Overview

The Women’s and Gender Studies Track (WGST) is earned within either the Master of Humanities or the Master of Social Science degree, interdisciplinary Master degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver. Women’s and Gender Studies are based in feminist theory, queer theory, post-colonial and ethnic studies, and a variety of social sciences and cultural studies. Students pursuing the WGST track, focus on issues of sex and gender as they manifest in societies through culture, language, politics, visual representation, and history. They take course work in social theory, feminist theory, and gender studies emphasizing critical thinking about the condition of women and the role of gender in both historical and in contemporary experience. Students will take 9 hours of required courses work for either the Humanities or Social Science general degree plan. They then pursue focused coursework and track requirements as outlined below.

Target Audience

For students in either program pursuing a different track (Philosophy-Theory; Visual Studies; Community Health; Social Justice, etc., there is also an option of a 12-credit hour WGST Graduate Certificate that allows coursework for their track to be used for the certificate when course content is appropriate. For example, a student taking a course on Gender and International Development for the Social Justice track may also use this course to count towards the 12 credits required for a WGST Grad Certificate, thereby allowing the student to gain two-pronged concentration.

Advisors

English and WGST Program Director: Dr. Gillian Silverman

History: Dr. Marjorie Levine-Clark

MH Director: Dr. Margaret L. Woodhull

MSS Director: Dr. Omar Swartz

Political Science: Dr. Jana Everett

Visual Arts: Dr. Maria Buszek

Master of Humanities or Master of Social Science Core Requirements:

Required Core MSS courses

SSCI 5020 Foundations and Theories in Interdisciplinary Social Science (every fall)

SSCI 5103 Philosophical Problems in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (every Spring)

SSCI 5023 Research Perspectives in the Social Sciences (every Spring)

OR

Required Core MH courses:

HUMN 5025:  Foundations and Theories in Interdisciplinary Humanities (every fall)

Mid-Program Seminar  (any graduate HUMN course approved by MH advisor)

HUMN 5924:  Directed Research and Readings in Interdisciplinary Humanities (every spring)

WGST Track Requirements In addition to the program’s core required courses, the following are required:

1. Complete one WGST Theory course,

• SSCI/HUMN/WGST 6010: Feminism and Gender Theory Seminar: Methods and Theories of Feminism and Gender Studies, SSCI 6010: (3 credit hours)
• PHIL/WGST 5500 Feminist Philosophy
• ENGL/HIST 5306: Survey of Feminist Thought

1. A minimum of 12-credit hours of WGST-related graduate course work (this may include the option of a WGST-related internship), and
2. Complete a final project or thesis on a WGST topic

Suggested Elective Courses for the Track

Below is a list of pre-approved courses for the track. Be aware that it is not comprehensive and that departments change their offerings regularly. Always check with the department to see when a given course might be scheduled.

ANTH 5200 Gender in Cross Cultural Perspective

COMM 5020 Feminist Perspectives on Communication

COMM 5045 Female Male Friendships

COMM 5265 Gender and Communication

ENGL/HIST 5306 Survey of Feminist Thought

ENGL 5000 Study of Major Authors (when the author is a female or author or related)

ETST 4555 International Women’s Resistance

ETST 4827/PSCI 4827 Women and the Law

HIST/WGST 5303 Sex and Gender in Modern Britain

HIST/WGST 5307 History of Sexuality

HUMN/SSCI/WGST 5720 Sexuality, Gender, and Visual Representation

HUMN/SSCI 5770 Imperialism, Postcolonial Theory, and Visual Discourse

PSCI 4215 Women’s Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives

PSCI 4564 Gender and Politics

PSCI 5555 International Women’s Resistance

PSCI 5245 Gender and International Development

PUBL 5910 Nature and Scope of Interpersonal Violence

PUBL 5930 Interpersonal Violence Law and Policy

PHIL/WGST 5500 Feminist Philosophy

PHIL 5308 Contemporary Feminist Thought

SOCY 5550 Seminar: Sociology of the Family

WGST 5230 Women in the West

WGST 5248 Gender, Globalization and Development

WGST 5306 Survey of Feminist Thought

WGST 5345 Gender, Science and Medicine: 1600 to the Present

WGST 5420 Goddess Traditions

WGST 5510 Whores and Saints: Medieval Women

WGST 5511 French Women Writers