Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, BA

Location(s): Main Campus

Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is a transdisciplinary program for students who wish to explore gender and its relation to other axes of power such as race, class, ethnicity, nationality, religion and sexuality. WGSS covers a complex variety of theoretical and empirical scholarship, both within traditional disciplines and in transdisciplinary frames in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, as well as combinations of the three. The WGSS program is committed to critical perspectives and bodies of knowledge that contribute to possibilities for transformation and change. Toward this end, WGSS courses emphasize participatory education in which student involvement, critical thinking and personal insight are encouraged and made relevant in the learning process.

Students can pursue a women, gender and sexuality studies major or minor. Majors can pursue honors within the program.

Program Requirements

University General Education Requirements

All Binghamton University undergraduate students are required to fulfill this set of university-wide requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of a SUNY university undergraduate education. Please refer to the General Education page for more information.

Harpur College Requirements

All students in Harpur College must fulfill additional requirements designated by Harpur College to complement and extend the general education requirements. Please refer to the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences page for more information.

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

Students pursuing the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies BA must complete a total of 10 WGSS-designated courses (40 credits) as follows:

Two courses in theoretical inquiries
Two courses in social justice and/or social movements
Three courses in critical humanities and/or critical social sciences
Two general topics courses

WGSS 200 - Intro to WomenGender&Sexuality

Note:

The above courses must also meet the following requirements:

At least six courses (24 credits) must be at the 300-level or higher
At least three courses (12 credits) must be cross-listed, each with a different department

Some non-WGSS courses may be used to meet the above requirements if approved by the WGSS Committee or program director. Students should take 200-level courses before enrolling in more advanced 300- and 400-level courses.

Additional Information About the Program

Students must receive a “C” or higher for a course to be counted toward the major (courses taken Pass/Fail do not count).

Residency Requirement: At least five courses (20 credits) must be taken in residency at Binghamton University, including at least three courses (12 credits) at the 300 level or above and at least one advanced course (four credits) at the 400 level (e.g., a seminar, internship or independent study course).

For more information on the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies BA program, please refer to the WGSS website. To apply, please visit the University Admissions website.