Learn more about the Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies program including areas of study, your degree options, selecting courses, advising services, student supports and funding your studies.
General
It is an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts (BA) program housed within the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS). Bridging critical theory with practice, the program focuses on challenging systems of oppression, amplifying marginalized voices and driving social change. Through diverse theoretical frameworks, students critically investigate socio-political movements, local and global identities, intersectional social freedoms, and how privilege impacts the environment, the workplace and human relationships. Visit our website for more information.
You will dive into pressing contemporary issues from interdisciplinary, transnational and decolonial perspectives. Specific areas of study include feminism, sexuality and intersectionality, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on marginalized communities, transnational politics and Indigenous feminisms, reproductive rights and healthcare technologies, and how interlocking questions of race, class, gender, nation and ability shape history and identity.
The program builds practical communication, theoretical analysis and organizational skills. Graduates pursue careers in both the public and private sectors, including fields such as law and policy analysis, social work and counseling/therapy, non-profit and advocacy work, business and corporate sectors, the arts, film and theatre. Many alumni use this degree as a foundation for professional degrees or post-graduate academic work. You will meet some of our alumni who are invited to share their professional experiences with you in our classes as well as in professional development seminars and you will benefit from one-on-one mentoring through our program’s Feminist Futures Peer Support Initiative (learn more under the ‘Student Support and Experience’ section below.)
If you are applying through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), the program code is YRF.
If you are a returning student looking to continue your studies, you only need to visit the Reactivate My Account portal on the York website.
Degree Options
The program allows you to customize the length and depth of your specialization. You can opt for one of 7-degree options:
- 3-Year Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA)
- 4-Year Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree (Honours BA)
- Double Major
- Interdisciplinary Double Major
- Major/Minor combination
- Specialized Honours BA
- Minor
You have the flexibility to change your degree option at any point in your studies in consultation with your academic advisor. Discover the degree options requirements.
- Total GSWS credits: at least 36 credits.
- Core required courses: AP/GSWS 1501 9.00 (or AP/GSWS 1502 6.00), AP/GSWS 2512 6.00 and AP/GSWS 3555 6.00.
- Electives: 18 additional credits chosen from GSWS major or non-major credit offerings.
- Level constraint: Out of those 18 elective credits, at least 6 credits must be completed at the 3000- or 4000-level. vel.
- Total GSWS credits: at least 48 credits.
- Core required courses: AP/GSWS 1501 9.00 (or AP/GSWS 1502 6.00), AP/GSWS 2512 6.00, AP/GSWS 3555 6.00 and AP/GSWS 4555.
- Electives: 24 additional credits from GSWS major or non-major credit offerings.
- Level constraint: at least 6 of those elective credits must be completed at the 4000-level.
The Specialized Honours track requires a deeper concentration within the program:
- Total GSWS credits: increased to at least 54 credits.
- Core required courses: AP/GSWS 1501 9.00 (or AP/GSWS 1502 6.00), AP/GSWS 2512 6.00, AP/GSWS 3555 6.00 and AP/GSWS 4555.
- Electives: 30 additional credits.
- Specific constraints: at least 6 credits must be at the 4000-level, and at least 12 credits must specifically be from approved non-GSWS major credit course offerings.
Yes. There are two structures depending on your desired program alignment:
- Standard Honours Double Major BA: Requires at least 42 credits in GSWS, including core courses (1501/1502, 2512, 3555, 4555) and 18 elective credits (with at least 6 credits at the 4000-level).
- Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA: Requires at least 36 credits in GSWS, including core courses (1501/1502, 2512, 3555, 4555) and 12 elective credits (with at least 6 credits in GSWS Major Credit courses at the 4000-level).
This is absolutely possible!
- Honours Major/Minor (GSWS as the Major): Requires at least 48 credits in GSWS following the same core structure and level constraints as the stand-alone Honours BA.
- Honours Minor/Major (GSWS as the Minor): Requires at least 30 credits in GSWS. You must take the core introductory course (GSWS 1501 9.00 or 1502 6.00) and GSWS 2512 6.00, plus 18 elective credits. At least 6 credits must be taken at the 4000-level, and at least 6 credits must be non-GSWS major credit courses.
The downloadable degree checklists are planning guides to help you choose your courses. To see an official, up-to-date breakdown of the credits you have already completed toward your degree, use York's online Degree Progress Report. For official graduation eligibility, consult your academic advisor.
Course Selection
You can use the course database on the GSWS website to browse offerings by category (elective, general education or required) and by course level (1000–4000). Please also consult the GSWS Degree Pathway to see which core and major credit GSWS courses are available in any given year of your studies.
Always review the ‘Notes/Additional Fees’ section for every course you select. This section may contain crucial information regarding prerequisites, course delivery formats (e.g. in-person vs. remote) or mandatory materials.
Historically, the School has used various codes like GWST or WMST, but these have been changed to GSWS to align with the name of the program at the Keele campus. The courses at the Glendon campus remain coded with GWST, but can all count toward your degree. If you have questions about whether a historical course code counts toward your current requirements, please consult your academic advisor, Stefanie Lamonaca Caputo (slcaputo@yorku.ca).
The GSWS course list is diverse and interdisciplinary. Examples of courses in thematic areas include:
- Culture & Media: Sex, Gender and Popular Culture and Easy Reads? Feminist Stories, Graphic Narratives, and the Art of Drawing Politics.
- Social & Political Theory: Activisms in Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies and Anti-Racist Feminism.
- Intersectionality & History: Race, Gender & Sexuality and Indigenous Feminisms: Connections and Contradictions.
- Religion & Identity: Bad Girls in the Bible and Superstition, Religion and Sexuality.
- Urban & Social Issues: Gender and the City, Women and Madness, and Violence Against Women.
Yes, the program integrates theory with practical application in several ways. You will enhance your learning through dynamic, real-world experiences with our new Placement Course, where you can apply your knowledge firsthand by working directly with community organizations, advocacy groups and research institutions focused on gender, sexuality and women's issues. The Placement Course will provide you with practical, out-of-the-classroom experience for credit. This hands-on approach is complemented by Field Trips to local galleries, theatres, artist studios and community spaces that bridge the gap between curriculum and culture, alongside community research projects—like collecting oral histories from marginalized communities—designed to build practical, vital research skills. You will also engage in direct learning from a diverse lineup of guest speakers, including visiting activists, poets, politicians and drag performers, connecting your academic foundation directly to contemporary culture and advocacy.
Advising Services & How to Connect
Stefanie Lamonaca Caputo (slcaputo@yorku.ca)
Academic advisors are available to assist you with understanding your degree and graduation requirements, navigating specific course selections or figuring out the best way to change a degree option, as well as with addressing concerns about accessing the specific courses and services you need to succeed.
Academic advisors do not have the authority to bypass enrolment restrictions or to add students into full or reserved courses. If you need a course permission or override, you must contact the School at lapsgsws@yorku.ca.
You can connect with your assigned advisor in three ways: in-person, virtually via Zoom, or via email. Please refer to the academic advising website for more information.
Drop-in sessions (typically lasting 15–30 minutes) are managed through the QLESS system for both virtual and in-person visits. For in-person drop-ins check in at the front desk of 103 Central Square or join via the QLESS kiosk/app. For virtual drop-ins join the queue online or via the QLESS app (select "Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies" and choose the Cluster 1 queue). You will receive a text message containing your Zoom link when an advisor is ready for you. Please refer to the advising webpage.
Booked half-hour appointments are available on Mondays and Tuesdays (9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) and Fridays (10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.). For Standard Booking please submit a request through the online LA&PS Academic Advising Contact Form. If your request is urgent, you can book an appointment by calling the office directly at 416-736-5222.
If you need guidance regarding the Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies’s pathways, course concerns, or career options, you can connect with the Undergraduate Program Director at gswsupd@yorku.ca to schedule an appointment.
Student Support & Experience
Feminist Futures Undergraduate Student Support Initiative
It is a structured initiative designed to connect current undergraduate students in our programs with our experienced alumni and with our students in the Gender, Feminist & Women’s Studies Graduate Program. The goal is to provide you with guidance on possible career paths, academic success and personal development. There is no cost to participate.
Undergraduate students currently enrolled (any year level) in our undergraduate programs, our alumni and current graduate students in the Gender, Feminist & Women’s Studies Graduate Program (both MA and PhD).
Please contact the School’s Undergraduate Program Director at gswsupd@yorku.ca.
Student Clubs
Yes, undergraduate students can get involved with two active, advocacy-focused student organizations: SECY: The Sexual Education Centre at York and EFTY: Exploring Feminism Together at York.
Joining a student association is an excellent way to connect with peers who share your personal interests, academic passions and future career goals. Through these groups, you can participate in guest lectures, seminars, career workshops and social events. It provides an avenue to expand your professional network, enrich your coursework, and collaborate with others in your chosen field.
Exploring Feminism Together at York (EFTY) is an activist-minded student learning community. Members engage in creative learning practices, discuss feminism and feminist history, and reflect on contemporary political and environmental challenges. EFTY emphasizes anti-oppression frameworks and favours action over words.
EFTY hosts both in-person and online meetings every month or two. Past initiatives have included rallying alongside the Sexual Education Collective at York (SECY) at the Toronto Women’s Day March and hosting interactive digital discussions, such as a presentation with the Program Director of York’s Office of Sustainability, to discuss community wellness and safety.
No previous education or experience in the field of gender, sexuality and women’s studies is required. EFTY values diverse interests, opinions and interpretations of feminism. Everyone is welcome, and snacks are provided at any in-person meetings hosted at their office in the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies at Founders College.
The Sexual Education Collective at York (SECY) is an undergraduate student association that actively welcomes students from all academic majors outside the program to foster a broader interest in sexuality studies.
SECY is dedicated to establishing a sex-positive, consent-focused campus environment. Their operations include: a Community Closet that provides students with free, physical sexual health and barrier resources (such as condoms, dental dams and pregnancy tests); peer support that offers confidential, peer-to-peer conversations for students navigating personal sexual health questions, helping students locate and understand the importance of finding safe, inclusive sexual healthcare providers in their local areas, and organizing educational campaigns and events centered on safer sex practices, personal wellness and consent to bridge the gaps left by traditional public school sex education systems.
Nellie Langford Rowell Library
In addition to having access to all York University libraries, you also have direct access to the Nellie Langford Rowell Library, a specialized space on campus holding an extensive, dedicated collection of books, independent periodicals, pamphlets, and foundational literature focusing on women’s issues, feminism, sexuality and gender politics.
The Nellie Langford Rowell Library is a specialized, unique resource space at York University dedicated entirely to women’s studies, feminism, gender and sexuality studies. Originally emerging out of the New Feminists Reading Room, it acts as an active resource hub supporting students, faculty and researchers within the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies (GSWS) and the Centre for Feminist Research (CFR).
A part of the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies that supports its undergraduate programs, the library, its lounge space and its collection are also open to all York University students, visiting feminist scholars and community members looking to explore gender and sexual justice research.
Unlike a traditional, general-purpose university library, this collection holds a curated repository of grassroots, academic, and creative feminist works. It features specialized texts, journals, pamphlets, and historical materials tracking transnational feminist movements, queer histories, and local community organizing that are often harder to find in large institutional databases.
The library and its designated lounge space are centrally located within the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies at 204 Founders College on York University's Keele Campus.
Funding, Awards & Bursaries
The School administers multiple dedicated financial awards and bursaries. Please explore the Awards, Scholarships & Bursaries section of our website for the full list of financial aid options.
Yes. Our School hosts targeted awards for its Bridging Program, including the Adler & Wong Award, the Cathy Moseley Memorial Prize, and dedicated bursaries funded by the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) chapters in Etobicoke and North Toronto. These awards support mature students and women transitioning back into post-secondary education.
At York University, students apply for awards and bursaries via the FAAS App (Financial Aid, Awards & Scholarships Application) by completing your student profile and financial need. Rather than filling out individual applications for every single fund, you complete your profile centrally and the system automatically screens and matches you to eligible department-level awards. You can find information about the FAAS App website.