Programs of Study
For undergraduates, we offer a the following programs of study:
- GWS BA major
- GWS minor
- LGBT Studies minor
- Girls' Studies minor
For graduate students, we offer the following programs of study:
- GWS graduate certificate
- GWS graduate minor
For more information about our degree programs, contact the GWS Director, Emily Lutenski (lutenskies@appstate.edu).
BA Major in GWS
GWS interrogates the beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, and norms about gender, women, and sexuality and how they intersect with other axes like race, ability, nationality, and class. We train our students to be strong critical thinkers, adept researchers, and clear communicators with a deep understanding of problems focused on gender, women, and sexuality in national and transnational contexts and the analytical skills to offer creative solutions to them.
GWS alums pursue a broad range of careers in law, advocacy, policy analysis, politics, social work, nonprofits, education, healthcare, and arts and cultural institutions.
2024-25 Undergraduate Bulletin: Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies, BA
Declaring a BA Major in GWS, or a Minor in GWS, LGBT Studies, or Girls' Studies
You can declare a major in GWS by following these easy steps.
If you have already declared a major in the College of Arts and Sciences and would like to change your major to GWS or add GWS as a second major, fill out the following form:
The same form is used to add or change a minor.
If you are in another College or School, there is an equivalent form--if you have trouble finding it, please email the GWS DIrector, Emily Lutenski (lutenskies@appstate.edu), for assistance.
Departmental Honors in GWS
GWS has a departmental honors program to provide students in the major with opportunities for advanced research and to recognize academic excellence.
Application to the GWS departmental honors program requires a recommendation from a faculty member in GWS, emailed to the IDS Department Honors Director, Dr. Jessica Martell (martelljl@appstate.edu).
To graduate with honors in GWS, a student must achieve the following:
- 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA.
- 3.3 (B+) or higher GPA in the major.
- 6 credits in honors courses in the major, including at least 3 credits at the 3000-level or 4000-level; these can be honors sections or honors contracts.
- 3 credits in an honors thesis (GWS 4510).
- An average of B+ (3.3) or better across honors courses in the major.
- A grade of B or higher in all honors courses in the major.
Minor in LGBT Studies
In recent decades, LGBT issues have been at the forefront of important national and international discussions. In academia, LGBT Studies has become an established area of inquiry. Students in the LGBT Studies minor investigate the historical, cultural, political, and theoretical issues relevant to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, communities, and allies.
The minor in LGBT Studies is desirable for students planning graduate studies in any discipline where questions of gender and sexuality have transformed traditional inquiry, or for students whose career goals include law, advocacy, healthcare, and cultural programming that serves LGBTQ populations.
Minor in Girls' Studies
Girls continue to be one of the most exploited populations worldwide, particularly affected by issues like gender-based violence during the period of their lives when they are inculcated to norms about gender, appearance, and sexuality. At the same time, girls have been important creators of cultures that seek to define themselves on their own terms.
The minor in Girls' Studies enables students to utilize the interdisciplinary approaches of GWS with a focus on gender and age. It complements any number of majors, but is particularly salient for students who intend to serve girls as educators, healthcare workers, and advocates.
Graduate Certificate and Graduate Minor in GWS
Graduate study in GWS connects students with the intellectual community of interdisciplinary GWS scholars at Appalachian. Students in the GWS graduate programs learn the epistemological, methodological, and pedagogical bases for studies that take gender, sexuality, and other axes of difference as centrally constitutive analytic categories. They can gain valuable professional experience preparing to teach in GWS or working in a GWS internship.
The graduate certificate and the graduate minor provide a useful credential for students who intend to pursue further advanced study, to teach GWS, and to work in areas that focus on gender issues, women's issues, or LGBTQ issues.
2024-25 Graduate Bulletin: Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate
2024-25 Graduate Bulletin: Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Graduate Minor
Enrollment in the GWS Certificate or Minor
For students who are not currently enrolled in a graduate program at Appalachian:
You must apply to be admitted to the program. The application deadline for Fall is August 1. The application deadline for Spring is November 1. Admission is for Fall or Spring terms.
Admission requirements include the following:
- A BA from an accredited college or university.
- A complete application to the Graduate School (Program Code GCERT_146A; CIP Code: 05.0207).
- A statement of purpose explaining the applicant's education and work background, interests, and plans, with an emphasis on how GWS coursework will enhance, complement, or advance the applicant's work and/or education.
For students who are already enrolled in a graduate program at Appalachian:
If you would like to add a GWS Graduate Certificate, please fill out the form to "Request to Add a Program" available through the Graduate School. If you would like to add a GWS Graduate Minor, please contact the GWS DIrector, Emily Lutenski (lutenskies@appstate.edu), who can update your program of study.
All prospective students are welcome and encouraged to confer with the GWS Director, Emily Lutenski (lutenskies@appstate.edu), prior to submitting an application.