | Asian American Feminist & Queer Cultural Productions | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 324 | Black Women in America: Reconstruction to the Present | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 326 | Race and Gender in Post-World War II U.S. Society | 3 |
| GEN&WS 330 | Topics in Gender/Class/Race/Ethnicity (Humanities) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CHICLA 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS 340 | Topics in LGBTQ Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 342 | Transgender Studies | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 343 | Queer Bodies | 3 |
| GEN&WS 344 | Bi/Pan/Asexuality: Community & Representation | 3 |
| GEN&WS 345 | Narrating Queer Lives | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 346 | Trans/Gender in Historical Perspective | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/ENGL 350 | Special Topics in Gender & Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CLASSICS 351 | Women and Gender in the Classical World | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/ENGL 359 | Visionary and Speculative Fiction: Social Justice Approaches | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CLASSICS 361 | Sex and Power in Greece and Rome | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 367 | Art and Visual Culture: Women of the African Diaspora and Africa | 3 |
| GEN&WS 370 | Topics in Gender and Disability | 3 |
| GEN&WS 374 | Disability, Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ENGL 401 | Race, Sex, and Texts (How to do things with writing) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 410 | Special Topics in Gender and Visual Culture | 3 |
| GEN&WS 412 | Contemporary Queer Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| GEN&WS/THEATRE 415 | Introduction to Contemporary Feminist Theatre and Criticism | 3 |
| GEN&WS/COM ARTS 418 | Gender, Sexuality, and the Media | 3 |
| GEN&WS/FOLKLORE 428 | Gender and Expressive Culture | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AMER IND/ANTHRO/FOLKLORE 437 | American Indian Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LITTRANS/SCAND ST 438 | Sexual Politics in Scandinavia | 3 |
| GEN&WS 441 | Contemporary Feminist Theories | 3 |
| GEN&WS 444 | From Past Feminisms to Postfeminism: Feminisms for the 21st Century | 3 |
| GEN&WS 445 | The Body in Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS 449 | Special Topics in Feminist Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PORTUG 450 | Brazillian Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PORTUG 460 | Carmen Miranda | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM/ENGL 463 | Race and Sexuality in American Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM/ENGL 464 | Asian American Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 519 | Sexuality, Modernity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| GEN&WS 547 | Theorizing Intersectionality | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PHILOS 556 | Topics in Feminism and Philosophy | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 624 | African American Women's Activism (19th & 20th Centuries) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 677 | Critical and Theoretical Perspectives in Black Women's Writings | 3 |
Social Science
Engage with social-science-based theories, content areas, and methodologies as they relate to gender and women's studies. These include, but are not limited to, scientific and clinical research, statistical analysis, mixed-methods approaches, and theories of social change. (GEN&WS courses with S or Z designations)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 104 | Gender, Sexuality, and Global Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 134 | Women and Gender in World History | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/SOC 200 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ Studies | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 240 | Feminist Approach to Research and Writing | 3 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society | 1-3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| GEN&WS 329 | Study Abroad Special Topic: Gender, Women in Society | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 331 | Topics in Gender/Class/Race/Ethnicity (Social Sciences) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 333 | Black Feminisms | 3 |
| GEN&WS 340 | Topics in LGBTQ Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 344 | Bi/Pan/Asexuality: Community & Representation | 3 |
| C&E SOC/GEN&WS/SOC 347 | Gender and Sexuality in Rural Places | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 392 | Women and Gender in Modern Europe | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/COM ARTS 418 | Gender, Sexuality, and the Media | 3 |
| GEN&WS 420 | Women in Cross-Societal Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LEGAL ST 422 | Women and the Law | 3 |
| GEN&WS 423 | The Female Body in the World: Gender and Contemporary Body Politics in Cross Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LEGAL ST/SOC 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 429 | Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| GEN&WS 441 | Contemporary Feminist Theories | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ANTHRO 443 | Anthropology by Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS 444 | From Past Feminisms to Postfeminism: Feminisms for the 21st Century | 3 |
| GEN&WS 446 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
| GEN&WS 449 | Special Topics in Feminist Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 469 | Women and Politics | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 472 | Food for Thought: An Intersectional Approach | 3 |
| GEN&WS/GEOG 504 | Feminist Geography: Theoretical Approaches | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PSYCH 522 | Psychology of Women and Gender | 3 |
| GEN&WS 523 | Framing Fatness: Gender, Size, Constructing Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 524 | Race, Gender, Health, and Medicine | 3 |
| GEN&WS 525 | Gender and Global Health in Critical Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS 527 | The Environment of the Womb: Epigenetics and Parent/Child Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 528 | Sexuality and Science | 3 |
| GEN&WS 529 | The Science and Politics of Reproductive Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 534 | Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction: Public Health Perspectives | 3 |
| GEN&WS 536 | Queering Sexuality Education | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| GEN&WS 538 | Special Topics in LGBTQ+ Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 539 | Special Topics in Gender and Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 546 | Feminist Theories and Masculinities | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PHILOS 556 | Topics in Feminism and Philosophy | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ED POL 560 | Gender and Education | 3 |
Feminist Theory
Explore feminist theoretical approaches, both national and international.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 333 | Black Feminisms | 3 |
| GEN&WS 340 | Topics in LGBTQ Sexuality (Theory) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 441 | Contemporary Feminist Theories | 3 |
| GEN&WS 444 | From Past Feminisms to Postfeminism: Feminisms for the 21st Century | 3 |
| GEN&WS 445 | The Body in Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS 446 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
| GEN&WS 449 | Special Topics in Feminist Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS 546 | Feminist Theories and Masculinities | 3 |
| GEN&WS 547 | Theorizing Intersectionality | 3 |
Issue Areas 3
Race/Ethnicity
Explore the role of race/ethnicity as a tool of creating, identifying, materializing, and solidifying human difference. These courses may explore the construction and deployment of race/ethnicity anywhere in the world.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 221 | Introduction to Black Women's Studies | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 222 | Introduction to Black Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ENGL 248 | Women in Ethnic American Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 267 | Artistic/Cultural Images of Black Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM 321 | Asian American Feminist & Queer Cultural Productions | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 324 | Black Women in America: Reconstruction to the Present | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 326 | Race and Gender in Post-World War II U.S. Society | 3 |
| GEN&WS 330 | Topics in Gender/Class/Race/Ethnicity (Humanities) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 331 | Topics in Gender/Class/Race/Ethnicity (Social Sciences) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CHICLA 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 333 | Black Feminisms | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 367 | Art and Visual Culture: Women of the African Diaspora and Africa | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AMER IND/ANTHRO/FOLKLORE 437 | American Indian Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS 446 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PORTUG 450 | Brazillian Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PORTUG 460 | Carmen Miranda | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM/ENGL 463 | Race and Sexuality in American Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM/ENGL 464 | Asian American Women Writers | 3 |
| GEN&WS 524 | Race, Gender, Health, and Medicine | 3 |
| GEN&WS 529 | The Science and Politics of Reproductive Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 547 | Theorizing Intersectionality | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 624 | African American Women's Activism (19th & 20th Centuries) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 677 | Critical and Theoretical Perspectives in Black Women's Writings | 3 |
Global
Explore aspects of gender in a comparative national frame. These classes may focus on the process of globalization or they may focus on gendered concerns in at least two national contexts.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 104 | Gender, Sexuality, and Global Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society (Global) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 367 | Art and Visual Culture: Women of the African Diaspora and Africa | 3 |
| GEN&WS 420 | Women in Cross-Societal Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS 423 | The Female Body in the World: Gender and Contemporary Body Politics in Cross Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/FOLKLORE 428 | Gender and Expressive Culture | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 429 | Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LITTRANS/SCAND ST 438 | Sexual Politics in Scandinavia | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ANTHRO 443 | Anthropology by Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS 525 | Gender and Global Health in Critical Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
Sexuality
Explore “sexuality” under the assumption that sexuality is not a natural or self-evident attribute or category, these courses demonstrate how sexuality has come to assume a variety of culturally specific but often contested meanings.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS/SOC 200 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ Studies | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society (Sexuality) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society (Queer) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society (LGBTQ+) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM 321 | Asian American Feminist & Queer Cultural Productions | 3 |
| GEN&WS 340 | Topics in LGBTQ Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 342 | Transgender Studies | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 343 | Queer Bodies | 3 |
| GEN&WS 344 | Bi/Pan/Asexuality: Community & Representation | 3 |
| GEN&WS 345 | Narrating Queer Lives | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 346 | Trans/Gender in Historical Perspective | 3-4 |
| C&E SOC/GEN&WS/SOC 347 | Gender and Sexuality in Rural Places | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CLASSICS 351 | Women and Gender in the Classical World | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/CLASSICS 361 | Sex and Power in Greece and Rome | 3 |
| GEN&WS 374 | Disability, Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 412 | Contemporary Queer Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LITTRANS/SCAND ST 438 | Sexual Politics in Scandinavia | 3 |
| GEN&WS 446 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ASIAN AM/ENGL 463 | Race and Sexuality in American Literature | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 519 | Sexuality, Modernity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS 528 | Sexuality and Science | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| GEN&WS 533 | Special Topics in Gender and Biology (Sexuality) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 533 | Special Topics in Gender and Biology (Queer) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 533 | Special Topics in Gender and Biology (LGBTQ+) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 534 | Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction: Public Health Perspectives | 3 |
| GEN&WS 536 | Queering Sexuality Education | 3 |
| GEN&WS 538 | Special Topics in LGBTQ+ Health | 3 |
Disability & Embodiment
Examine the creation and evolution of different categories of embodiment and the experience of living through and as bodies These courses focus on gender and disability, exploring disability as a social category, a medical realm, a political identity, an analytical approach, and a lived experience.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 105 | Intersectional Approaches to Disability Studies | 3 |
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society (Disability) | 3 |
| GEN&WS 343 | Queer Bodies | 3 |
| GEN&WS 370 | Topics in Gender and Disability | 3 |
| GEN&WS 374 | Disability, Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 445 | The Body in Theory | 3 |
| GEN&WS 523 | Framing Fatness: Gender, Size, Constructing Health | 3 |
Capstone 4
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Capstone course or Thesis Sequence: | 3-6 | |
| Capstone Seminar in Gender and Women's Studies | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis I and Senior Honors Thesis II | ||
| Senior Thesis I and Senior Thesis II | ||
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all GEN&WS and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in Residence 5
- 15 credits in GEN&WS, taken on the UW–Madison campus
Footnotes
- 1
A maximum of three courses designated as elementary level may apply in the major, overall. Directed study courses typically do not count toward the minimum credits required in the major.
- 2
GEN&WS 101 and GEN&WS 102 cannot both count toward the coursework required in the Gender and Women's Studies major. Students must choose one of these courses.
- 3
A single course may apply to both an Approach and an Issue Area. However, a single course may not apply to more than one Approach or to more than one Issue Area.
- 4
Students interested in the doing research in Gender & Women's Studies will develop a thesis topic in consultation with a member of the faculty. The senior thesis course sequence (GEN&WS 691-GEN&WS 692 or GEN&WS 681-GEN&WS 682) serves as the capstone requirement for the major. In this case, the student may still count GEN&WS 640 as an elective in the major.
- 5
Courses in GEN&WS with Intermediate or Advanced level designation are considered upper level in the major.
Honors in the Major
To declare Honors in the Major in Gender and Women's Studies, students must submit a letter of application to the undergraduate advisor prior to enrollment in GEN&WS 681. The letter should include:
- A list of all planned and declared degrees, major and certificate programs
- Area(s) of research interest within gender and women's studies and ideas for an Senior Honors Thesis
- A letter from a faculty member agreeing to supervise the thesis project
Honors in the Gender and Women's Studies Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Gender and Women’s Studies, students must satisfy the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.300 GPA for all GEN&WS courses
- Complete at least 2 GEN&WS courses totaling 6 or more credits for Honors and earn grades of B or higher
- Complete GEN&WS 681 and GEN&WS 682 for a total of 6 credits.
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- Knowledge of core concepts of gender and women’s studies, including: gender, intersectionality, feminist theory, epistemology, class, race/ethnicity, global processes, sexuality, disability & embodiment, health and science, and contemporary and historical issues.
- Intellectual and practical skills relating to gender and women’s studies, including: problem solving, research and inquiry, interdisciplinarity, critical thinking, writing, oral communication, collaboration, creativity, and career skills.
- Personal and social responsibility anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges. This category may include things like developing critical self and social awareness, applying ethical frameworks, learning through engaged practices.
- Integrative learning demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems. This category may be acquired through advanced accomplishment and/or the application beyond the Gender & Women’s Studies classroom to, for example, one’s life, to activist project, and/or to non-Gender & Women’s Studies academic coursework.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication-A, complete during the first year | 3 | Ethnic Studies, complete in your first 60 credits | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning-A, complete during the first year | 3 | Foreign Language, if required | 4 |
| Foreign Language, if required | 4 | GEN&WS 103 | 3 |
| GEN&WS 102 | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| First Year Seminar (optional) | 1 | I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Statistics, if required for the BS | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Quantitative Reasoning-B, consult with an advisor about options and when to complete this course | 3 | Communication-B, consult with an advisor about options and when to complete this course | 3 |
| GEN&WS Humanities Approach/Disability & Embodiment Issue Area | 3 | GEN&WS Social Science Approach | 3 |
| L&S Breadth | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 5 |
| INTER-LS 210 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEN&WS Feminist Theory Approach | 3 | GEN&WS Elective/Race & Ethnicity Issue Area | 3 |
| I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Statistics, if required for the BS | 3 | GEN&WS Bio/Health Approach | 3 |
| L&S Breadth | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEN&WS Elective/Global Issue | 3 | GEN&WS 660 (optional) | 3 |
| Capstone Seminar | 3 | Electives | 12 |
| Electives | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or cancel this major
Please follow the process described on the Gender and Women’s Studies website.
Advising
Working with your advisor helps you create a meaningful course plan as you complete your degree, major and/or certificate requirements. The undergraduate advisor is available to consult on a variety of topics, including declaring the major and/or certificate, course selection and building a four-year plan, study abroad, volunteer and internship opportunities on campus and in the community, applying to graduate programs, and preparing for the job market after graduation.
Internship Program in Gender and Women’s Studies
Applied learning through professional experiences in Gender and Women’s Studies provides an opportunity for students to connect academic knowledge with community-based practice. Recognizing the power and importance of experiential and community-based learning, the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies proudly offers local and global internship opportunities. In the internship program, students work with organizations to apply their coursework in gender and women’s studies to specific issues in the community. The accompanying seminar, Internship in Gender and Women's Studies (GEN&WS 660, 3 cr) offers a venue for students to engage deeply in feminist-based work and reflection while thinking critically about how to participate as feminists in activism and professional settings.
Career Development in Gender and Women’s Studies
The Department of Gender and Women’s Studies is committed to helping our students articulate how skills and concepts learned in the classroom can be cultivated in professional settings. As reflected in our Learning Outcomes, students in Gender and Women’s Studies develop important transferable skills in written and oral communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration, as well as critical self and social awareness. The department continues to expand career development opportunities for our students as we work with our alumni to offer workshops, panels, and networking opportunities. Contact the undergraduate advisor to learn more about career development opportunities in Gender & Women’s Studies.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students