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Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies

The Department of Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies (GWSS) is multidisciplinary. It focuses on the ways in which women and men construct themselves as gendered and sexual beings, analyzes how gender and sexuality shape virtually every aspect of our daily lives, and probes the relationship between biological sex differences and the social and cultural roles of women and men.

The department's major goal is to bring to the University community new research on gender and sexuality—research frequently overlooked by traditional disciplines. By offering core courses as well as those cross-referenced with other departments, GWSS acquaints its students with gender and sexuality scholarship and methodologies in the humanities and the social sciences.

Faculty from across the University participate in the Department of Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies. Some have joint appointments in the department; for a complete list, see the department's web site. Others occasionally offer courses and participate in the department's research, study, and interdisciplinary activities.

Undergraduate Programs of Study

• Major in gender, women's, and sexuality studies (Bachelor of Arts)
• Minor in gender, women's, and sexuality studies

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in gender, women's, and sexuality studies requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 36 s.h. of work for the major. It emphasizes breadth, depth, and interdisciplinary study. Through the GWSS major, students acquire knowledge of the field's history, facility with major theoretical debates, knowledge of gender and sexuality issues outside the United States and Western Europe, knowledge of one major related area of scholarly concern, and familiarity with debates in other areas. Students apply this knowledge to an individual research project during their senior year.

Students may declare the major in gender, women's, and sexuality studies at any time. They are advised by the Academic Advising Center until they have earned 24 s.h. of credit. Transfer credit is evaluated case by case; a maximum of 12 s.h. of transfer credit may be counted toward the degree. Students earning more than one major may count toward the GWSS major a maximum of three courses they complete for the other major.

Work for the major consists of the undergraduate core, which includes a practicum and culminates in a research seminar; distribution requirements; and electives. Students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

The major in gender, women's, and sexuality studies requires the following course work.

Undergraduate Core

The undergraduate core consists of five courses (minimum of 15 s.h.). Two introductory courses [131:010 (GWSS:1001) Introduction to Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies and 131:055 (GWSS:1002) Gender, Race, and Class in the U.S.] are prerequisites for all other courses in the major; they orient students to the major conceptual areas that constitute GWSS as an interdisciplinary field. The course 131:055 (GWSS:1002) Gender, Race, and Class in the U.S. introduces basic issues of race, class, and gender systems in the United States and provides a foundation for the major. 

Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies Practicum [131:105 (GWSS:3005)] reflects the importance of community needs and current social issues in framing questions of gender and sexuality studies scholarship and in assessing the usefulness of relevant research. Students earn 3-4 s.h. for 131:105 (GWSS:3005), depending on the semester in which they take it. With approval from the director of undergraduate studies, a student who completes the practicum during a summer session may register for 2 s.h. of 131:179 (GWSS:3990) Independent Readings and Research in Women's Studies instead of taking 131:105 (GWSS:3005).

Transnational Feminism [131:149 (GWSS:2150)] explores how taking account of colonial history and contemporary globalization reshapes feminist politics in different parts of the world.

Students take 131:199 (GWSS:4090) Senior Research Seminar during their last semester; members of the University of Iowa Honors Program may take 131:198 (GWSS:4095) Honors Senior Thesis instead. Students earn 3 s.h. for the research seminar or honors thesis.

The undergraduate core includes the following course work.

All of these:

One of these:

Distribution Requirements

The distribution requirements (total of at least 9 s.h.) include one GWSS theory course, one GWSS course with comparative/non-U.S. focus, and one GWSS or other course with a race/ethnicity focus, all chosen from the following lists. Students may request permission from the director of undergraduate studies to use courses not on these lists; ideally, these courses should be offered by GWSS [prefix 131 (GWSS)]. At least half of the material in comparative/non-U.S. topics courses must have a non-U.S. context.

Theory—one of these:

Comparative/non-U.S. focus—one of these:

Race/ethnicity—one of these:

Electives

Students choose elective courses from the list below, in consultation with their advisor. They must complete at least four electives (minimum of 12 s.h.), earning at least 6 s.h. in courses numbered 100 (3000) or above. With the instructor's permission, honors students may count a graduate-level course numbered 200 (5000) or above toward the electives requirement.

In choosing electives, students are encouraged to pursue a course of study that emphasizes both breadth and depth. Students should choose three or four courses in a focus area in which they would like to gain deeper knowledge. The area may be within a specific discipline, such as literature, anthropology, or history. This is especially useful for students pursuing double majors, since they may count toward the GWSS major a maximum of three courses they complete for the other major.

The focus area need not be limited to a traditional discipline. Students may seek more specialized education in fields such as sexuality studies or international issues. Breadth also is important; advisors direct students who have taken several courses in one focus area to take additional electives in another focus area.

Students may request permission to use upper-level courses not listed below. At least half of the course's content and requirements must focus on gender and/or sexuality. For information on requesting permission to use a course not listed here, contact the GWSS undergraduate advisor.

At least four of these (minimum of 12 s.h.), with at least 6 s.h. in courses numbered 100 (3000) or above:

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The University of Iowa Four-Year Graduation Plan is being revised. The original Four-Year Graduation Plan continues to apply to students who have already signed it. Students who commit to the four-year plan beginning fall 2013 will be held to the revised requirements. For information about the plan, visit Four-Year Graduation Plan on the First-Year Experience web site.

Honors in the Major

The department offers qualified students the opportunity to graduate with honors in the gender, women's, and sexuality studies major. Departmental honors students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.50 in GWSS course work and a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33. An honors thesis is required.

Soon after beginning work for the major, each honors student should select an upper-level course in which he or she will do preliminary research for the honors thesis; the course must count toward requirements for the GWSS major and may be a classroom experience or the practicum. The student must inform the course's instructor of his or her intent to develop an honors project in the course so that the instructor may provide guidance to the student and, at the instructor's discretion, may adjust the student's course assignments in order to help the student prepare for the honors thesis.

After completing the preliminary research, students enroll in 131:198 (GWSS:4095) Honors Senior Thesis. The course guides them through the process of formulating a topic and a research plan, conducting research for the thesis, writing the results, and responding to peer and instructor critique.

In addition to honors in the major, undergraduate students have a variety of opportunities for honors study and activities through membership in the University of Iowa Honors Program; learn about the program by visiting Honors at Iowa.

Minor

The minor in gender, women's, and sexuality studies requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in course work associated with the department, including 12 s.h. in advanced courses taken at The University of Iowa. For the minor, courses numbered 100 (3000) or above are considered advanced. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. Students may count a maximum of 3 s.h. of work for their major toward the GWSS minor.

The minor must include 131:010 (GWSS:1001) Introduction to Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies. The 12 s.h. of advanced work may include any GWSS course numbered 100 (3000) or above, or it may include 131:055 (GWSS:1002) Gender, Race, and Class in the U.S. plus 9 s.h. of courses numbered 100 (3000) or above. The department strongly advises students to include an approved theory course in the minor.

Graduate Programs of Study

• Doctor of Philosophy in women's studies
• Certificate in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies

The certificate program is open to University of Iowa graduate students working toward a degree; interested students should contact the GWSS director of graduate studies.

Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program in women's studies is suspended. For degree requirements, see the 2009-10 General Catalog.

Certificate

The Certificate in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies requires 16 s.h., including a two-course core, several elective courses, and a capstone course (1 s.h.), for which students attend a GWSS conference and present their own research there. Students receive certificate advising from the GWSS director of graduate studies.

The certificate requires the following course work. Students may not use one course to satisfy more than one certificate requirement.

Certificate Core
 

Electives
 

One of the electives must have a transnational or international focus and one must focus on diversity in the United States. All of the electives must be numbered 200 or above. Students may count up to 6 s.h. of elective credit earned in GWSS courses that are cross-referenced with their major department. Courses that are not cross-referenced may be counted with permission of the director of graduate studies.

Capstone

Students must present their own research at a GWSS conference, earning credit for the presentation by registering for the following course.

Courses

Core Courses
 

Cross-Referenced Courses