Mission Statement
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) expands the traditional base of a liberal arts education by focusing on women’s contributions, roles and perspectives that are otherwise omitted from traditional curriculum offerings. WGSS engages feminist practice to further the understanding and analysis of gender and sexuality. Faculty from all schools within the University take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to the study of women, gender, and sexuality in WGSS courses offered through both General Studies and degree-granting academic programs.
Participation in the program can lead to a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, which is noted on a student’s academic transcript. Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies courses are open to any student at Stockton University.
WGSS Minor Goals
The Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies’ curriculum facilitates critical thinking, student and faculty engagement, and an awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences by developing competency in feminist activism, theory, and methods. In particular, the WGSS minor has the following goals:
- To identify and define fundamental principles, generalization, or theories related to the study of women, gender and sexuality;
- To apply feminist theories and methods to course material as well as texts and experiences beyond the classroom;
- To analyze and critically evaluate ideas and representations related to women, gender and sexuality;
- To develop a clearer understanding of and commitment to personal values;
- To develop skill in expressing oneself orally and in writing.
Not every WGSS course will address all the above goals; students completing the minor will demonstrate their competency in the above goals through the completion of their final project/portfolio.
The Curriculum
All WGSS courses are open to any student at Stockton University. A WGSS minor is awarded to those undergraduate students who complete the following:
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality (GAH 2358/1039 or GSS 2358), a four-credit course which serves as an introduction to the study of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, and to feminist scholarship and activism.
- Three Elective Courses (12 credits of study), which must come from courses that are approved by the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty and based in feminist theory. A selected list of approved courses is available on the Curriculum Worksheet located on the Academic Advising Web site under “Degree Programs.” A range of elective courses are offered each semester.
- Seminar in Feminist Theory (GIS 3614), ), a 4-credit course focusing on primary source readings in feminist theory. Course covers how humans create, interpret and evaluate knowledge claims about the world.
- WGSS Capstone-Portfolio (WGSS 4800), a one-credit course that serves as the culmination of students WGSS course of study. This course is usually taken in the student’s penultimate or final semester, and after completing or concurrently with GIS 3614. More information on WGSS 4800 can be found here.
Please note that we are not always able to offer both Women, Gender and Society, and Seminar in Feminist Theory every semester, thus students will need to plan ahead with their preceptors to be sure they can meet the requirements in a timely manner.
Students who are interested in pursuing a minor in Women’s Studies are asked to:
- Contact the current Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Coordinator, Dr. Betsy Erbaugh (Office: G-208 Phone: 609-652-4639 Email: Elizabeth.Erbaugh@stockton.edu), for further information, and
- Inform their preceptors.
For more information, visit the Women’s, Gender, Sexuality Studies page on the Stockton Web site.
Declaration of Minor
All minor changes/declarations must now be submitted digitally. To make a request, log in to your Go Stockton portal. Access your Student Services tab > Student Tools > Change of Major/Minor.