Women's and Gender Studies Academic Programs

 

Women's and Gender Studies Major

The Women's and Gender Studies major at SUNY Geneseo is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary program designed to be flexible to accommodate multiple focuses. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in Women's and Gender Studies classrooms to other areas of their lives. All students take a core set of Women's and Gender Studies courses plus at least one course in five content areas in which the study of women and gender provide significant insights, using feminist methodologies and pedagogy. Additionally, each student completes a three-course sequence in one of the clusters and completes a capstone experience designed to apply concepts from the Women's and Gender Studies Program toward their future career goals.

Minimum Competence Requirement:

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses used in fulfillment of the Women's and Gender Studies Major.

Program Writing Requirement:

All courses offered in WGST at the 200 level or above require significant writing assignments. Successful completion of WGST 310, 320, 330, and WGST 490, 493, or 495 fulfills the writing requirement.

Total Required Hours: 36-41 semester hours

Basic Requirements: 15 credits:

  • WGST 100: Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: 3 Credits
  • WGST 310: Race, Class, and Gender: 3 Credits
  • WGST 320: Gender and Sexualities: 3 Credits
  • WGST 330: Feminist Theories: 3 Credits
  • Senior Capstone Seminar: 3 Credits (One Capstone is required: either WGST 490 Senior Seminar OR WGST 493 Thesis [majors only] OR WGST 495 Internship. In exceptional circumstances students may be permitted to undertake a Directed Study as their Capstone; this must be approved by the coordinator.)

A minimum of 18 credits across the major must be at the 300/400-level.

*Students who wish to use WGST 395 for the Historical, Political, Activist Studies Cluster may not select WGST 495 for the capstone.

Course Cluster Requirements

In addition to one course from each area, students should select one cluster, from among the above, in which to focus by taking two or more additional courses to form a cluster. 6-8 Credits 

One course from each of the five following clusters: 15-18 credits

1) Historical, Political, Activist Studies:

2) Theories and Representation in the Humanities and Arts

  • ARTH 310 - Women Gender and Art: 3 Credits 
  • BLKS 220 - Black Lives Matter: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 318 - Black British Literature and Culture: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 335 - Asian American Literature Survey: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 336 - Native American Literature: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 337 - African-American Literature: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 344 - Black Atlantic Writing: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 439 - American Ways: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 443 - Gender, Sexuality, and Literature: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 458 - Major Authors: 4 Credits
  • ENGL 468 – Topics in Recent Lit: (subtitle: West African Women’s Lit): 3 Credits
  • MUSC 336 – Music, Gender, and Sexuality: 3 Credits
  • MUSC 337 -  Music, Race, and Ethnicity: 3 Credits
  • PHIL 204 - Feminist Philosophy: 3 Credits
  • WGST 202 - Topics in Representation in the Humanities and Arts: 3 Credits 
  • HIST 270 - S/M/ History of Latin America to 1825: 4 Credits
  • HIST 271 - S/M/ History of Latin America since 1789: 4 Credits
  • HIST 275 - Global History of Sexual Science: 4 Credits
  • HIST 292 - The Modern Islamic World: 1800 to the Present: 4 Credits
  • HIST 413 - Black Power and Structural Inequality in Post-1945: 4 Credits
  • HIST 441 - Women in the Medieval World: 4 Credits
  • HIST 480 - Advanced Studies in LACAANA History: (subtitle: Gender, Sexuality, and the Body): 3 Credits
  • PLSC 361 - Women and Politics: 3 Credits
  • WGST 201 - Historical and Political Topics: 3 Credits
  • WGST 232 - Safe Zone Train-the-Trainer: 2 Credits
  • AND WGST 395 - Safe Zone Intern: 1 Credit
  • WGST 495 - Internship: 3 Credits

3) Gender in the Social World

4) Global Issues in Sex and Gender

5) Gender, Sexuality, and Queer Studies

Note: These are the courses that are preapproved to count for the various distribution requirements within the major. Other courses are offered every semester that we also count for WGST, but these might not be courses that are taught regularly; in order to facilitate WGST students registering for courses, the WGST coordinator will send out a list of approved courses prior to registration for the courses offered in the next semester and these will be posted here

More information on WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment of Program and GenEd Requirements: WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment 

Women's and Gender Studies Minor

The Women’s and Gender Studies minor and concentration at SUNY Geneseo focuses on women and gender using multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in Women’s and Gender Studies classrooms to other areas of their lives. All students take a core program of Women’s and Gender Studies courses plus elective courses offered by other departments that study women and gender issues, using feminist methodologies and pedagogy. Additionally, each student completes a capstone experience individually designed to apply concepts from Women’s and Gender Studies to their life and career choices. The Women’s and Gender Studies Advisory Committee is willing to work closely with students to design feasible, individualized study, especially when students’ study abroad or other academic requirements make it impossible for them to take one of these courses.

Total Required Hours: 21 semester hours
Required Courses: 12 semester hours

  • WGST 100: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
  • WGST 310: Race, Class, and Gender
  • WGST 320: Gender and Sexualities 
  • WGST 499: Research or Creative Project in Women’s and Gender Studies OR WGST 495: Internship in Women’s and Gender Studies OR WGST 490: Senior Capstone Seminar

Electives: 9 semester hours
Choose from:

  • WGST 201-205: Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies (3 hours, may be repeated) and/or courses cross-listed in other departments:
  • ANTH 224 M/Ethnography of Gender in Latin America;
  • ANTH 243 S/M/Women in Cross-cultural Perspective;
  • ENGL 343 Women and Literature: (subtitle);
  • HIST 200 Women in Western Society;
  • HIST 260 S/U/Issues in the History of American Women;
  • PHIL 204 Philosophy of Woman;
  • PLSC 250 Women and Politics;
  • PSYC 236 Human Sexual Behavior;
  • PSYC 308 Psychology of Women;
  • SOCL 201 Black Women in American Society;
  • SOCL 210 Sociology of the Family;
  • SOCL 215 Women and the Law;
  • SOCL 225 Sociology of Gender.

Departmental slot or topics courses with appropriate subtitles can be submitted to the Women’s and Gender Studies Advisory Group for inclusion on an individual basis.

Guidelines for choosing electives:
1) No more than one at the 100 level.
2) No more than two with the same prefix (i.e. ENGL or HIST or SOCL).
3) At least one in the broad category of Humanities/Arts.
4) At least one in the broad category of Social Sciences.

In addition to these approved electives, the coordinator sends out a longer list of other approved courses that is updated each semester. Find that here: WGST Courses

More information on WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment of Program and GenEd Requirements: WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment 

Women's and Gender Studies Concentration

The Women’s and Gender Studies concentration at SUNY Geneseo focuses on women and gender using multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in Women’s and Gender Studies classrooms to other areas of their lives. All students take a core program of Women’s and Gender Studies courses plus elective courses offered by other departments that study women and gender issues, using feminist methodologies and pedagogy. Additionally, each student completes a capstone experience individually designed to apply concepts from Women’s and Gender Studies to their life and career choices. The Women’s and Gender Studies Advisory Committee is willing to work closely with students to design feasible, individualized study, especially when students’ study abroad or other academic requirements make it impossible for them to take one of these courses.

Total required hours: 30                                      
Required Courses (15 hours): 

  • WGST 100: Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies
  • WGST 310: Race, Class, and Gender 
  • WGST 320: Gender and Sexualities 
  • WGST 340: Gender and Global Education 

Elective Courses: 12 hours of elective courses from:

  • ANTH 231 Language and Gender
  • ANTH 343 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Women's Health
  • ARTH 310 Women, Gender, and Art
  • ENGL 443 Gender, Sexuality, and Literature
  • ENGL 443 Gender, Sexuality, and Literature 
  • HIST 260 Issues in the History of American Women
  • HIST 267 Women and U.S. Social Movements 
  • HIST 480 Advanced Studies in LACAANA History 
  • PHIL 204 Feminist Philosophy
  • PLSC 357 Gender and Law 
  • PSYC 236 Human Sexual Behavior
  • PSYC 308 Psychology of Women 
  • SOCL 201 Black Women in American Society 
  • SOCL 210 Sociology of Families
  • SOCL 225 Sociology of Gender and Sexuality
  • SOCL 281: Gender and Development, an additional topic of WGST 201-205, and WGST 230, WGST 330, WGST 395, WGST 399, selected under advisement to meet the following requirements: (a) no more than two courses with the same prefix (other than WGST); (b) at least one under each of the broad headings of humanities/arts and social sciences. 

In addition to these approved electives, the coordinator sends out a longer list of other approved courses that is updated each semester. Find that here: WGST Courses

Students who have trouble scheduling any specific course due to requirements of education blocks should see the Women’s Studies Coordinator for a waiver.

One from WGST 201-205:

  • WGST 201: Historical and Political Topics 
  • WGST 202: Topics Representation in Humanities and Art 
  • WGST 203: Topics in Gender in the Social World 
  • WGST 204: Global Issues of Sex and Gender  
  • WGST 205: Topics in Gender, Sexuality, Queer Studies

More information on WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment of Program and GenEd Requirements: WGST Spring 2023 Courses and Fulfillment