Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (BA)
Faculty:
Dawna M. Thomas, Professor of Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Department Chair of Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Tatiana Cruz, Assistant Professor and Interdisciplinary Program Director of Africana Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Diane Grossman, Professor of Philosophy and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (On Leave 2024-2025)
Kelly Hager, Professor of Literature and Writing and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Associate Provost for Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation
Affiliate Faculty:
Heather Hole, Professor and Director of Arts Administration and Faculty Affiliate of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Suzanne Leonard, Professor of Literature and Writing and Graduate Program Director of Gender and Cultural Studies and Faculty Affiliate of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Briana Martino, Associate Professor and Department Chair of Communications and Faculty Affiliate of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Lena Zuckerwise, Associate Professor and Department Chair of Politics and Policy and Faculty Affiliate of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Overview:
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program utilizes an intersectional approach to the study of women, gender, and sexuality in the United States and globally. The program grew out of Women’s Studies, which was established in 1975 and centered on the study of women and gender oppression. Expanding on that legacy, the current program encourages a rigorous investigation of both gender and sexuality as social categories. Through the lenses of identity and intersectionality, the program emphasizes the study of gender and sexuality in diverse national, international, and transnational contexts with close attention to the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, disability, religion, nationality, and other identities. The program utilizes critical feminist and queer frameworks and increasingly offers more courses in LGBTQIA+ Studies.
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program offers both a major and a minor. It is an interdisciplinary program situated primarily in the humanities and social sciences that draws on a range of methods, theories, and perspectives. Students will learn not only how to critically explore issues of identity and power in the classroom but will gain the tools to engage with these topics beyond it. The program provides a solid foundation in critical thinking, research, writing, and technology, equipping students with marketable, transferable skills that translate into living and working in a diverse world as well as demonstrate cultural competency and leadership to future employers in fields such as education, social work and nonprofit sectors, medicine, law, government, and business. Students with degrees in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies develop the tools to become global citizens and participate effectively to shape a more inclusive, equitable, socially just world. The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major and minor both pair well with any fields of study across the university. With a wide array of electives across many different departments, students have the freedom to choose a course of study that reflects their interests. Students in dual degree programs or self-designed majors should consult with program faculty to design an individualized program that best suits their interests. The program also offers internships and opportunities for advanced research in independent studies or a senior thesis, as well as supports study abroad.
Learning Outcomes:
Students in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies will...
I. Content: Analyze major historical, political, social, economic, and cultural developments related to issues of gender and sexuality in the United States and globally with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of women, nonbinary people, transgender people, and other marginalized groups such as those who identify as LGBTQIA+ or people with disabilities.
II. Knowledge of the Field: Demonstrate a broad understanding of the intersecting fields of Gender and Sexuality Studies, their intellectual and institutional histories, their multidisciplinary / interdisciplinary nature, their core concepts and theoretical frameworks, as well as their bodies of literature and key historiographical debates.
III. Analytical Framework: Identify how the social constructions of gender and sexuality are created, maintained, and challenged, how they are shaped by heteropatriarchy, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and related systems of oppression such as racism, colonialism, classism, ableism, as well as effectively employ the theoretical concept of intersectionality.
IV. Skills & Methods: Demonstrate critical thinking and analysis, research, and writing skills, as well as evaluate and employ the field’s major methodological approaches and schools of thought.
V. Relevance & Applicability in a Diverse World: Develop cultural competence and leadership skills and debate current sociopolitical issues and initiatives that are relevant to people of diverse genders and sexual orientations, particularly to women, queer people, transgender and nonbinary people, disabled people, and other marginalized groups.
VI. Global Citizenship & Community Engagement: Apply knowledge to research and develop solutions to challenge systemic oppressions and take action to create social change in local communities and the world at large.
Program Honors:
A WGSS major may qualify for program honors with a 3.5 average in WGSS courses and completion of WGSS 355, Thesis, or WGSS 370, Internship with the addition of a substantial written project or paper.
Laurie Crumpacker Scholars:
This 4+1 accelerated program for Simmons students offers the opportunity to acquire a Master's of Arts in Gender and Cultural Studies within one year after completing the undergraduate BA degree. Simmons students with a strong undergraduate record may apply to the program in the second semester of their junior year. Applicants must submit an official transcript of their undergraduate record, a statement of purpose, a writing sample, and two letters of recommendation. At least one letter should be from someone well acquainted with the applicant's academic ability and potential inquiries should be addressed to graduate studies. Students admitted to the program begin graduate level work in the GCS program in the senior year of their undergraduate program at Simmons. Students may transfer up to 8 credits of 300- level undergraduate coursework from the GCS list of elective courses toward the degree. As students would be accepted into the GCS program prior to enrolling in these courses, they would be expected to complete work at the graduate level in these two 300-level elective courses. Students are able to enroll in 400- level GCS courses only after they have completed their BA degrees and have fully entered the GCS program.
Program Requirements
Core Requirements
Students complete a core of THREE courses (12 credit hours).
Research Methods Course
Students complete ONE Research Methods course (4 credit hours).
| AST 375/AST 575 | Behind the Veil: Simmons Oral History Project | 4 |
| LTWR 221 | The Critical Lens: Introduction to Film and Media Theory | 4 |
| HIST 260 | Interpreting the Past: The Craft of History | 4 |
| PSYC 203 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| SOCI 239 | Introduction to Social Research I | 4 |
Race, Ethnicity, and Global Perspectives
Students complete TWO Race, Ethnicity, and Global South Perspectives courses (8 credit hours).
Electives
Students complete TWO electives (8 credit hours) from the list of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality courses (with a WGSS prefix) or chosen from the list of approved classes. See the Elective list below.
| ART 247 | ART 247 Eighteenth Century Art: The Age of Revolutions | 4 |
| BIOL 109 | Sex, Gender, and Biology | 4 |
| HIST 213 | Race and Ethnicity in U.S. History | 4 |
| LTWR 254 | The Victorian Novel | 4 |
| LTWR 320/LTWR 520 | American Women Poets | 4 |
| LTWR LTWR 354/LTWR 554 | Studies in Film: Melodrama | 4 |
| PSYC 220 | The Psychology of Gender | 4 |
| SOCI 220 | Working for Social Justice | 4 |
| SOCI 249 | Inequalities | 4 |
| SPAN 336 | Latin American Women Writers | 4 |
| RGS 355 | Race, Gender and Sexuality Capstone Project | |
| HUM 370 | Humanities Internship | Variable |
| SOCI 330 | Transnational Studies | 4 |
| SOCI 347 | Antiracism and Social Justice | 4 |
| RGS 101/RGS 101 | Identity and Power | 4 |
| WGSS 111 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Studies | 4 |
| WGSS 125 | Gender, Labor, and The Cultural Politics of Work | 4 |
| WGSS 193/LTWR 193 | Gender and Power in Literature | 4 |
| WGSS 200 | Women, Nation, Culture | 4 |
| WGSS 212 | Queer Literature and Film | 4 |
| WGSS 207 | Family, Gender, and Sexuality in Chinese History | 4 |
| WGSS 210 | Black Women, Gender, and Feminism(s) | 4 |
| WGSS 214 | Women in World Economy | 4 |
| WGSS 215 | Women and Gender in U.S. History Before 1890 | 4 |
| WGSS 216 | Women and Gender in U.S. History: Since 1890 | 4 |
| WGSS 219 | Gender and Politics | 4 |
| WGSS 232/AST 232/SOCI 223 | Race, Gender & Health | 4 |
| WGSS 233/POLS 233 | Feminism and Capitalism | 4 |
| POLS 235 | Transgender Politics & Freedom | 4 |
| WGSS 239 | History of Sexuality and the Family | 4 |
| WGSS 248/ART 248 | Gender and Art | 4 |
| WGSS 258/RGS 258 | Special Topics in Gender & Sexuality Studies | 4 |
| HIST 260 | Interpreting the Past: The Craft of History | 4 |
| WGSS 344/AST 344/SOCI 344/WGSS 344 | Poetry for the People: Black Queer Poets | 4 |
| WGSS 350 | Independent Study | 4 |
| WGSS 355 | Thesis | 4 |
| WGSS 356 | Feminist International Relations | 4 |
| WGSS 360/HIST 360 | Seminar in the History of Women and Gender | 4 |
| WGSS 365 | Intimate Family Violence | 4 |
| AST 375/AST 575 | Behind the Veil: Simmons Oral History Project | 4 |
| WGSS 398/LTWR 398 | Feminist Media Studies | 4 |
Capstone
Students complete ONE 300-level advanced capstone course (4 credit hours).