Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies (GSWS) at Southern Oregon University is an interdisciplinary program emphasizing the teaching and study of gender, sexuality, and women in society, culture, and history. The courses in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies examine the numerous ways in which gender and sexuality intersects with multiple social forces and shapes human experience.

Students learn about themselves and the world through critical thinking and personal and social empowerment. Integrating various disciplines, GSWS provides a supportive and challenging liberal arts education through a distinct interpretive framework. At SOU, GSWS emphasizes the relationship of classroom learning to social awareness and community involvement. In addition to providing general education courses, the program offers a minor, drawing on courses from departments and programs housed across the university. We also participate in the Interdisciplinary Studies Major, as both a primary and secondary field.

Students may also enroll in the Interdisciplinary Studies Major with Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies as either a primary or secondary area. For more information about the Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies minor, contact the program chair.

Program Requirements

Programs

• Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, BA or BS

• Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• Certificate in Transgender Studies

• Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Minor

Courses

• GSWS 199 - Special Topics
• GSWS 201 - Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• GSWS 202 - Community Building in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• GSWS 210 - Violence Prevention
• GSWS 221 - Gender, Race, and Fandoms
• GSWS 222 - Gender, Race, and Food Studies
• GSWS 299 - Special Topics
• GSWS 300 - Explorations in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• GSWS 301 - Global Gender Movements
• GSWS 302 - Contemporary U.S. Women’s Movements
• GSWS 310 - Intersectionality
• GSWS 311 - Masculinities
• GSWS 312 - Trans and Nonbinary Activism
• GSWS 313 - Fat Studies: Bodies, Culture, and Politics
• GSWS 315 - Disability Justice
• GSWS 321 - Media Studies in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• GSWS 330 - Race, Gender, Sexuality, and the Economy
• GSWS 341 - Thinking Queerly: Exploring Queer Studies
• GSWS 342 - LGBT2QIA+ Lives and Communities
• GSWS 343 - Gender, Race, and the Body
• GSWS 344 - LGBT2QIA+ Health
• GSWS 399 - Special Studies
• GSWS 401 - Research
• GSWS 405 - Reading and Conference
• GSWS 407 - Seminar
• GSWS 409 - Practicum
• GSWS 410 - Feminist and Queer Theory in Action
• GSWS 411 - Theories in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
• GSWS 413 - Feminist Philosophy and Theory
• GSWS 417 - Sexual Politics in U.S. History
• GSWS 495a - Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Capstone I
• GSWS 495b - Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Capstone II
• GSWS 495c - Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Capstone III
• GSWS 501 - Graduate Research
• GSWS 505 - Reading and Conference
• GSWS 507 - Seminar
• GSWS 509 - Practicum