Gender Studies, Minor
Learn how and why notions of “masculinity” and “femininity” have changed.
About the Minor in Gender Studies
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
Degree
Required Credit Hours
18
Program Type
Minor
Program Location
School
Academic Requirements
Find out about credit hour and course requirements from the 2025-26 academic catalog.
Undergraduate students in the Gender Studies minor complete 18 credit hours of Gender Studies courses.
- GST 201: Intro to Gender Studies
- 5 courses (15 credit hours) of Gender Studies courses
Undergraduate students in the Gender Studies minor with the Sexuality and Queer Studies emphasis complete the following courses as part of their minor.
- G St 201: Intro to Gender Studies
- 5 courses (15 credit hours) 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.
- G St 600: Gender Studies Methodology
- 3 courses (12 credit hours) in Gender/Women's Issues
- Eng 742: Studies in Gender
- 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: Queer Mississippi
- 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
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
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.
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
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.
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?