This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:
Program core outcomes
- Demonstrate strong critical thinking skills that connect theory to action
- Employ multiple theories informed by intersectionality
- Demonstrate critical engagement with multiple epistemologies and methods of research
- Articulate the ways diverse feminisms converge and diverge in the 21st century
- Articulate contexts for intellectual, academic and artistic activism
Health, society and social justice concentration-specific outcome
- Demonstrate critical engagement with the socio-political aspects of what constitutes health and wellness
Special requirements
A Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies requires a total of 120 credits with 30 credits in GSWS courses and at least 15 of these credits in upper-level courses. Students may choose a general interdisciplinary program or a health, society and social justice concentration.
All students must complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in the College of Humanities and Sciences. All students also must complete core course requirements of GSWS 301, GSWS 401 and GSWS 493 with the ancillary requirement of GSWS 201.
Students in the health, society and social justice concentration must take GSWS 393, in addition to three credits from the race, racism and anti-racism area and 12 credits from the health, society and social justice perspectives area.
The remaining credits in the major are electives, but must be GSWS courses or courses in other departments that have been approved by the major’s adviser. These electives may include GSWS 391, GSWS 491 or GSWS 492. Note, however, that an independent study is permitted only after the student has an agreement with a supervising faculty member and permission from the major’s adviser.
Degree requirements Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in health, society and social justice
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| GSWS 301 | Feminist Theory | 3 |
| GSWS 401 | Topical Senior Seminar | 3 |
| GSWS 493 | Internship | 3 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| GSWS 393 | Feminist Research and Methods of Inquiry | 3 |
| GSWS race, racism and anti-racism perspective course | 3 | |
| • Concentration requirements | ||
| GSWS health, society and social justice perspective courses | 12 | |
| • Major electives | ||
| GSWS electives | 3 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| GSWS 201 | Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| Experiential fine arts 1 | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement) | 0-6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 50-58 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Courses offered by the School of the Arts
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Perspective areas
Note: A course listed in two different areas may not be used to fulfill both area requirements for the major. Some courses may have prerequisites to meet before enrollment.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Race, racism and anti-racism | ||
| GSWS 291 | Topics in Women's Studies (when the topic deals with race, racism and anti-racism) | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM/SOCY 305 | Oppression, Resilience and the Black Family | 3 |
| GSWS 309 | Gender and Global Health | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM/POLI 318 | Politics of Race, Class and Gender | 3 |
| GSWS/POLI 319 | Women and American Politics | 3 |
| GSWS 356 | Open Minds | 3 |
| GSWS 359/ENGL 355 | Black Women Writers | 3 |
| GSWS 360 | Mujerista Ethics | 3 |
| GSWS 361 | Decolonial Feminisms | 3 |
| GSWS 366/INTL 368/POLI 366 | Women and Global Politics | 3 |
| GSWS/RELS 371 | Women in Islam | 3 |
| GSWS/CRJS 382 | Gender, Crime and Justice | 3 |
| GSWS 383 | Beyoncé: Music, Race and Fame | 3 |
| GSWS 384 | Queer Nightlife | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM/HIST 390 | Forced and Coerced Labor in Africa and the Americas | 3 |
| GSWS 391 | Topics in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (when the topic deals with race, racism and anti-racism) | 3 |
| GSWS 415 | Black Performance Theory | 3 |
| GSWS 450 | Black Feminist Thought | 3 |
| GSWS 451 | Narratives of Asian American Sexualities | 3 |
| GSWS 460 | Gender, Sexuality and HIV In African Literature | 3 |
| GSWS 470 | Latinx Feminisms | 3 |
| GSWS 491 | Topics in Women's Studies (when the topic deals with race, racism or anti-racism) | 3 |
| Health, society and social justice | ||
| GSWS/AFAM/ANTH/INTL 309 | Gender and Global Health | 3 |
| GSWS/SOCY 333 | Gender in Society | 3 |
| GSWS/SOCY 334 | Sociology of Women | 3 |
| GSWS/PSYC 335 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| GSWS/SOCY 336 | Violence Against Women | 3 |
| GSWS 392 | Gender and Health Across the Life Span | 3 |
| GSWS 409 | LGBTQ Health and Wellness | 3 |
| GSWS/PSYC 414 | Psychology of Women's Health | 3 |
| GSWS 460 | Gender, Sexuality and HIV In African Literature | 3 |
| GSWS 461 | HIV, Memory and Queer Archives | 3 |
| GSWS 491 | Topics in Women's Studies (when the topic deals with health, society and social justice) | 3 |
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University (or open elective) | 1 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| GSWS 201 | Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open electives | 5 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| GSWS 301 | Feminist Theory | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| GSWS race, racism and anti-racism perspective | 3 | |
| Foreign language (101-level) | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Experiential fine arts | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language (102-level) | 3 | |
| GSWS health, society and social justice perspective | 3 | |
| GSWS health, society and social justice perspective | 3 | |
| Open electives | 4 | |
| Term Hours: | 14-16 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| GSWS 393 | Feminist Research and Methods of Inquiry | 3 |
| GSWS health, society and social justice perspectives | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| GSWS elective | 3 | |
| GSWS health, society and social justice perspective | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| GSWS 401 | Topical Senior Seminar | 3 |
| GSWS elective | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| GSWS 493 | Internship | 3 |
| Open electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120-122 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.