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Undergraduate: Women's and Gender Studies
- Program Overview
Women's and Gender Studies (WST)
Women's and gender studies is an interdisciplinary area of scholarship and research that focuses on the significance of gender as a variable in experience, history, and culture. Women's and gender studies raises questions that often have been ignored or marginalized, and it makes the experience and history of women central to the study of any human concern. Scholarship in women's and gender studies demonstrates the need to recognize new models of knowledge, as well as the need to be critical of theories and approaches that do not take into account the difference of gender. In so doing, women's studies serves as a site for "reflective critique," and it has often challenged the traditional disciplines to reflect on their concepts and methods in ways that have enriched those disciplines.
At Stony Brook, the Women's and Gender Studies program introduces students to the history of feminism, as well as its contemporary theories and methods. Feminist theory in a global context provides the background for a critique of the social construction of gender and its relation to other systems of privilege.
The major and minor in Women's and Gender Studies are designed for students interested in the interdisciplinary study of gender and women. The programs emphasize the development of skills in critical thinking, argumentation, and writing. The program consists of a set of core courses offered in women's studies as well as related courses in other disciplines. Students wishing to complete the major or minor should consult the Department and establish an advising folder by the beginning of the junior year.
Because it emphasizes transposable skills of reading, writing, analysis, and expression, women's and gender studies provides an excellent preparation for graduate school, professional school, or employment. Graduates have gone on to careers in law, medicine, social work, psychology, teaching, and business, among other fields, and graduate work in women's studies. Double majors, combining Women's and Gender Studies with another field, are not uncommon.
Students may choose to pursue a combined Women's and Gender Studies B.A. and Master of Public Health.
- Degrees and Requirements
Requirements for the Major and Minor in Women's and Gender Studies (WST)
The major in Women's and Gender Studies leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. No more than three credits offered for the major may be taken Pass/No Credit or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. All other courses for the major must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher. No transferred course with a grade lower than C may be applied toward major requirements. No more than two 100-level courses may be applied toward major requirements. At least 18 credits must be in courses numbered 300 or higher. Students may choose to pursue an accelerated Women's and Gender Studies B.A. and Master of Public Health. For further information on the accelerated degree, please see the program Director.
Completion of the major requires 36 credits.
-
Core Courses
-
WST 102
Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies in the Social Sciences OR
WST 103
Women, Culture, and Difference
2.
WST 291
Introduction to Feminist Theory
3.
WST 301
Histories of Feminism
4.
WST 305
Feminist Theories in Context
5.
WST 408
Senior Research Seminar for Women's and Gender Studies Majors and Minors
-
Focused Studies
One course in each of the following categories (See Note 1)
-
Women's and Gender Studies in a Global Context:
WST 395
Topics in Global Feminism (or approved other course)
-
Gender, Race, and Ethnicity:
WST 398
Topics in Gender, Race, and Ethnicity (or approved other course)
-
Gender and Sexuality:
WST 399
Topics in Gender and Sexuality (or approved other course)
-
Electives
-
I) Twelve credits from WST courses. The following courses offered by other departments may also be used to satisfy this requirement (also see Note 2):
-
AAS 331
Japanese Literature in the Feminine Domain
-
AAS 372
Family, Marriage, & Kinship in China
-
AAS 392
Soc Sci Topics in Asian & Asian American Studies (approved topic: "Caste & Gender in Hindu Law")
-
AFH 382
Black Women's Literature of Diaspora
-
AFS 345
Culture & Gender
-
AFS 350
Black Women & Social Change
-
AFS 370
African-American Family
-
AFS 381
AIDS, Race, & Gender in the Black Community
-
ANT 367
Male & Female
-
ARH 391
Topics in Global Art (approved topic: "Images of Women in Visual Culture")
-
BIO 358
Biology of Human Social & Sexual Behavior
-
CCL 315 Gender & Sexuality in Ancient Greek Literature
-
CCS 311
Gender & Genre in Film
-
CCS 327 Topics in Histories of Culture (approved topics: "Queer Fictions of History; “Hormones & Behavior;” other topics when appropriate)
-
CLT 122
Images of Women in Literature
-
CLT 123
Sin & Sexuality in Literature
-
CLT 301
Theory of Literature (approved topic: "Queer Modernities")
-
EGL 276
Feminism: Literature and Cultural Contexts
-
EGL 310 Neoclassical Literature in English (approved topic: "Gender in the 18th Century")
-
EGL 350 Major Writers of American Literature, Colonial Period to 1900 (approved topic: "James, Stein, & Woolf")
-
EGL 352 Major Writers of 20th Century Literature in English (approved topic: "Virginia Woolf")
-
EGL 362
Drama in English (approved topic: "Women in Modern US Drama")
-
EGL 367
Contemporary Afro-American Literature (when topic appropriate)
-
EGL 371
Topics in Gender Studies in Literature
-
EGL 372
Topics in Women & Literature (approved topics: "Ecofeminism," "Mothering, Race, & Gender," "Women Writers")
-
EUR 390
Special Topics in European Studies (approved topic: "European Women Writers")
-
HIS 336
Women, Work, & Family in Modern European History
-
HIS 360
Women in Premodern Europe
-
HIS 340
Topics in Asian History (approved topic: "Women in 20th Century China;" other topics when appropriate)
-
HIS 392
Topics in European History (approved topic: "The Age of Jane Austen")
-
HIS 393
Topics in Modern European History (approved topic: "Sexual Politics in Modern Europe;” “The World of Jane Austen;” other topics when appropriate)
-
HIS 394 Topics in History of Human Reproduction
-
HIS 396
Topics in US History (approved topic: "Women & Work in 20th Century US")
-
HIS 401
Colloquium in European History (approved topic: "Heresy & Witchcraft in Middle Ages")
-
HIS 402 Colloquium in European History (approved topic: "Women, Militants, & the Vote")
-
HIS 414 Colloquium in American History (approved topic: "Sex & Death in American Murders")
-
HUI 231
Sex & Politics in Italian Cinema
-
HUI 235
Sex, Love, Tragedy: Early Italian Cinema
-
HUI 237
Images of Italian-American Women
-
LHD 301 Human Sexual & Gender Development Issues (approved topics: "Dirty Sex," "Gender & Technology," "Love & Power in Hollywood," "Men & Women in Society," "Men in America")
-
LHD 302 Colloquium in Human & Gender Development (approved topics: "Gender [& Sex] & Contemporary Media," "Pornography, Media, & AIDS")
-
LHD 401 Advanced Seminar in Human Sexual & Gender Development (approved topic: "Fetishes, Freaks, & Addictions")
-
MUS 314
Women Making Music
-
PHI 284
Intro to Feminist Theory (III)
-
PHI 384
Advanced Topics in Feminist Philosophy (III)
-
POL 330
Gender Issues & the Law
-
POL 347
Women & Politics
-
PSY 347
Psychology of Women
-
PSY 349
Special Topics in Social Psychology (approved topic: "Women's Health Issues")
-
RLS 366
Feminine Spirituality
-
SOC 247
Sociology of Gender
-
SOC 304
Sociology of the Family
-
SOC 340
Sociology of Human Reproduction
-
SOC 371
Gender & Work
-
SOC 390
Special Topics (approved topic: "Gender in Africa")
-
SOC 391
Special Topics (approved topics: "Bodies: A Social Primer," "Sociology of Masculinity;” “Gender in Africa;” other topics when appropriate)
-
SOC 394
Special Topics (approved topic: "Globalization, Gender, Migration;” “Gender & International Development;” other topics when appropriate)
-
SOC 395
Topics in Sci, Tech, & Society (approved topic: “Perverts, Pimps, & Pills;” other topics when appropriate)
-
SPN 410
Theory in Contexts (approved topic: "Money, Sex, & Power")
-
WSE 187 Women in the Laboratory
-
WSE 242 Society & Gender in Science & Engineering
-
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Students must present to the director of undergraduate studies a minimum of ten typewritten pages of formal writing, prepared for an upper-division course listed above as acceptable for the major requirements. This written work must have been judged by the course instructor to be satisfactory for the upper-division writing requirement in the field of Women's and Gender Studies. Normally this requirement is met through the work in
WST 408
.
Students should consult with the department advisor to ensure that their plan for completing the Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent with
university graduation requirements for General Education
. Students completing the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) must complete a course that satisfies the
"Write Effectively within One's Discipline" (WRTD)
learning objective to graduate. The Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent in most cases with the SBC learning outcomes for WRTD.
Notes:
-
The following courses are approved to replace
WST 395
, 398, or 399)
Approved Replacements for WST 395
-
AAS 307 Women in US-Asian Relations
-
HIS 431 Women in Modern Japan
-
JPN 332 Japanese Literature in the Feminine Domain
-
SOC 391 Gender in Africa
-
SOC 394 Gender & International Development
-
WST 334 Women, Work & Family in Modern Europe
-
WST 360 Women in Premodern Europe
-
WST/AFS 350 Black Women & Social Change
-
WST/AFH/EGL 382 Black Women’s Literature of the Diaspora
-
WST/HIS 345 Women & Gender in Chinese History
Approved Replacements for WST 398
-
HIS 300 Race, Gender, Rights in U.S. Legal
-
HIS 396 Women of Color in American History
-
WST/EGL 372 Black Women Writers
-
WST/HUI 237 Images of Italian-American Women
-
WST 391/HUI 390/EGL369 Italian-Amer & Afri-Amer Women’s Literature
Approved Replacements for
WST 399
-
ANT 295 Sex & Human Nature
-
CCS 325
Making Bodies Fit
-
EGL 390
Queer Studies: Race, Gender, & Sexuality in Literature
-
HIS 394 AIDS & Social History
-
POL 391
Sexualities & Politics
-
SOC 391
Sociology of Sexuality
-
WST 111
Intro to Queer Studies in the Humanities
-
WST 112
Intro to Queer Studies in the Social Sciences
-
WST 394
Special Topic: “Psychology of Reproduction”
-
WST 394
Special Topic: “Women, Science, Fiction, & Reproduction”
-
WST/
AFS 381
AIDS, Race, Gender in the Black Community
-
WST/
EGL 390
Queer Studies: Theorizing Race, Gender, & Sexuality
-
WST/
HIS 374
Historical Perspectives on Gender Orientation
-
WST/
SOC 340
Sociology of Human Reproduction
-
Related special topics courses given in various departments are acceptable for the Women's Studies major and minor with the approval of the undergraduate director. A list will be available on the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department Website at the start of pre-registration each semester.
-
At least two WST topics courses (taught by WGSS faculty or affiliated instructors) must be used in satisfying Requirement B.
-
No more than six credits from
WST 447
(Directed Readings) and
WST 487
(Independent Project) may be applied toward the major.
-
No more than 3 credits of WST 475 (Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I) may be counted towards a WST Major.
-
No more than 6 credits of WST 488 (Internship) may be counted towards a WST Major.
-
Any course listed as -or cross-listed with- WST may count as an Elective (Requirement C). Other courses may count as qualifying electives if at least half the course content addresses issues concerning women, gender, and/or sexuality
. Students may seek advance approval from tThe Undergraduate Program Director, who can
review a course syllabus to determine if the course qualifies as an acceptable Elective. Availability of Elective courses depends on individual departments.
Students majoring in WST may choose an additional WST specialization (this is not required for the Major): in Gender, Sexuality, and Public Health, OR Gender and Social Change.
Students choosing to pursue this specialization receive additional preparation for a career in public health. Depending on the student's choice of courses, this specialization can be useful for students planning careers in midwifery, medicine, nursing, or counseling and education related to sexuality and/or reproduction.
-
18 credits of coursework (See Notes)
See the list of elective courses below; a current list of courses approved for this specialization can be found on the WGSS Department website. Upon request, t
he Undergraduate Program Director can review a course syllabus to determine if the course qualifies as an acceptable course for this specialization.
-
Internship
Three of the 18 credits for the specialization must be in an approved internship or other related applied experience.
Notes:
-
No more than 3 of the 18 credits required for the specialization may be lower-division.
2. All A-F graded courses must be passed with a grade of C or better.
3. The specialization courses may overlap with major requirements, but not replace any.
-
WST 111
Introduction to Queer Studies in the Humanities
-
WST 112
Introduction to Queer Studies in the Social Sciences
-
WST 391
Music and Sexuality
-
WST 392
Special Topics in Women and Science (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 394
Special Topics in Medicine, Reproduction, and Gender (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 399
Topics in Gender and Sexuality (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 401
Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies (see department for approved topics)
-
WST/
SOC 340
Sociology of Reproduction
-
WST/
AFS 381
AIDS, Race and Gender in the Black Community
-
HIS/
WST 374
Historical Perspectives on Gender Orientation
-
HIS 394
AIDS and Social History
-
PSY 349
Women's Health Issues
Students choosing to pursue this specialization receive additional preparation for a career in social change creating professions, such as law, social work, public policy, or the media. Depending on the student's choice of courses, this specialization can be useful for students planning careers in civil rights work, community organizing, work with abused women and children, politics, or visual media, to give only a few examples.
-
18 credits of coursework (See Notes)
See the list of elective courses below; a current list of courses approved for this specialization can be found on the WGSS Department website. Upon request, t
he Undergraduate Program Director can review a course syllabus to determine if the course qualifies as an acceptable course for this specialization.
-
Internship
Three of the 18 credits for the specialization must be in an approved internship or other related applied experience.
Notes:
-
No more than 3 of the 18 credits required for the specialization may be lower-division. 2. All A-F graded courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. 3. The specialization courses may overlap with major requirements, but not replace any.
Elective courses for the Specialization in Gender and Social Change
-
WST 310
Contemporary Feminist Issues
-
WST 377
/
PSY 347
Psychology of Women
-
WST 391
Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies in the Humanities (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 392
Special Topics in Women and Science (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 394
Special Topics in Medicine, Reproduction, and Gender (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 395
Topics in Global Feminism (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 396
Special Topics in the History of American Women (see department for approved topics)
-
WST 397
Social Sciences Topics in Women's and Gender Studies
-
WST 398
Topics in Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
-
WST/
SOC 247
Sociology of Gender
-
LHD 301
Human Sexual and Gender Development Issues
-
LHD 401
Advanced Seminar in Human Sexual and Gender Development
-
WST/
SOC 247
Sociology of Gender
-
WST/
POL 330
Gender and Law
-
WST/
POL 347
Gender and Politics
-
WST/
SOC 340
Sociology of Reproduction
-
WST/
AFS 350
Black Women and Social Change
-
WST/
SOC 371
Gender and Work
-
AAS 392
Gender and Caste in Hindu Law
-
AFS 345
Women in Africa and the Caribbean
-
CCS 401
Masculinity and Popular Culture
-
CFS 308
Violence in the Family
-
HIS 300
Race, Gender and Rights/US Legal
-
SOC 390
Special Topics (see department for approved topics)
Any Women’s and Gender Studies major who has maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 in the WaGS major and a 3.00 GPA overall are eligible to enroll in the Women’s and Gender Studies with honors program. The student must maintain these respective GPAs throughout the duration of the honors program. The student must enroll in the honors program before the end of the junior year. The student must identify a potential faculty member within the department to serve as a mentor, and, with the written approval of the mentor, submit the honors program application, which will describe the honors thesis project.
In the senior year, the student must enroll in
WST 495
in the first semester and
WST 496
in the second semester, for a total of six credits. This year long sequence of
WST 495
/496 is in lieu of the general Senior Seminar,
WST 408
. Since there are two semesters of required coursework, students in the program will complete 39 credits for the major, as opposed to 36 for students not enrolled in the program. The student’s honors thesis must be completed no later than four weeks prior to the end of the second semester, to allow for review by the honors committee and to allow for revisions. The honors thesis will be read by the student’s mentor and two other CAT faculty members or CAT affiliates.
If the honors program is completed with distinction and the student has achieved a 3.50 GPA in all WST courses taken in the senior year, honors are conferred.
Only one course (no more than three credits) offered for the minor may be taken for Pass/No Credit, and no more than 6 credits may be taken for S/U. At least 15 credits must be graded with a letter grade.
Completion of the minor requires 21 credits.
-
WST 102
Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies in the Social Sciences OR
WST 103
Women, Culture, and Difference
2.
WST 291
Introduction to Feminist Theory OR
WST 301
Histories of Feminism
3.
WST 407
Senior Research Seminar for Women's and Gender Studies Minors
4. Twelve credits chosen from among WST courses (or their crosslisted equivalents) and the list in WST major requirement C above. At least six of these credits must be numbered 300 or above. It is strongly recommended that these courses be chosen from among the following options:
WST 390
, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, or 399.
-
No more than 3 credits of WST 488 (Internship) may be counted towards a WST Minor
-
No more than 3 credits of WST 475 (Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I) may be counted towards a WST or Minor
- Sequence
Sample Course Sequence for the Major in
Women’s and Gender Studies
For more information about SBC courses that fulfill major requirements, click here.
FALL |
Credits |
First Year Seminar 101 |
1 |
WRT 101 |
3 |
WST 102
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
SBC |
3 |
Elective
|
3 |
Total |
16 |
SPRING |
Credits |
First Year Seminar 102 |
1 |
WRT 102
|
3 |
WST 103
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
Elective |
3 |
Total |
16
|
FALL |
Credits |
WST 291
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
SBC |
3 |
SBC |
3 |
Elective
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
SPRING |
Credits |
Major elective
|
3 |
SBC
|
3
|
SBC |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
Elective
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
FALL |
Credits |
WST 301
|
3 |
WST 395
|
3 |
Upper-division elective
|
3 |
WST 408
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
SPRING |
Credits |
WST 305
|
3 |
WST 398
|
3 |
Upper-division elective
|
3 |
Upper-division elective
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
FALL |
Credits |
Major elective
|
3 |
Major elective
|
3 |
WST 399
|
3 |
Upper-division elective
|
3 |
Elective
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
SPRING |
Credits |
WST 488
|
3 |
Major elective
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
SBC
|
3 |
Elective
|
3 |
Total |
15 |
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Courses
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