Undergraduate Program Requirements

Requirements for Those Declared AFTER Summer 2020

The Bachelor of Arts major in women and gender studies requires 30 semester hours of WGST -prefix and WGST-attribute courses passed with a grade of “C-” or better and a maximum of 12 hours below the 30000 level. A minor in any field is required (unless student has a second major). Reminder: A Bachelor of Arts at TCU has associated foreign language requirements.

1.) Foundational Courses (15 hours)

Three required courses:

• WGST 20003 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
• WGST 30503 Foundations in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• WGST 50103 Feminist/Queer Inquiry

Two courses from the following:

• WGST 30193 Queer Theories
• WGST 30203 Social Justice Organizing & Activism
• WGST 30303 Feminisms of Color
• WGST 30403 Transnational Gender & Sexuality

2.) Elective Courses (12 hours)
Four courses from among WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses. Courses may not be counted in more than one category of requirements for the major. No more than two of the elective courses may be in any single discipline (excluding WGST-prefix courses).

A list of approved courses can be found on the department website and will be maintained by the department and the registrar.

Note: No more than TWO courses from another institution may count for elective credit toward the BA.

3.) Senior Capstone Project or Thesis (3 hours)
WGST 40350 Senior Capstone Project/Thesis

Requirements for Those Declared BEFORE Summer 2020

The Bachelor of Arts major in Women & Gender Studies emphasizes interdisciplinarity and theory. The BA requires 30 semester hours of WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses passed with a grade of “C-” or better and a maximum of 12 hours below the 30000 level. A minor in any field is required (unless student has a second major). Reminder: a Bachelor of Arts at TCU has associated foreign language requirements.

1.) Foundational Courses (15 hours)
Three required courses:

• WGST 20003 Introduction to Women & Gender Studies
• WGST 40003 Advanced Seminar in Women & Gender Studies (Spring Only)
• WGST 50103 Feminist Inquiry: Theory & Praxis (Fall Only)

Two courses from the following:

• WGST 30193 Queer Theories (Fall Only)
• WGST 30203 Intersectional Activism & Social Justice (Fall Only)
• WGST 30303 Women of Color Feminisms in a US Context (Spring Only)
• WGST 30403 Transnational Gender & Sexuality (Spring Only)

2.) Electives (15 hours)

• Five courses from among WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses.

Courses cannot be counted in more than one category of requirements for the major.
No more than two of the elective courses can be in any single discipline (excluding WGST-prefix courses).

A list of WGST-approved elective courses can be found on the Undergraduate Courses page.

Note: No more than TWO courses from another institution may count for elective credit toward the BA.

Requirements for those declared AFTER summer 2020

The Bachelor of Science major in women and gender studies requires 33 semester hours of WGST -prefix and WGST-attribute courses passed with a grade of “C-” or better and a maximum of 12 hours below the 30000 level; and 3 credits of associated requirements. A minor in any field is required (unless student has a second major).

1.) Foundational Courses (15 hours)

Three required courses:

• WGST 20003 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
• WGST 30503 Foundations in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• WGST 50103 Feminist/Queer Inquiry

Two courses from the following:

• WGST 30193 Queer Theories
• WGST 30303 Feminisms of Color
• WGST 30403 Transnational Gender & Sexuality

2.) Application and Activism (12 hours)

Two required courses:

• WGST 30203 Social Justice Organizing & Activism
• WGST 49003 Internship in Women and Gender Studies

Two application & activism electives:

• Two courses from a pre-approved list of application and activism courses from among WGST-attribute courses. This list of approved courses can be found on the program website and will be maintained by the program.

3.) Elective Course (3 hours)
One course from among WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses. Courses may not be counted in more than one category of requirements for the major. A list of approved courses can be found on the department website and will be maintained by the department and the registrar.

This list of approved courses can be found on the program website and will be maintained by the program and the registrar.

Note: No more than ONE course from another institution may count for elective credit toward the BS.

4.) Senior Capstone Project or Thesis (3 hours)

• WGST 40350 Senior Capstone Project/Thesis

5.) Associated Requirement (3 hours)
Please note: as associated requirements, these courses may be used to fulfill the requirements of another major or minor.

One of the following classes in math/statistics:

• MATH 10043 Elementary Statistics
• MATH 30853 Statistics
• INSC 20153 Statistical Analysis

Requirements for Those Declared BEFORE Summer 2020

The Bachelor of Science major in Women & Gender Studies emphasizes application and activism. The BS requires 30 semester hours of WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses passed with a grade of “C-” or better and a maximum of 12 hours below the 30000 level; and 6 credits of associated requirements. A minor in any field is required (unless student has a second major).
1.) Foundational Courses (12 hours) 
Two required courses:

• WGST 20003 Introduction to Women & Gender Studies
• WGST 40003 Advanced Seminar in Women & Gender Studies (Spring Only)

Two courses from the following:

• WGST 50103 Feminist Inquiry: Theory & Praxis (Fall Only)
• WGST 30193 Queer Theories (Fall Only)
• WGST 30303 Women of Color Feminisms a US Context (Spring Only)
• WGST 30403 Transnational Gender & Sexuality (Spring Only)

2.) Application and Activism (12 hours) 
Two required courses:

• WGST 30203 Intersectional Activism & Social Justice (Fall Only)
• WGST 49003 Internship
• Two courses from a pre-approved list of Application and Activism courses from among WGST-attribute courses. This list of approved courses can be found on the  Application and Activism Electives page.

3.) Electives (6 hours) 

• Two courses from among WGST-prefix and WGST-attribute courses. Courses cannot be counted in more than one category of requirements for the major.

A list of WGST-approved elective courses can be found on the Undergraduate Courses page.

Note: No more than ONE course from another institution may count for elective credit toward the BS.

4.) Associated Requirements (6 hours) 
Please note: as associated requirements, these courses may be used to fulfill the requirements of another major or minor.
One of the following classes in math/statistics:

• MATH 10043 Elementary Statistics
• MATH 30853 Statistics
• INSC 20153  Statistical Analysis

One of the following classes in research methods

• ANTH 30383 Qualitative Research and Ethnography
• COMM 30283 Communication Inquiry
• CRES 30003 Interdisciplinary Inquiry
• ECON 40313 Econometrics
• GEOG 30323 Data Analysis and Visualization
• POSC 20093 Scope and Methods of Political Science
• SOCI 30383 Research Methods in Sociology
• SOCI 40383 Topics Applied Social Research –Ethnography
• SOWO 40813 Research Methods in Social Work
• STCO 35503  Research

The minor and the emphasis in women and gender studies are designed to provide students theoretical frameworks for recovering and analyzing women’s experiences as part of a larger investigation of gender and difference, and to offer opportunities to study disciplines through these frameworks.

Students seeking the minor complete 18 hours: two required courses (WGST 20003 and WGST 30503) and a choice of four additional courses from an approved list (see below). In choosing these courses, students take no more than two courses from any single discipline (excluding WGST prefix courses). Students who minor in women and gender studies must choose whether WGST-approved courses in their major discipline will count toward the major or the minor. No course may count for both.

Required Courses

• WGST 20003 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
• WGST 30503 Foundations in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

A list of approved courses can be found on the department website and will be maintained by the department and registrar.

Note: No more than TWO courses from another institution may count for elective credit toward the minor.

Students seeking the emphasis in women and gender studies complete 15 hours: either WGST 20003 or WGST 30503 and a choice of four additional courses from the approved list. Emphasis students may count WGST-approved courses toward both their major and the emphasis, and may also concentrate their WGST electives in a single discipline. Emphasis students in programs requiring a minor must complete a minor in another disciplinary field.

Note: No more than ONE course from another institution may count for elective credit toward the emphasis.

Departmental Honors Overview of Goals and Duties (revised 9.30.19)

Additional WGST Policies for Departmental Honors for Majors/Minors:

• In general, Honors Theses will count as one elective (3 hours) of elective credit toward the major or minor, but a student may petition the chair for the second semester of elective credit (3 hours) to count as an elective if:
  • Two distinct sets of knowledge and skills are displayed, even if the project is on the same topic
  • The second semester project includes more than simply reporting findings from the first semester
  • There is a focus on praxis – using theoretical framework in application—in the second semester
  • Knowledge and skillsets BOTH relate to WGST

Students who graduate with a degree in Women & Gender Studies will meet the following Student Learning Outcomes:

• SLO 1: Students will apply threshold concepts in the field of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies (i.e. social construction of gender, sex, and sexuality; intersectionality; privilege and oppression; feminist praxis) to analyze diverse texts, contexts, and/or sites.
• SLO 2: Students will assess significant works of scholarship in the discipline of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. 
• SLO 3: Students will employ methods for doing research in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. 
• SLO 4: Students will create and execute activist projects focused on social justice. 
• SLO 5 (BS Only): Students will apply core principles of the field in their work with a community organization.