Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies - Undergraduate Minor
Brings feminist and queer theory in conversation with research in the humanities, social sciences, liberal arts, and natural sciences
About Our Program
The Interdisciplinary Minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies (WGSS) brings feminist and queer theory in conversation with research in the humanities, social sciences, liberal arts, and natural sciences through courses offered across the four academic divisions of the College in conjunction with other units across the university. An overall aim of the minor will be to teach critical analysis of how gender as a social construct informs our experiences and identities, the interrelationships between gender, sexualities, race, class, nation, and ability, and to connect such inquiry to issues within the local and global arenas.
The minor will provide opportunities for all students to broaden their understandings of the changing role of gender and sexualities in the United States and globally. WGSS courses teach students to think critically and rigorously about how assumptions about gender and/or sexualities operate in society, and how they influence social and political structures. The intersectional understanding and critical thinking developed through the WGSS minor are relevant skills for any career path. Students who plan careers in medicine, the creative arts, social work, education, counseling, law, therapy, academia, and business (among many others) will be enriched by adding a WGSS minor.
Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies is one of the fastest growing academic fields in the country, and scholars nationally and globally are increasingly grappling with the theoretical importance of the intersection of gender, race, class, and nation. Howard University is uniquely positioned to offer an innovative curriculum that highlights the intersections of racism and sexism, interrogates dominant constructions of gender, black masculinity, black femininity, and patriarchy.
Contact
Dr. J. Jarpa Dawuni
Program Co-Director
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
Email: Josephine.dawuni@howard.edu
Dr. Krista Johnson
Program Co-Director
Professor
Department of African Studies
Email: kmjohnson@howard.edu
Program Mission
The Interdisciplinary Minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies (WGSS) builds on the momentum present within the College of Arts and Sciences to introduce interdisciplinary curricular programs and is integral to Howard University’s commitment to intercultural competency, global learning, and academic excellence.
Learning Objectives
-
Teach students to understand and critique gender constructions, gender identities, and sexualities, how they intersect with race, class and nationality, and their function in social, economic, cultural and/or political environments
-
Teach students to communicate effectively using critical gender and sexuality frameworks to engage in academic research, creative production and practices of social change.
-
Teach students the historical development of black feminist and black queer theories and scholarship and to apply such critical perspective to new questions across disciplines.
Program Components
The Minor consists of two tracks:
Women and Gender Studies Track or Gender and Sexualities Track
Choose two required introductory courses (6 credit hours) from the list below:
- Women, Gender and Sexualities (POLS 137/IDSD 157)
- Black Feminist Theory (IDSD 111)
- Introduction to Black LGBTQ Studies (ENGL 286)
- Black Queer Politics (POLS 100)
Complete an additional 9 credit hours of electives from any courses on women, gender and sexualities.
Capstone Practicum Options
Capstone Practicum Options
*Requires prior approval by Program Directors
- Experiential learning through community engagement
- Experiential learning through the Howard Center for Women
- Project oriented study abroad
- National or international internships
- Capstone Research
Additional Information
Elective Courses on Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Howard:
- Not all courses are offered every semester. Refer to the schedule of courses for each term's specific offerings.
Students should reach out to individual professors with any questions about the class.
WGSS Undergraduate Electives
Black Women in America
Subject: AFRO
Course Number: 185
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Valethia A. Watkins
Black Women in America II
Subject: AFRO
Course Number: 186
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Amy Yeboah
Black Women in Visual Culture
Subject: ARTH
Course Number: 195
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Melanee C Harvey
Love in Antiquity
Subject: CLAS
Course Number: 114
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Molly M Levine
Women in the Ancient World
Subject: CLAS
Course Number: 113
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Artri Mehta
Intro to Black LGBTQ Studies
Subject: ENGL
Course Number: 286
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Jennifer D Williams
Human Sexuality
Subject: HHPL
Course Number: 153
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Deneen Nancy Long-White
Women's Health
Subject: HHPL
Course Number: 160
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 1
Professor(s): Sherelle Hessel Gordon, Deborah K Johnson, Roberta B Hollander
Health of Women, Child & Families
Subject: HHPL
Course Number: 165
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Daneen Nancy Long-White
African American Women in US HIstory I
Subject: HIST
Course Number: 147
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Kerri L Alexander
Seminar: Sex, Gender, Power in Atlantic
Subject: HIST
Course Number: 161
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Kay A Wright
Afro-American Women in US
Subject: HIST
Course Number: 747
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Elizabeth Clark-Lewis
Women in Literature
Subject: HUMA
Course Number: 107
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Joyce Ada Aileen Camper
Black Queer Politics
Subject: POLS
Course Number: 100
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Ravi Kumar Perry
Gender, Law & Politics
Subject: POLS
Course Number: 154
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Josephine J Dawuni
Psychology of Gender
Subject: PSYC
Course Number: 032
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Hope M Hill, Debra Roberts
Race, Class & Gender
Subject: SOCI
Course Number: 166
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Terri M Adams-Fuller
The Family
Subject: SOCI
Course Number: 180
School/College: AS
Credit Hours: 3
Professor(s): Lennox Yearwood