Undergraduate Graduate

Minor in Gender Studies

Learn how and why notions of “masculinity” and “femininity” have changed.

Presenter speaking at a podium

About this Program

The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies in the College of Liberal Arts offers a Gender Studies minor for both undergraduate and graduate students.

The interdisciplinary course of study helps students understand how and why notions of “masculinity” and “femininity” have changed at different times and in different cultures. Analysis of gender also includes attention to other social categories such as race, ethnicity, class, nationality, ability, age, and sexual orientation.

Students can select from courses taught by some of the best and most innovative teachers fin the departments of African American Studies, Classics, English, History, Modern Languages, Political Science, Philosophy & Religion, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, and Southern Studies.

  • For Undergraduate Students The undergraduate minor is flexible to allow students to pursue their own interests within the broad field of gender studies. They may choose an optional emphasis in Sexuality and Queer Studies.
  • For Graduate Students Only students already accepted for graduate study at UM by their home departments are eligible for the Gender Studies graduate minor. The minor indicates that the student has an area of concentration and specialization in Gender Studies with an interdisciplinary focus.  

On this Page…

    Program Information

    Program Type

    Minor

    Area of Study

    Interdisciplinary Programs

    Degree

    Program Location

    Oxford

    Required Credit Hours

    18

    Academic Requirements

    Undergraduate students in the Gender Studies minor complete 18 credit hours.

    Required Course

    • GST 201: Intro to Gender Studies

    Select 15 credit hours

     

    • G St 103: Women In Antiquity
    • G St 107: Intro to Gender & Sexuality in the South
    • G St 112: Women and Power in Ancient Times
    • G St 201: Introduction to Gender Studies
    • G St 202: Introduction to Queer Studies
    • G St 301: Topics in Gender and Culture
    • G St 303: The Family
    • G St 304: Men, Women, and Greek Life
    • G St 324: Men and Masculinities
    • G St 325: Sociology of Gender
    • G St 326: Saints and Sexuality
    • G St 327: Genocide and Women
    • G St 328: African American Feminist Thought
    • G St 329: Queer Playwriting and American Culture
    • G St 330: Queer Rhetorics
    • G St 333: Theories in Gender
    • G St 337: The South and Sexuality
    • G St 344: Women and Politics
    • G St 348: Women Who Ruled in European History
    • G St 349: Society and the Sexes in Modern Europe
    • G St 350: Gender and Sexuality in Cinema
    • G St 352: Hemispheric Voices: Women Writers of Am.
    • G St 353: Gender and Sexuality in the Media
    • G St 356: Women in the Rabbinic Tradition
    • G St 357: Women in the South
    • G St 360: Psychology of Human Sexuality
    • G St 363: Gender in Latin America
    • G St 364: Gender/Sexuality in East Asian History
    • G St 366: Sex, Gender, and the Bible
    • G St 368: Feminism, Women, and Religion
    • G St 382: Intro to Gender and Sexuality Studies
    • G St 383: Studies in Gender and Feminism
    • G St 384: Studies in Gay and Lesbian Lit/Theory
    • G St 385: Women in Literature
    • G St 386: Gender on Film
    • G St 390: Feminist Philosophy
    • G St 391: Women, Gender & the Environment
    • G St 395: Topics in Gender Studies on Location
    • G St 396: Exploring the Feminist Nonprofit
    • G St 397: Global Female Prophecy
    • G St 399: Special Topics in Gender Studies
    • G St 402: Advanced Queer Studies
    • G St 414: Race, Place, and Space
    • G St 418: African American Women's History
    • G St 421: Readings in Black Feminism
    • G St 423: Black Women's Enterprise & Activism
    • G St 424: Women and Avant-garde Performance
    • G St 425: Religion, Gender, and Sexuality
    • G St 427: US Sexuality History
    • G St 428: U.S. Women's History
    • G St 429: U.S. Gender History
    • G St 433: Theories of Gender and Sexuality
    • G St 438: Language, Gender, and Sexuality
    • G St 442: Feminist Rhetorics
    • G St 454: Women in Southern History
    • G St 482: Renaissance Women Writers
    • G St 488: Special Topics Gender/Sexuality Studies
    • G St 489: Power, Knowledge, and Gender
    • G St 490: Special Topics in Queer Theory
    • G St 491: Special Topics in Gender and Literature
    • G St 496: Gender Studies Capstone
    • G St 497: Internship in Gender Studies
    • G St 498: Special Topics in Gender Studies
    • G St 499: Directed Readings in Gender Studies
    • G St 565: Psychology of Gender
    • G St 596: Queer Mississippi
    • G St 599: Directed Readings in Gender Studies

     

    Undergraduate students in the Gender Studies minor with the Sexuality/Queer Studies emphasis includes the required G St 201 and 5 courses from the following list:

    • G St 202: Introduction to Queer Studies
    • G St 324: Men and Masculinities
    • G St 329: Queer Playwriting and American Culture
    • G St 330: Queer Rhetorics
    • G St 337: The South and Sexuality
    • G St 349: Society and the Sexes in Modern Europe
    • G St 350: Gener and Sexuality in Cinema
    • G St 353: Gender and Sexuality in the Media
    • G St 364: Gender/Sexuality in East Asian History
    • G St 366: Sex, Gender, and the Bible
    • G St 382: Intro to Gender and Sexuality Studies
    • G St 383: Studies in Gender and Feminism
    • G St 384: Studies in Gay and Lesbian Lit/Theory
    • G St 402: Advanced Queer Studies
    • G St 423: Black Women's Enterprise & Activism
    • G St 433: Theories of Gender and Sexuality
    • G St 438: Language, Gender, and Sexuality
    • G St 490: Special Topics in Queer Theory
    • G St 596: Queer Mississippi

    Only students already accepted for graduate study at UM by their home departments are eligible for the Gender Studies graduate minor.

    Graduate students in the Gender Studies minor complete 12 credit hours, of which 6 must be outside of the student's home department. Students cannot apply thesis or dissertation hours and no more than 3 hours can be Directed Readings.

    Required Course:

    •  G St 600: Gender Studies Methodology

    Three Courses in Gender/Women's Issues:

    • Eng 742:
    • G St 600: Graduate Practicum in Public History
    • G St 605: Readings - US through Reconstruction
    • G St/Hst 615: Readings - Sexuality in Modern US History
    • G St/Hst 641: Readings in Global History: Gender
    • G St 698: Special Topics
    • G St 699: Internship in History
    • Hst/Soc/S St 596:
    • Hst 660: Readings - Gender History of Modern Europe
    • Hst 690: Readings - Gender and Power in Latin America
    • Psy 561: Cross-Cultural Training
    • Soc 619: Religion, Gender, and Sexuality
    • Span 565: Spanish American Women Writers
    Dr. Jaime Harper talks to students.

    A Word From the Director

    "Gender studies is a critical practice that provides analytic tools to see the varied ways that gender and sexuality influence our world, our knowledge, and our sense of identity. We encourage our students to test these tools in the real world and to question everything—including the very methodology we introduce to them. The critical skills they learn serve them well in a variety of professions. Some become writers and designers; some go to professional school in law and medicine; some turn to public policy; some go on to graduate degrees; some embrace advocacy and activism; some create nonprofit organizations. What gender studies students share is a keen analytic intelligence and an ethical commitment to a better world."

    Jaime Harker

    Director of the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies and Professor of English

    Enhance your Academic Experience with an Internship

    According to national surveys, employers are more likely to hire college graduates who have: 

    • had professional internships, 
    • worked with people from diverse backgrounds on community service, 
    • collaborated with peers on projects, 
    • taken multiple courses with significant writing,
    • produced a senior project or thesis, and
    • studied abroad.

    These experiences are about core liberal arts skills of thinking, communicating, interpersonal skills, and understanding the world around us. Showcase and enhance these skills in an internship opportunity for that first step into the professional world. 

    Your Major + Gender Studies

    Gender Studies can pair with a wide variety of majors on campus. Here are some likely combinations.
    Annabelle Harris

    Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts

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    Annabelle Harris

    Admissions Counselor

    Future CLA Students

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    College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students

    We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet. 

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