Major in Women's and Gender Studies

Women’s and Gender Studies majors are required to complete 39 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher from among the following courses. In addition, all Women's and Gender Studies majors must complete a minimum of 18 units toward the major at Towson University, with at least 12 units at the upper (300-400) level.

Required Courses
WMST 337FEMINIST THEORY3
Perspective Course
Select one from the following:3
WOMEN IN PERSPECTIVE
HONORS WOMEN IN PERSPECTIVE
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES OF WOMEN
Culminating Experience
WMST 485SEMINAR IN WOMEN'S STUDIES3
Focus Area
Students must select 12 units from one of the four focus areas listed below (minimum 6 units must be from WMST)12
Distribution Requirement
Students must select 6 units from each of the remaining three focus areas 18
Total Units39

Focus Areas

Women, Gender, Culture and Creativity
AMERICAN WOMEN AND POPULAR CULTURE
WOMEN'S WORDS, WOMEN'S LIVES
TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES 1
CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
MASCULINITIES IN PERSPECTIVE
WOMEN'S SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
TOPICS IN AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES 1
WOMEN IN ART
IDENTITY AND CULTURE 1
COMMUNICATION AND GENDER
GENDER IN FILM AND MEDIA
HONORS SEMINAR IN LITERATURE 1
SPECIAL TOPICS: LITERATURE OF WOMEN
STUDIES IN ONE OR TWO AUTHORS 1
WOMEN IN 20TH CENTURY U.S. HISTORY
WOMEN IN WESTERN MUS
RACE, CLASS AND GENDER
PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY
Women, Gender, Diversity and Global Contexts
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES OF WOMEN
WOMEN, ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH
B-MORE: BALTIMORE AND URBAN COMMUNITIES
TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES 1
CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
ANIMAL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS
MASCULINITIES IN PERSPECTIVE
WOMEN'S SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
TOPICS IN AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES 1
ANTHROPOLOGY OF GENDER
FEMINIST GEOGRAPHIES
WOMEN IN ANTIQUITY
GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN IMPERIAL CHINA
UNITED STATES LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER HISTORIES
INTRODUCTION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER STUDIES
PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
GENDER IDENTITY IN TRANSITION
RACE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND JUDAISM
SOCIOLOGY OF RACE, CLASS AND GENDER
Women, Gender, Health and Sexuality
AMERICAN WOMEN AND POPULAR CULTURE
WOMEN AND SEXUALITY
WOMEN, ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH
TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES 1
CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
ANIMAL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS
SEXUAL COMMUNICATION
QUEER/LGBT COMMUNICATION STUDIES
ISSUES IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER FAMILIES
UNITED STATES LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER HISTORIES
WOMEN'S HEALTH
SEXUALITY IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY
INTRODUCTION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER STUDIES
PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER
GENDER IDENTITY IN TRANSITION
MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY
Women, Gender, Leadership and Community
WOMEN, WORK, AND FAMILY
WOMEN, ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH
B-MORE: BALTIMORE AND URBAN COMMUNITIES
TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES 1
CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
ANIMAL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS
MASCULINITIES IN PERSPECTIVE
WOMEN'S SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
ISSUES IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WOMEN, CRIME, AND JUSTICE
GRANT AND ADVOCACY WRITING
FUNDAMENTALS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR
WOMEN IN 20TH CENTURY U.S. HISTORY
UNITED STATES LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER HISTORIES
PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
COMPARATIVE PUBLIC POLICY
SPEC TOPICS POSC 1
SEMINAR IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY
SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER
WORK AND OCCUPATIONS
1

Please contact the Department of Women's and Gender Studies for acceptable topics related to women and gender. 

Sample Four-Year Plan

The selected course sequence below is an example of the simplest path to degree completion. Based on course schedules, student needs, and student choice, individual plans may vary. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices and to ensure that they have completed the required number of units (120) to graduate.

Freshman
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
Select one of the following:3Elective in Women, Gender, Culture and Creativity3
WMST 231 (Core 13)
Elective in Women, Gender, Diversity and Global Contexts3
WMST 232 (Core 13)
Core 2 (or Core 1)3
WMST 233 (Core 12)
Core 43
Core 1 (or Core 2)3Core 53
Core 33 
Core 12 or Core 133 
Elective3 
 15 15
Sophomore
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
Elective in Women, Gender, Health and Sexuality3Elective in Women, Gender, Culture and Creativity3
Elective in Women, Gender, Leadership and Community3Elective in Women, Gender, Diversity and Global Contexts3
Core 63Core 84
Core 74Core 103
Core 93Core 113
 16 16
Junior
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
WMST 3373WMST course in Selected Focus Area3
Core 143Elective in Women, Gender, Health and Sexuality3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
 15 15
Senior
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
Elective in Women, Gender, Leadership and Community3WMST 4853
WMST course in Selected Focus Area3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective1
 15 13
Total Units 120
  1. Shows ability to use feminist methodologies and theories to analyze women's experience.
  2. Demonstrates an understanding of the social forces that construct and constrain gender identity.
  3. Shows the ability to apply gender as an analytical category in order to critique cultural and social institutions.
  4. Shows understanding of the authority of women's experiences and in women as perceivers and knowers.
  5. Shows an ability to examine commonalities and diversity among women, across and within culture.