BA with a Major in Gender and Women’s Studies

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and program degree requirements. The Gender and Women’s Studies Program degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

Summary of Requirements
Major Requirements33
General Education and Electives to reach minimum Total Hours87
Total Hours120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Required Courses
GWS 101Gender in Everyday Life a,b3
GWS 102Global Perspectives on Women and Gender a,c3
GWS 292History and Theories of Feminism d3
GWS 390Feminism and Social Change3
Select one course from three of the following four categories: e9
Culture and Representation
Study of Gender, Class, and Political Issues in German Texts
Latin American Women Writers in Translation
Gender and Popular Culture
Sex and Gender in the Ancient World
Women in Russian Literature
Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Literature
Women and Literature
Introduction to Middle East and Muslim Feminisms
Reading Black Women Writing
Race, Gender, and Sexuality
Gender in Latin America
Latinas in the United States
Topics in Gender and Women's Studies f
Gender and Communcation
Gender and Sexuality in Early Christianity and Judaism
Gender Theory
Gender and Sexuality in Literature
Topics in Black Feminist and Queer Studies
Advanced Seminar in Queer and Trans Studies
Gender and Cultural Production
Women and Film
Asian America and Transnational Feminism
AIDS, Politics and Culture
Women's Literary Traditions
Science, Health, and the Body
Disability, Race, Class and Gender
Biology of Women
Constructions of Gender, Race, Health, and Human Rights
Topics in Gender and Women's Studies f
Psychology of Women and Gender
AIDS, Politics and Culture
Public Health Aspects of Sexuality and Women's Health
Feminism, Social Policy, and the State
Comparative Social Movements
Gender and Society
Sex Roles: Moral and Political Issues
Afro Asian Solidarities
Women and Gender in American History
Constructions of Gender, Race, Health, and Human Rights
Gender in Latin America
Latinas in the United States
Topics in Gender and Women's Studies f
Constitutional Law: Women, Gender and Privacy
Topics in Black Feminist and Queer Studies
Women and Gender in the Middle East
Gender, Crime, and Justice
Sociology of Gender
Asian/Asian American Women in the Global Economy
Advanced Seminar in Feminism and Justice
AIDS, Politics and Culture
Women in Chinese History
Topics in the History of Women
Gender and Politics
Sexuality and Society
Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies
Gender and Popular Culture
Sex and Gender in the Ancient World
Gender and Society
Sex Roles: Moral and Political Issues
Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Literature
Sexuality in America: Historical Perspectives
Asian American Gender and Sexual Diversity
Race, Gender, and Sexuality
Topics in the Study of Sexuality
Topics in Gender and Women's Studies f
Gender and Communcation
Gender and Sexuality in Early Christianity and Judaism
Queer Theory
Gender and Sexuality in Literature
Queer Histories
Advanced Seminar in Queer and Trans Studies
AIDS, Politics and Culture
Topics in the History of Women
Advanced Topics in the Study of Sexuality
Four additional GWS courses12
Total Hours33
a

This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category. 

b

This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category. 

c

This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category. 

d

GWS 292 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. 

e

Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog to determine if any of the courses on these lists are approved General Education courses. 

f

GWS 294 can fulfill various categories depending on the topic offered. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which category GWS 294 fulfills in a given semester.

Of the 33 hours required for the major, no more than 9 hours can be at the 100 level and at least 6 hours must be at the 400 level. The same course cannot count toward more than one category requirement for the major. No more than 3 hours of GWS 396 may be applied to the major.

Recommended Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
Quantitative Reasoning a 3-5
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3-5
 Hours13-17
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
GWS 101
Gender in Everyday Life b
or Global Perspectives on Women and Gender
3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3-5
General Education Requirement course 3
 Hours16-18
Second Year
Fall Semester
GWS 101
Gender in Everyday Life b
or Global Perspectives on Women and Gender
3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3-5
 Hours16-18
Spring Semester
GWS 292 History and Theories of Feminism 3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course/Elective 3
Electives 3-5
 Hours16-18
Third Year
Fall Semester
GWS Distribution course 3
GWS Elective 2-3
General Education Requirement course/Elective 3
Electives 6-9
 Hours14-18
Spring Semester
GWS Distribution course 3
GWS Elective 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
GWS Distribution course 3
GWS Elective 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
Spring Semester
GWS 390 Feminism and Social Change 3
GWS Elective 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
 Total Hours120
a

Students may need to complete prerequisite courses before fulfilling the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement. 

b

Two of these courses may be used to satisfy two of the nine courses in the General Education requirement.