Women's Studies and Gender Studies
Our mission is to introduce students to feminist scholarship and gender theory across the disciplines and the professional schools; to provide innovative, challenging, and thoughtful approaches to learning; and to promote social justice. The 2019–2020 academic year marked our 40th year at Loyola.
The WSGS program is interdisciplinary, offering many cross-listed courses in the humanities, social sciences, business, and law. Additionally, dual-degree program options are provided at the graduate level in conjunction with social work and theology. WSGS faculty seek to integrate knowledge about women, gender, and sexuality into the theories and practices of various disciplines and professions across the university.
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Mission
- To promote deeper understandings of feminist scholarship and gender theory across the humanities, social sciences, and applied professions.
- To provide innovative, challenging, and thoughtful approaches to teaching and learning for both students and faculty.
- To acknowledge and honor the diversity of our human community—especially regarding gender, race, class, and sexuality—while working toward social justice.
- To build and cultivate a community of scholars who are supportive of one another and who carry out our mission in daily practice.
Women's Studies and Gender Studies Program Policies
Double Dipping Policy
Per recommendations from the CAS's Academic Council, WSGS will adhere to and enforce the following policies:
- Students may not major and minor in the same discipline.
- Majors: Not less than 21 credit hours in the individual student’s transcript must be unique to each major; that is, the courses in question are considered as actually fulfilling requirements of one major, not of more than one major.
- Minors and interdisciplinary minors: not less than 8 credit hours in the individual student’s transcript must be unique to each minor; that is, the courses in question are considered as actually fulfilling requirements of one minor, not of more than one minor or major.
Undergraduate Policies and Procedures
Please see Undergraduate Policies and Procedures for academic policies that supersede those of academic units within the University.
Women's and Gender Studies (WSGS) Courses
WSGS 101 Introduction to WSGS from a Global Perspective (3 Credit Hours)
This is an introduction to the interdisciplinary fields of both Women's Studies and Gender Studies which explore the ways that sex and gender manifest themselves in social, cultural, and political arenas. It draws upon scholarship in women's studies, masculinities studies, and queer studies which themselves draw upon a variety of intellectual perspectives, including historical, psychological, rhetorical, sociological, literary, and biological.
Knowledge Area: Foundational Societal Knowledge
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
students will demonstrate understanding of historical developments, key concepts, theories and themes in women's studies and gender studies, the impact that gender can have on social, cultural, political and economic material conditions
Outcomes
students will demonstrate understanding of historical developments, key concepts, theories and themes in women's studies and gender studies, the impact that gender can have on social, cultural, political and economic material conditionsWSGS 201 Contemporary Issues in WSGS (3 Credit Hours)
This course explores issues in women's studies, feminism, and gender studies from the perspective of a particular discipline, depending on the faculty member teaching the course. This may, for example, include Communication, English, History, Sociology, or Theology.
Knowledge Area: Tier 2 Societal Knowledge
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Course equivalencies: WOST201/WSGS201
Students will examine the subjects of women and gender, as well as the challenges of conducting feminist or gender scholarship, within the discipline and how new research changes or transforms that scholarship
Outcomes
Students will examine the subjects of women and gender, as well as the challenges of conducting feminist or gender scholarship, within the discipline and how new research changes or transforms that scholarshipWSGS 297 Topics in WSGS (3 Credit Hours)
This course allows students to explore intermediate courses or seminars focused on the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, class, and other categories of power, privilege, and oppression.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
WSGS 330 History of Feminist Thought and Social Action (3 Credit Hours)
This course focuses on the history and development of feminist thought and activism since the late eighteenth century. Attention goes beyond just U.S. and European feminist history, exploring Indigenous, Black, and postcolonial feminism to investigate their unique feminist ideas and the challenges they pose to "traditional" feminist thought and action.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will learn to identify key concepts, thinkers, activists; analyze and critique some of the major works; and develop an integrated understanding of the history of feminist thought, broadly conceived
Outcomes
Students will learn to identify key concepts, thinkers, activists; analyze and critique some of the major works; and develop an integrated understanding of the history of feminist thought, broadly conceivedWSGS 350 Global Feminisms (3 Credit Hours)
This course offers critical and theoretical tools to evaluate feminist theories by women of color in the global South. Adopting a decolonial, anti-racist approach, the course evaluates how women and gender relations are affected by economic, cultural, and political changes related to the racial regimes of globalization and migratory movements.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in the study of feminisms, race theory, border studies, postcolonial studies, transnationalism, and migration studies
Outcomes
Students will acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in the study of feminisms, race theory, border studies, postcolonial studies, transnationalism, and migration studiesWSGS 360 Migration, Identity, Sexuality (3 Credit Hours)
In this seminar WSGS course we will explore how crossing borders, identity politics, and sexuality intersect to produce a rich and necessary conversation on contemporary global immigration issues. We will explore the gendered dynamics and experiences of recent immigrants.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in the study of borders, identity politics, transnationalism, and sexuality from an intersectional lens
Outcomes
Acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in the study of borders, identity politics, transnationalism, and sexuality from an intersectional lensWSGS 370 Sexual Assault Advocacy (3 Credit Hours)
This course provides specific skills of support and advocacy services to sexual assault survivors. Students will gain an understanding of the impact of sexual assault on victims, the social and cultural context in which sexual assault occurs, and the roles systems play to both support and inhibit survivors recovery.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students who successfully complete the course may be eligible to serve as Loyola University Chicago sexual assault advocates
Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course may be eligible to serve as Loyola University Chicago sexual assault advocatesWSGS 375 Masculinity Studies: Equity, Race, Transformation (3 Credit Hours)
Pre-requisites: WSGS 101
This course highlights the intersectional exploration of how masculinity is embodied, experienced, and replicated in the United States and globally. With this transnational lens, students gain a better understanding of contemporary global masculinity sociocultural issues and concerns which include race/racism, "angry white men," and the "crisis of masculinity."
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in Masculinity studies from an international lens; Students will apply a wide critical terminology to literary texts and visual/cultural phenomena globally
Outcomes
Students will acquire and utilize key theoretical concepts in Masculinity studies from an international lens; Students will apply a wide critical terminology to literary texts and visual/cultural phenomena globallyWSGS 380 Queer Theory: Beyond the Binary (3 Credit Hours)
This course maps the field of Queer Theory from an interdisciplinary, global perspective in order to cover a wide range of theoretical and disciplinary approaches (race theory, transnational theory, postmodernism, Latinx-American Studies, among others) and interpretative applications (film, literature).
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will be able to identify key concepts and thinkers of this influential field of study; they will develop an intersectional, global understanding of this field of critical theory
Outcomes
Students will be able to identify key concepts and thinkers of this influential field of study; they will develop an intersectional, global understanding of this field of critical theoryWSGS 388 Women's Studies Practicum (3 Credit Hours)
This supervised field experience uses experiential learning at a wide variety uses experiential learning at a variety of women's political, cultural or educational organization as the basis for learning and refining skills which cab benefit gender equity.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
This course satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement.
Course equivalencies: WOST388/WSGS388
Students demonstrate skill proficiency, professional conduct, and systematic reflection on their experience; Students learn about public and private sector responses to women's issues and concerns
Outcomes
Students demonstrate skill proficiency, professional conduct, and systematic reflection on their experience; Students learn about public and private sector responses to women's issues and concernsWSGS 389 Independent Study (1-3 Credit Hours)
This course consists of independent research or engaged learning in a specific area of WSGS; work must be completed under the supervision of a WSGS faculty member.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will gain a deeper understanding of a specific WSGS topic through research, service, reading, or other mode of learning; The product of this work will vary depending on the interests of the student
Outcomes
Students will gain a deeper understanding of a specific WSGS topic through research, service, reading, or other mode of learning; The product of this work will vary depending on the interests of the studentWSGS 390 Directed Readings Women Studies (3 Credit Hours)
An independent program of reading and research arranged between the student and the supervising faculty member in the student's major department. Students will complete a final research project integrating their major fields with women's studies. Permission of women's studies director is required.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Course equivalencies: WOST390/WSGS390
WSGS 391 WSGS Methodologies (3 Credit Hours)
This course is part of a two-semester sequence for the final year of the WSGS major and minor. In this course we review several approaches to feminist research methods and consider ways to put them into practice, individually or combined with other methods. Enrollment by permission.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Students will produce a project proposal that (1) demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach; (2) draws on theory and scholarship in WSGS; and (3) reflects the use of feminist methodologies in practice
Outcomes
Students will produce a project proposal that (1) demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach; (2) draws on theory and scholarship in WSGS; and (3) reflects the use of feminist methodologies in practiceWSGS 397 Special Topics in WSGS (3 Credit Hours)
This course allows students to explore advanced courses or seminars focused on the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, class, and other categories of power, privilege, and oppression.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
Course equivalencies: WOST397/WSGS397
Students demonstrate an understanding of a unique topic in women's studies
Outcomes
Students demonstrate an understanding of a unique topic in women's studiesWSGS 398 Women's Studies Internship (3 Credit Hours)
This course uses supervised project-based experiential learning to allow students the opportunity to apply feminist analysis and practical skills to a student-designed project that will be completed within the timeframe of a course term.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
This course satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement.
Course equivalencies: WOST398/WSGS398
Students learn application of feminist concepts and principles to pragmatic outcomes; leadership, planning, time management, and assessment skills
Outcomes
Students learn application of feminist concepts and principles to pragmatic outcomes; leadership, planning, time management, and assessment skillsWSGS 399 WSGS Capstone (3 Credit Hours)
This is a project-oriented course that represents the culmination of the WSGS major. Students build on their work in WSGS 391/WSGS Methodologies to complete a project under the direction of a faculty or community organization mentor, either individually or as a group.
Interdisciplinary Option: Women & Gender Studies
This course satisfies the Engaged Learning requirement.
Course equivalencies: WOST399/WSGS399
Students will complete a project that (1) demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach; (2) draws on theory and scholarship in WSGS; and (3) reflects the intentional use of feminist methodologies in practice