Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor

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The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) minor offers students anti-racist, intersectional, transnational feminist perspectives on systems of power in order to empower them to build a just, equitable society free of oppression. The curriculum focuses on the ways that sexism, racism, homo- and transphobia, classism, disabilism, and other forms of interpersonal and structural injustice such as religious bigotry and bias against immigrants reinforce each other. Emphasis is on developing critical consciousness leading to activism. The WGSS program prioritizes community engagement and values its relationships with community partners such as Black Lives Matter NWI-Gary, NWI AntiSexist ACTION, a regional coalition working for reproductive justice, Just Transition NWI, which offers community- and worker-centered solutions to environmental damage, Saving Our Families, a non-profit that serves families at risk, ex-offenders, and veterans, NWI National Organization for Women (NOW), and NWI chapters of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the League of Women Voters. The program is also an institutional member of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) and key instructors are members of the Black Women’s Studies Association (BWSA).

The program has hosted two Fulbright Scholars and numerous other international scholars and activists. Affiliated student organizations include the LGBTQ+ Alliance and the Intersectional Feminist Alliance (TIFA). Public presentations have featured PNW alumni Kirsten Markusic, Kayla Greenwell, Jencelyn King-Witzel, Kitty de LaSombra, Sophia Gibson, and Professor Lorrell Kilpatrick, who have addressed anti-racist activism, disablism, immigrant and transgender rights, and reproductive justice, as well as Kim McGee, Alex Watkins and Michael Santos who have shared their insights on regional organizing relating to anti-racism, health, and the environment.

The WGSS minor complements multiple majors, such as social work, education, sociology, psychology, marketing, business, economics, political science, history, health sciences, nursing, and more. Contact Professor Colette Morrow for more information: cmmorrow@pnw. ed u

Course Requirements (15 Credit Hours)

Required Course (3 Credits)

WGSS 28000 Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies* Credit Hours: 3.00

*This course is a prerequisite for other offerings in this program

Elective Courses (12 Credits)

Four (4) courses in Women’s Studies:

WGSS/ENGL 31200 Ethnic American Women Writers Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 31300 African American Women’s Fiction Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 32000 By And About Women Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 32300 Sexual Identity In Literature Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 32400 International Women’s Literature Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 34000 Literature By Women Of Color Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/ENGL 33600 Mothers and Daughters in Literature Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/F&N 20800 Nutrition In Women’s Health Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/COM 40500 The Rhetoric of Women’s Rights Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/COM 47000 Women In The Media Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/HIST 36500 Women In America Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/PSY 34900 Psychology Of Women Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/SOC 35000 Social Psychology Of Marriage Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS/SOC 45000 Sex Roles In Modern Society Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 28200 Introduction To LGBT Studies Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 38000 Gender And Multiculturalism Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 38100 Women Of Color In The United States Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 38300 Women And Work Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 48000 Feminist Theory Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 48200 Interdisciplinary Studies In Sexuality: Scholarship On Lesbian And Gay Issues Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 48300 Global Feminisms Credit Hours: 3.00

WGSS 49200 Practicum In WGSS Credit Hours: 3.00