Women's & Gender Studies Requirements

Requirements for a Women's and Gender Studies Major: The major consists of four parts and a minimum of ten courses as outlined below. Some of the courses can be double-counted if they fulfill different requirements within the major.

1) a solid grounding in the theories and methods of women's and gender studies,
2) specialized expertise within a traditional discipline (the field requirement),
3) a non-Western requirement, and
4) senior work: students must submit their senior work proposal, which can be downloaded from the WAGS website, before their senior year. It must be signed by both the WAGS chair and an advisor.

1. Women's and gender studies courses (10 courses, some of which may also serve the second and third requirements outlined below):

• • SOAN/WAGS 0191
  • WAGS 0200
  • WAGS 0400
  • one introductory-level course in women's and gender studies:  This may be chosen from among the list of courses indicated below, under introductory courses offered in departments. (Appropriate first-year student seminars may be substituted for an introductory course with the permission of the program director.)

At least five other women's and gender studies courses in the 0200-to 0500- level range (in at least two different academic categories). These five courses may also serve the second and third requirement outlined below.  
Students will take four to six courses in a discipline of their choice (the requirements for each discipline participating in the program are listed below). At least one of these courses must be a course that is cross-listed in women's and gender studies (if none is available then an independent study should be arranged). In choosing a discipline, students must also consult with the WAGS program director as well as with an advisor from their field. If a discipline is not listed below, students may construct a disciplinary focus, in consultation with an advisor from the field and the WAGS program director. (Note: the field requirement is satisfied automatically by joint majors, but not for double majors).

2. Field Requirements:
American Studies: AMST 0210, AMST 0211, one or two other AMST courses, each with a gender component.
English and American Literatures:ENAM 0103 or from the literature program LITP 0101. Three of the following courses: ENAM/WAGS 0114, ENAM 0205, ENAM 0206, ENAM 0241,ENAM 0247, ENAM 0270, ENAM/WAGS 0254, ENAM 0305.Other literature courses may be substituted with approval.
Film: FMMC 0101, FMMC 0104, and FMMC 0267; two more FMMC courses selected with advisor. Students wishing to do a creative senior project will be required to follow the relevant guidelines and prerequisites listed on the FMMC website.
Geography: GEOG 0100; three of the following: GEOG 0210, GEOG 0212, GEOG 0213, GEOG 0216 in which the student’s term papers are focused on gender related topics; GEOG 0120 or GEOG 0339, and a 0400 level geography seminar in which the final paper is focused on a gender related topic.
German: any four courses above the 0200-level, including one course cross-listed in WAGS. One course may be taken in English.
History: History: a 0100-level course, HIST 0600 and three other history courses, at least two of which should focus directly on women and/or gender.
Music: one course cross-listed in WAGS, four courses above the 0200-level, and two semesters in a departmental ensemble or approved ensemble.
Religion:One 0100-level course on a Western tradition, one 0100-level or 0200-level course on Asian tradition(s), one 0300-level seminar, one additional RELI class with a gender component.
Philosophy: five courses, including PHIL/WAGS 0234, one course in history of philosophy, one course in ethics and/or social and political philosophy, and one 0400-level philosophy seminar. Additionally, both PHIL 0150 and PHIL 0180 are strongly recommended.
Sociology/Anthropology: SOAN 0103, SOAN 0105, SOAN 0301 or 0302, SOAN 0305 or 0306, and one elective cross-listed in WAGS.
Theatre: THEA 0102 (Acting 1), THEA/WAGS 0206, and two other courses in theatre.

3. Non-Western requirement: At least one non-Western course. This must be satisfied by a course in the field discipline or by a designated women's and gender studies course.

4. Senior work: Majors are required to complete an independent project based in the core field that applies feminist theory and methodology. The project may be either a one-semester senior essay or other creative work (WAGS 0700), or a two term senior thesis (WAGS 0710). [This can involve a Fall/Winter Term, Fall/Spring, or Winter Term/Spring combination]. A senior work advisor should be selected from either program faculty in the students core field or from among faculty members with an appropriate expertise. Students are required to meet with the WAGS Program Chair and their prospective project or thesis advisor before entering their senior year at Middlebury. All senior projects must be approved in advance by the project advisor and by the chair of Women's and Gender Studies. Students are expected to do an oral presentation of their work at the end of the Spring Semester., normally during a specially scheduled session of senior work presentations in WAGS. For additional information, please consult Guidelines for Senior Projects in WAGS

Honors: To qualify for honors, a major must have at least a B+ average in all courses taken in the women's and gender studies program and the field requirements. The degree of honors will be based on senior work, normally a student must write a thesis to qualify for honors. Honors: thesis grade of B+; high honors: thesis grade of A-; highest honors: thesis grade of A.

Joint Major in WAGS and another department: Students who choose a joint major will not need to fulfill a field requirement in WAGS. The joint major is comprised of 7 courses in each field. For WAGS, the requirement includes SOAN/WAGS 0191, one more introductory course in women and gender studies, WAGS 0200, WAGS 0400, two electives and senior work. Senior work should combine both fields, and should be chosen in consultation with both the WAGS chair and an advisor with appropriate expertise.

Minor in Women's and Gender Studies: The women's and gender studies minor consists of five courses, including: at least one introductory course in WAGS from among ENAM/WAGS 0114, SOAN/WAGS 0191, or an appropriate first-year student seminar, with the approval of the program director; WAGS 0200, WAGS 0400, and two electives.