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Gender & Women's Studies

Degree Overview: Four Years

Gender and Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that explores relations of power in the lives of individuals, groups and cultures in multiple settings and sites locally and transnationally. Our challenging courses on women and gender analyze constructions and intersections of gender, race, class, age, ability and sexuality in popular culture, everyday life, the arts, the sciences, politics, societies, and the economy. We encourage students to engage individually and collectively in the transformative processes of feminist scholarship, practices, and politics. Gender and women's studies students develop the practical, theoretical, communications and organization skills to think, write, conduct research and act critically and creatively. Students will gain the skills necessary to conduct research and transform the knowledge gained into any future career they may choose, including an ongoing career as a graduate student.

The School of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies unites academic resources at York University in gender and women's and sexuality studies, bringing together the undergraduate and graduate programs, the non-credit Bridging Program for Women, and the Centre for Feminist Research.

A feature which distinguishes the Gender and Women's Studies program offered at Glendon from the program offered in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies is its bilingual focus. Courses may be taken in English or in French at the Glendon Campus and in English in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

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Your first year will introduce you to the university environment, provide you with your mandatory course in GWST, offer you general education course choices, and expose you to the general topics of the Program.

*GSWS 1501A 9.00/Intro to Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies (Core)

GSWS 1511 6.00/Sex, Gender & Popular Culture (Major Credit)

GWST 1502 6.00 Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies (Core, Glendon)

SXST1600 6.00 Introduction a l'etude de la sexualite (Major Credit, Glendon)

General Education Requirements:
9.0 credit from Humanities or Social Science
6.0 credit from Humanities or Social Science (whichever is not taken in 1)
6.0 credit from Natural Science

In your second year, you will deepen your critical engagement with key topics in the field of Gender & Women's Studies through optional GWST and SXST (cross-listed to GWST) courses.

*GSWS 2512 6.00 ONLN/Race, Gender and Sexuality (Major Credit)

GSWS 2517 6.00/Activisms in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies (Major Credit)

GSWS 2600 6.00/Critical Foundations in Sexuality Studies (Major Credit)

In the third year, you will explore the Program's specialized fields while focusing more on your particular interests through optional GWST and SXST (cross-listed to GWST) courses.

GSWS 3505 3.00/Gender and the City (Major Credit)

*GSWS 3555 6.00/Feminist & Queer Theorizing (Core)

GSWS 3567 6.00/Feminist Life Writing: Theories, Histories, Practices and Methods (Major Credit)

GSWS 3568 6.00/Indigenous Feminisms (Major Credit)

GWST3573 3.0 Beyoncé Studies: Feminist Debates (Major Credit, Glendon)

In the fourth year, your classes will be smaller, and you will have several optional GWST and SXST (cross-listed to GWST) course options.

GWST 4509 3.00/Anti-Racist Feminism (Major Credit)

GSWS 4531 6.00 BLEN/Work Placement in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies (Major Credit)

GSWS 4524 6.00 BLEN/Feminist Graphic Narratives (Major Credit)

* GSWS 4555 6.00/How to do Research: Feminist & Queer Methods (Core)GWST 4509 3.00 (F)/Anti-Racist Feminism (Major Credit)

Students may pursue a BA major, Honours Major BA, Honours Major/Minor BA, Honours Double Major BA, Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA, Specialized Honours BA, or Honours Minor BA in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. For specific program requirements, please consult the relevant Programs of Study section. Please also book an advising appointment with your LA&PS Advisor Stefanie Caputo (slcaputo@yorku.ca) to review your progress through your chosen program option.

For more information, please visit the Courses website and LA&PS Academic Advising.