Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies College of Letters & Science

Elizabeth Miller, Ph.D., Chair of the Department; term ends June 30, 2025

Department Office

1200 Hart Hall; 530-752-6429; Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies; Faculty

Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (GSW)

GSW 050 — Introduction to Critical Gender Studies (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to interdisciplinary, critical gender studies.The emergence of women’s, gender and feminist studies internationally, its links to women’s movements, and its influence within the various arts, humanities and social science disciplines.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 070 — Theory & History of Sexualities (4 units)

Course Description: Key issues in the social construction, organization, and reproduction of sexualities such as the intersection of sexual identity with gender, race, ethnicity, and class, and the relation between movements for sexual liberation and the regulation of the body.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Credit Limitation(s): Not open for credit to students who have taken former course WMS 070.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 080 — Special Topics in Critical Gender Studies (4 units)

Course Description: In-depth examination of a women and gender studies topic related to the research interest of the instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 1 time(s) when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Social Sciences (SS); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 090X — First Year Seminar (2 units)

Course Description: Examination of a special topic in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies through shared readings, discussions, and written assignments.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 2 hours(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH).

GSW 098 — Directed Group Study (1-5 units)

Course Description: Directed group study.Learning Activities: Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor. Enrollment Restrictions: Credit Limitation(s): Cross Listing: Repeat Credit: General Education: Grade Mode: Passed/Not Passed only.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.

GSW 099 — Special Study for Undergraduates (1-5 units)

Course Description: Special study for undergraduate students.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/Not Passed only.

GSW 102 — Colonialism (4 units)

Course Description: Changing configurations of gender, class, culture and sexuality in colonial pacification and anti-colonial resistance in diverse societies.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 4 hour(s).
  • Credit Limitation(s): Not open for credit to students who have taken former course WMS 102.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 103 — Introduction to Feminist Theory (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to the emergence of feminist theory and to key concepts in feminist theorizing. Examination of past and current debates over sexuality, race, identity politics, and the social construction of women's experience.

Prerequisite(s): GSW 050.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One open to GSW Majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 139 — Feminist Cultural Studies (4 units)

Course Description: Histories, theories, and practices of feminist traditions within cultural studies.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: AMS 139.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 148 — Science, Gender, & Social Justice (4 units)

Course Description: Critical reading and reflection on the history and practice of Western science, scientific institutions and the changing role of science in relation to inequalities of class, race, gender and sexuality, and global struggles for equality and justice.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Credit Limitation(s): Course cannot be counted for credit if former course WMS 148 has been taken.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Domestic Diversity (DD).

GSW 176 — Autobiography, Narrative, Memoir (4 units)

Course Description: Life narrative writings by women. Transgressive voices exploring issues of race, class, sexuality, women's silence, and marginalization. Theories of autobiography, autoethnography, and memoir.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s); Discussion 1 hour(s); Term paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 1 time(s) when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 179 — Literature as Aesthetics of Resistance (4 units)

Course Description: Literature by women and other marginal groups which embody dissent and subversion as a means of challenging the status quo to affect social transformation.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 185 — Women & Islamic Discourses (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to debates/discourses about women and Islam. Transformations in debates/discourses in colonial and postcolonial periods in the Middle East & South Asia. Comparative study of debates/discourses on family, work, law, sexuality, religion, comportment, human rights, and feminist and religious movements.

Prerequisite(s): GSW 050; or comparable course.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: MSA 150.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC).

GSW 190 — Senior Seminar (4 units)

Course Description: Capstone course for senior GSW majors, which focuses on current issues in feminism as they impact theory, public policy, and practice.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to GSW majors with senior standing only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 192 — (GSW) Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (1-12 units)

Course Description: Supervised internship and study in positions or institutional settings dealing with gender-related problems or issues, for example, a women's center, affirmative action office, advertising agency, or social welfare agency. Final written report on internship experience required.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of 84 units; enrollment is dependent on the availability of intern positions with priority given to GSW majors; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Intership 3-36 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

GSW 194HA — Senior Honors Project in Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (4-6 units)

Course Description: In consultation with an advisor, students complete a substantial research paper or significant creative project on a GSW topic.

Prerequisite(s): Senior standing; GSW major; advisor's approval; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Independent Study 12 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Writing Experience (WE).

GSW 194HB — Senior Honors Project in Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (4-6 units)

Course Description: In consultation with an advisor, students complete a substantial research paper or significant creative project on a GSW topic.

Prerequisite(s): Senior standing; GSW major; advisor's approval; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Independent Study 12 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS).

GSW 197T — Tutoring in Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (1-4 units)

Course Description: Leading small, voluntary discussion groups affiliated with a Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies course.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Tutorial 3-12 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 8 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

GSW 198 — Directed Group Study (1-5 units)

Course Description: Directed Group Study.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Must be Upper Division Standing.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/Not Passed only.

GSW 199 — Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5 units)

Course Description: Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/Not Passed only.

GSW 200A — Current Issues in Feminist Theory (4 units)

Course Description: Current issues in feminist theory; techniques employed to build feminist theory in various fields.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Credit Limitation(s): Not open for credit to students who have taken former course WMS 200A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

GSW 200B — Feminism & Research Methodology (4 units)

Course Description: Application of feminist epistemology and ethics in the design of graduate research.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor;students are required to have Bachelor's Level Competency in Gender Studies.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Graduate Students only.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 1 time(s) when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

GSW 201 — Special Topics in Feminist Theory & Research (4 units)

Course Description: In-depth exploration of a topic of feminist theory and research related to the interests of the instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit when topic differs
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

GSW 299 — Special Study for Graduate Students (1-12 units)

Course Description: Special study for graduate students.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-12 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

GSW 299D — Dissertation Research & Writing (4 units)

Course Description: Dissertation Research & Writing.

Prerequisite(s): GSW 200A; GSW 200B; consent of instructor; fulfillment of course requirements for DE in Feminist Theory Research; advancement to candidacy.

  • Learning Activities: Independent Study.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

GSW 396 — Teaching Assistant Training Practicum (1-4 units)

Course Description: Teaching assistant training practicum.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-4 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.