Offered in: Chicago

The Women's and Gender Studies major emphasizes an interdisciplinary framework in which students explore and synthesize multiple perspectives on historical and contemporary issues concerning women, gender, and sexuality. This approach stresses intersectional analysis of gender and sexuality in relation to race, ethnicity, class, culture, nationality, ability, and other factors that shape experiences, identities, cultural productions, and ways of knowing. The Women's and Gender Studies curriculum also examines social institutions and networks of power while considering avenues of resistance, justice, and transformation. Courses are taught from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, by faculty with expertise ranging from the humanities to the social sciences.

During their course of study at Roosevelt University, Women's and Gender Studies majors learn to:

• Communicate clearly and effectively in written, oral, and/or digital formats;
• Select and employ appropriate research methodologies and methods;
• Define and deploy keywords and concepts in women's, gender, and sexuality studies;
• Understand histories and undertake practices of civic engagement; and
• Critically analyze, compare, and/or evaluate texts and theories.     

The Women's and Gender Studies major provides a valuable foundation for careers in education, journalism, business, public affairs, the arts, the humanities, and the social sciences.

All courses counting toward the WGS major must be passed with a C- or higher.

WGS majors who are transfer students must complete at least 12 credit hours in WGS at Roosevelt University.  

CORE Requirements (General Education)

¹

Higher level of Math may be required by major

²

Coursework must come from outside of students' major discipline

³

A maximum of 9 credits can be applied from a single discipline towards humanities and social science requirements

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

• Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
• Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
• Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
• Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
• Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
• Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

¹

 Or course towards an optional Minor.

²

 Any course at the 200 level within the discipline.

³

 Any course at the 300 level within the discipline.

⁴

Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level and can be a WGS course or taken outside the major. Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement. EXL courses can satisfy major requirements/electives or CORE requirement

⁵

 One Natural Science course must have a lab.

⁶

 WGS 112 recommended.