Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Major

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Major, B.A.

The following is a sample degree plan, based on the current catalog. It is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year.

To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Core General Education Requirements (CGER). CGER course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as CGER CL, CGER HA, and CGER NSWL to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of the course. Please click here for a description of the outcomes and requirements.

Students in this major have the option to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The degrees are distinguished by second language competency for the B.A. and a higher level of mathematics competency for the B.S.

FIRST YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
WRIT 114Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (CGER CL)5
OR
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (CGER CL)
OR
Accelerated Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (CGER CL, 2 credits)
Math Competency (CGER MQR)4
SECOND SEMESTER
WGSS Elective3
101-level Second Language (CGER CL)4
SOME TIME IN THE FIRST YEAR
WGSS 100Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (prereq for WGSS 300 and 335; CGER CL; offered in fall and spring)3
CGER Course Option3
CGER Option: Natural Sciences & Wellness with Lab (NSWL)4
Course in Minor/Certificate3
TOTAL27-29
SECOND YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
WGSS 300Introduction to Feminist Theories (prereq for WGSS 490; offered in the fall and spring)3
Course in Minor/Certificate 3
SECOND SEMESTER
WGSS 206Perspectives in LGBTQ Studies3
Course in Minor/Certificate 3
SOME TIME IN THE SECOND YEAR
102-level Second Language (CGER CL)4
CGER Option: Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS)3
WGSS Elective3
WGSS (300-400) Elective3
CGER Option: Natural Sciences & Wellness (NSW)3
CGER Option: Humanities & Arts (HA)3
TOTAL31
THIRD YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
WGSS 335Transnational Feminism (Global Feminism (CGER CP), offered in the fall and spring)3
Course in Minor/Certificate (300-400) 3
SECOND SEMESTER
WGSS (300-400) Elective3
Course in Minor/Certificate (300-400) 3
SOME TIME IN THE THIRD YEAR
WGSS (300-400) Elective 3
CGER Option: Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS)3
CGER Option: Civics & Perspectives (CP)3
Course in Minor/Certificate 3
WGSS (300-400) Elective3
CGER Course Option3
TOTAL30
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
WGSS 490Feminist Analysis and Practices: Interdisciplinary Themes (Only offered in the fall)3
Course in Minor/Certificate 3
SECOND SEMESTER
WGSS 498Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Internship (only offered in the spring)1-3
Course in Minor/Certificate 3
SOME TIME IN THE FOURTH YEAR
CGER Option: Civics & Perspectives (CP)3
CGER Course Option (300-400)3
Elective (300-400) 3
CGER Option: Humanities & Arts (HA)3
Elective3
Elective (300-400) 3
TOTAL30

Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits

NOTES

  1. At least 12 credits in the major must be earned at the 300-400 level (required courses may count towards this requirement).
  2. Students must complete 120 credits in order to complete their degree.
  3. Students must complete 39 upper division credits.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs)
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study Abroad, Intercultural Immersion, Internship, and/or Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.

Required: Students in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program complete an internship in their final academic year.

Optional: Students can study abroad in India. These 3-week faculty-led programs are offered during every other Winterim session and may be substituted for WGSS 335.

Core General Education Requirements (CGER)

Core General Education Requirements (CGER) 

The Core General Education Requirements (CGER) includes a minimum of 10 courses across 6 categories. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in courses approved for the CGER Core. 

  • Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning (MQR) - 4 credits, one course minimum
    • Includes the University Mathematics Requirement¹
  • Communication & Literacy (CL) - 8 credits, two courses minimum
    • ​​​​Includes the University Writing Requirement (CL-W)²
  • Natural Sciences & Wellness (NSW/NSWL) - 6 credits, one course minimum (NSW-Lab required)
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS) - 6 credits, two courses minimum 
  • Humanities & Arts (HA) - 6 credits, two courses minimum 
  • Civics & Perspectives (CP) - 6 credits, two courses minimum 
1

University Mathematics Requirement:

Students satisfy the University Mathematics Requirement in one of four ways:

  • completing an approved university-level mathematics course (MQR) with a grade of C (not C-) or above
  • achieving a suitable score on the UW Math Placement Test
  • achieving a suitable score on an exam such as the Advanced Placement Calculus or Advanced Placement Statistics exams
  • achieving a suitable score on a Credit by Examination administered by the Department of Mathematics.  
2

University Writing Requirement:

Students satisfy the University Writing Requirement in one of four ways:

  • completing a Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing course (WRIT 102WRIT 114WRIT 116WRIT 118, or WRIT 120) with a grade of C (not C-) or above
  • achieving a suitable score on the English Placement Test (WPT ENGL)
  • achieving a suitable score on an exam such as the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition or Advanced Placement English Language and Composition exams
  • achieving a suitable score on the University Writing Program Portfolio.
Completion via Placement Test
  • Writing: If the CL-W subcategory is satisfied through a placement test, the CGER Communication and Literacy requirement will be reduced from 8 credits (2 courses) to 3 credits (1 course).

  • Mathematics: If the University Math Requirement is satisfied through a placement test, the CGER Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning requirement will be considered fully met, replacing the 4-credit (1 course) requirement.

  • Students must still complete 36 credits across 10 courses, with any remaining credits or courses eligible to be taken from any CGER category.