Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 Catalog

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2025-2026 Catalog

Gender and Sexuality Studies Major

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Go to information for the Gender and Sexuality Studies major

REQUIREMENTS FOR A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE WITH A MAJOR IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES:

Liberal Arts Core - Credits: 32-34

Every Fort Lewis College student must complete both the Liberal Arts Core (LAC) and the requirements of a major.

Classes marked [LAC] count towards the Liberal Arts Core. Some of these classes can also count towards the requirements of a major. Taking these classes can satisfy both the LAC and major requirements and increase the number of free electives you get. Talk with your advisor to learn more.

See a full list of Liberal Arts Core courses here.

First-Year Launch Course	1 course	FLC 100 (Credits: 1)

Communication	2 courses	COMP 150 AND one CO2 course (Credits: 6)
		OR
		One CO2 course AND One CO3 course (Credits: 6)

Mathematics	1 course	One MA1 course (Credits: 3-4)

Arts & Humanities	2 courses	Two AH courses (Credits: 6)

History	1 course	One HI course (Credits: 3)

Social & Behavioral Sciences	1 course	One SS course (Credits: 3)

Additional AH/HI/SS	1 course	One additional AH or HI or SS course (Credits: 3)

Natural & Physical Sciences	2 courses	Two SC courses - one MUST include a lab (Credits: 7-8)

Major Requirements - Credits: 39

Note: Courses followed by a ^t(topics courses) may count towards the major when the specific section approved by the GSS Coordinator through an individual or blanket exception form. The topic course must be centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist analysis, and/or women’s studies.

Disciplinary Explorations - Complete 7 courses (21 credits):

Note: No course may be used for both the Foundations and the Disciplinary Explorations categories.

Note: Some Topics, Practicum, and Internship courses can count towards this requirement. See Topics Courses and Practicum or Internship Courses below for details.

Anthropology

GSS 355 - Anthropology of Gender Credits: 3
or ANTH 355 - Anthropology of Gender Credits: 3

Art

GSS 366 - Gender and Representation Credits: 3
or ART 366 - Gender and Representation Credits: 3

Borders and Languages

GSS 381 - Youth Identities in YA Latinx Lit Credits: 3
or BL 381 - Youth Identities in YA Latinx Lit Credits: 3

Criminology

GSS 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3
or CRIM 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3

or NAIS 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3

English

GSS 175 - Women’s Literature [LAC-AH] Credits: 3
or ENGL 175 - Women’s Literature [LAC-AH] Credits: 3

Environment and Sustainability

GSS 313 - Environmental Justice Credits: 3
or ENV 313 - Environmental Justice Credits: 3

Exercise Science

GSS 203 - Gender and Sport Credits: 3
or ES 203 - Gender and Sport Credits: 3

Gender and Sexuality Studies

GSS 300 - Masculinities Credits: 3
GSS 302 - Queer Theory Credits: 3

History

GSS 332 - Women in the United States Credits: 3
or HIST 332 - Women in the United States Credits: 3
GSS 368 - Medieval Women Credits: 3
or HIST 368 - Medieval Women Credits: 3

Native American and Indigenous Studies

GSS 311 - Indigenous Women Credits: 3
or NAIS 311 - Indigenous Women Credits: 3
GSS 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3
or CRIM 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3

or NAIS 312 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Credits: 3
GSS 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3
or NAIS 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3

or SOC 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3

Philosophy

GSS 365 - Feminist Philosophies Credits: 3
or PHIL 365 - Feminist Philosophies Credits: 3

Political Science

GSS 361 - Race, Gender, and the War on Terror Credits: 3
or PS 361 - Race, Gender, and the War on Terror Credits: 3

Psychology

GSS 282 - Human Sexuality Credits: 3
or PSYC 282 - Human Sexuality Credits: 3

Sociology

GSS 275 - Families and Marriage Credits: 3
or SOC 275 - Families and Marriage Credits: 3
GSS 279 - Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Class [LAC-SS] Credits: 3
or SOC 279 - Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Class [LAC-SS] Credits: 3
GSS 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3
or NAIS 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3

or SOC 349 - Decolonizing Sexualities Credits: 3
GSS 383 - Gender and Society Credits: 3
or SOC 383 - Gender and Society Credits: 3

Topics Courses:

The following topics courses may count towards the major when the specific section approved by the GSS Coordinator through an individual or blanket exception form. The topic course must be centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist analysis, and/or women’s studies.

BL 325 - Special Topics: Borderlands Credits: 3
ENGL 380 - Native American Literature: Topics Credits: 3
ENGL 425 - Advanced Literary Topics Credits: 3
HIST 329 - United States: Topics Credits: 3
HIST 374 - Europe: Topics Credits: 3
HIST 392 - World: Topics Credits: 3
PSYC 311 - Service Learning Topics Credits: 3
SOC 321 - Special Topics in Sociology Credits: 3

Practicum or Internship Courses:

Practicum and internship courses from any discipline may count count towards the major with approval from the GSS Coordinator. These courses must be centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist analysis, and/or women’s studies. If you are interested in taking a practicum or internship course, check with the GSS Coordinator to ensure it will be counted towards your degree.

Note: An internship or practicum course must be taken for at least 3 credits to count towards the major.

Note: A maximum of 12 credits of practicum/internship may count towards the major.

Free Electives - Credits: Variable

Chosen in conjunction with your academic advisor to assure that the total graduation credit requirement for this program is met. Many students choose to use free electives to complete the requirements for a certificate, minor, or teacher licensure.

Note: Students who complete the Liberal Arts Core in fewer than 32–34 credits or meet a prerequisite or course requirement through transfer, examination, or prior learning will have additional free electives. Taking classes in the major requirements that have the [LAC] tag can grant additional free electives. Talk with your advisor to learn more.

Upper Division Requirement - Credits: 36

Among the total required courses, at least 36 credits must be upper division (300- and 400-level) courses. This major may require additional courses to meet the upper division requirement.

Course Information

Before registering for a course, make sure you are eligible. Ensure you meet all the prerequisite courses, minimum prerequisite grades, and the minimum class standing, if applicable. If you are not eligible for a course, you may be able to enroll with an override from the instructor. Contact your advisor or the instructor of the course if you would like assistance requesting an override.

Additional Program Notes

Note: Each course can only count towards one requirement in the major.

^tTopics courses may count when the specific topic offered in a particular term is approved by the GSS Coordinator. The topic must be centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist analysis, and/or women’s studies.

TOTAL REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION - CREDITS: 120

All curricular requirements for the Liberal Arts Core and at least one major must be met.

Students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 and a minimum grade point average of 2.00 for those courses accepted to meet the requirements for the major, certificate, or minor.

A minimum of 30 credits must be completed at Fort Lewis College. College-sponsored off-campus academic experiences are considered “in residence.”