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Women's and Gender Studies Curriculum
Women's and Gender Studies Undergraduate Courses
For information about current course offerings, check our current course listings or contact us. For available syllabi, click on the course name.
WGS 150 WOMEN, INFORMATION, AND TECHNOLOGY (3)
Examines the historical relationship of women, information, and technology through web-based learning, critical explorations of information technology, and computer communication skill building. SPW
(Liberal Studies: Social and Political Worlds)
~ Offered Fall and Spring in web format
WGS 191 WOMEN, GENDER IDENTITY AND ETHNICITY (3)
Focuses on the significance of gender and ethnic identities in society, providing a non-traditional, interdisciplinary, and comparative perspective on the experiences of women in the U.S. (3 credit hours) Crosslisted as ES 191. CUE
(Liberal Studies: Cultural Understanding) (Diversity: US Ethnic)
~ Offered Fall and Spring
WGS 199 MODULAR LEARNING EXPERIENCE (1-3)
Foundations of intellectual inquiry. In-depth study of a substantive problem. Letter grade only. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
WGS 200 INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES (3)
Introduction to academic field of Women's Studies and the relationship of theory and practice, focusing on contributions of founding mothers and movements, debates about feminism, gender, and women, and politics and problem solving; includes a community learning experience. SPW
(Liberal Studies: Social and Political Worlds)
~ Offered Fall and Spring
WGS 201 WOMEN'S STUDIES EVENTS LAB (1)
Draws together the skills and understanding generated in women's studies courses and applies them to the women's studies film and lecture series. You must take this lab course concurrently with a related WST course. May be repeated for up to 4 hours of credit. instructor's consent required.
WGS 215 MAKING "REAL MEN": MASCULINITIES IN THE UNITED STATES (3)
Examines how race, gender, and sexualities influence the diverse experiences of boys/men in the U.S., focusing on discourses of masculinity, socialization of boys/men, boys/mens' actions and perceptions of themselves other boys/men, women, and social realities. CU
(Liberal Studies: Cultural Understanding)
~ Offered Fall
WGS 255: "AUTHENTIC INDIAN": GENDER AND INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION (3)
Examines the relationship and negotiation of gender and culture through representation(s) within and concerning Indigenous peoples/communities. We will focus on U.S. forms in popular experiences e.g., literature, film, media.
(Liberal Studies: Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry) (Diversity: US Ethnic Diversity)
WGS 260 THIRD WORLD WOMEN (3)
Variable content, focusing on women, gender constructions and histories, and contemporary issues in postcolonial settings in Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America. May be repeated for up to 9 credits. SPWG
(Liberal Studies: Social and Political Worlds) (Diversity: Global Diversity)
~ Offered Spring
WGS 260H THIRD WORLD WOMEN - HONORS (3)
Variable content, focusing on women, gender constructions and histories, and contemporary issues in postcolonial settings in Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America. May be repeated for up to 9 credits. Prerequisite: Honors Student Group SPWG
WGS 300W FEMINIST THEORIES (3)
Foundational overviews of the history of feminist theory. Also addresses contemporary ethnic minority and international theorists. This course fulfills NAU's junior-level writing requirement. Prerequisite: WST 200 or International Student Group AHI
(Liberal Studies: Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry)
~ Offered Fall
WGS 301 WOMEN, HEALTH AND HEALING (3)
Represents health concepts basic to the mind-body processes and life experiences of women throughout the life cycle. Uses traditional and current feminist research.
~ Offered Spring
WGS 325: "SISTER NATION:" INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN THE US (3)
This course focuses on a deeper theoretical and an applied understanding of how Indigenous women understand themselves, their communities and responsibilities. We utilize and demand a comprehension of knowledge systems.
(Liberal Studies: Cultural Understanding)(Diversity: US Ethnic)
WGS 350W HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY OF FEMINIST MOVEMENTS (3)
Examines differing histories of international feminist movements and the writing of histories of the same. This course fulfills NAU's junior-level writing requirement. Prerequisite: WST 200 or International Student Group JWRT
~ Offered Spring
WGS 360 TRANSNATIONAL FEMINISMS (3)
Variable content, focusing on the histories, theories, geographies, practices and global contexts of non-Western feminisms. May be repeated for up to 9 credits. CUG
(Diversity: Global Diversity)
~ Offered Fall
WGS 375W FEMINIST METHODOLOGY, INTERPRETATION AND CRITIQUE (3)
Examines ways in which feminist methodology, interpretation, and critique are informed by political, aesthetic, cultural, historical, and disciplinary theories, practices, and conventions. This course fulfills NAU's junior-level writing requirement. Prerequisite: WST 200 or International Student Group JWRT
WGS 391 SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES (3)
Possible topics include women, history, and education; women and the outdoors; women and professional identity; women and science; women and disability. May be repeated for up to 12 hours of credit if content varies.
WGS 392 SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES: HUMANITIES (3)
Possible topics include women and the body; feminist spirituality; Navajo women; American feminist rhetoric; feminist cultural critique. May be repeated for up to 12 hours of credit if content varies.
WGS 393 SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES: ARTS (3)
Possible topics include women and theater; women and the arts; feminist aesthetics; women, creativity, and difference. May be repeated for up to 12 hours of credit if content varies.
WGS 394 SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES: SOCIAL SCIENCES (3)
Possible topics include gender and social thought; Latin American women; mothering; feminist approaches to the family; women and development; women and ethnicity. May be repeated for up to 12 hours of credit if content varies.
WGS 399 MODULAR LEARNING EXPERIENCE (1-3)
In-depth study of an aspect, concept, or problem within a program of study. Letter grade only. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
WGS 408 FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE (1-12)
Individualized supervised field experience in an appropriate agency or organization. Pass-fail only. Department consent required.
WGS 425: "WHEN BIOLOGY RULED THE WORLD": RACE, GENDER, AND SCIENCE (3)
Explores how Western/European science has delineated and determined race and gender definitions, social expectations, and institutional constructions including historical implications and precepts that impact women and people of color.
(Diversity: Global Diversity)
WGS 465 DIRECTED READINGS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES (3)
With the approval and direction of the women's studies director, you develop a reading list, submit a reading journal, and meet with the director of your project regularly. Variations of these requirements can be approved. Department consent required.
WGS 485 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (3)
Original research, with content and nature of project approved by the women's studies director. You present research results at end of the course. Projects must have substantial grounding in research methods. Letter grade or pass-fail. Department consent required.
WGS 491C WOMEN'S STUDIES RESEARCH (3)
Integrates perspectives gained in women's studies courses and provides understanding of how women's studies fits into and enriches one's understanding of society, culture, letters, the arts, and other fields. Prerequisite: WST 200 and (WST 300W or PHI 362 or PHI 362H) and (6 hours from WST 491C Course List or International Student Group CAP)
~ Offered Spring
WGS 492 WOMEN'S STUDIES SENIOR THESIS (6)
Involves researching, writing, and producing a publishable women's studies essay. Prerequisite: (WST 191 or WST 191H) and WST 200 and (WST 350 or WST 375W) and (WST 300W or PHI 362 or PHI 362H) or International Exchange Student Group
WGS 493 WOMEN'S STUDIES SENIOR PROJECT (3)
Involves completing a major academic project or serving as an intern in an academic setting-to assist you in refining skills to enhance your portfolio for career and graduate school. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit. Prerequisite: (WST 191 or WST 191H) and WST 200 and (WST 350 or WST 375W) and (WST 300W or PHI 362 or PHI 362H) or International Exchange Student Group
WGS 495C WOMEN'S STUDIES BAILS ESSAY (1)
Involves a review of writing done in the women's studies BAILS program and production of an essay or project for your portfolio. Corequisite: WST 491C CAP
WGS 497 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-6)
Original research, with content and nature of project approved by women's studies director. You present research results at end of the course. Projects must have substantial grounding in research methods. Letter grade or pass-fail. Department consent required.
Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Courses
For information about current course offerings, check our current course listings or contact us. For available syllabi, click on the course name.
WGS 599 CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS (1-3)
Examines recent trends and investigations in women's studies. Letter grade or pass-fail.
WGS 600 INTRODUCTION TO FEMINIST THEORIES (3)
Survey of feminist theories, their arguments and strategies for transformation, with particular focus on how gender intersects with race, class, sexuality, imperialism, neo-imperialism, and resulting global inequalities.
~ Offered Spring
WGS 601 TOPICS IN FEMINIST STUDIES (3)
Explores feminist theory and research, through such topics as transnational feminisms, gender and development, reproductive rights, women and war, sexualities, Third World feminisms, and Third Wave feminism. May be repeated for up to 9 hours of credit.
~ Offered Fall
WGS 685 GRADUATE RESEARCH (1-6)
Letter grade or pass-fail.
WGS 697 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3)
Directed study on selected topics in women's studies. Letter grade or pass-fail.