Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

Program Learning Outcomes for the Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

Upon completing the minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an awareness of the diversity of feminist thought in the past and present.
  2. Demonstrate familiarity with key issues in the study of women’s lives and histories.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of social, political, and cultural features of gender and sexuality in the US and globally.
  4. Focus on and demonstrate an understanding of a particular thread of feminist inquiry.

Requirements for the Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

Students pursuing the minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality must complete: 

  • A minimum of 6 courses (18 credit hours) to satisfy minor requirements. 
  • A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
  • A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
  • A minimum of 4 elective courses (12 credit hours) in one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization). The Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality minor offers five areas of specialization:
  • A capstone requirement. 

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this minor. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the minor’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the Program Director. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the minor's Official Certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.

Summary

Total Credit Hours Required for the Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality18

Minor Requirements

Core Requirement
SWGS 101INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN & GENDER3
or SWGS 201 INTRODUCTION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER STUDIES
Elective Requirements 1
Select 4 courses from 1 of the following Areas of Specialization (see Areas of Specialization below):12
Critical Race
Global South
Sexuality
Theory
Student-Designed
Capstone Requirement
SWGS 493FEMINIST RESEARCH WORKSHOP3
Total Credit Hours18

Footnotes and Additional Information

Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements

Areas of Specialization

Students must complete a total of 4 courses (12 credit hours) as listed below to satisfy the requirements for the area of specialization. A minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) must be taken at the 300-level or above. Students may complete one of the following Areas of Specialization or may pursue a student-designed Area of Specialization, if the student-designed Area of Specialization is constructed in advance with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Area of Specialization: Critical Race

To fulfill the remaining Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality minor requirements, students pursuing the Critical Race area of specialization must complete:

  • a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the Critical Race area of specialization
ANTH 316BLACK DECOLONIAL FEMINISMS IN THE AMERICAS3
EDUC 304RACE, CLASS, GENDER IN EDUCATION3
ENGL 397TOPICS IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE 13
FREN 308BEAUTY AND THE BEAST(S): SEX, VIOLENCE, AND FOLKTALES IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA3
FREN 337SHAKESPEARE IN THE CARIBBEAN: POST/COLONIAL READINGS3
FREN 340GENDER AROUND THE WORLD3
FREN 413BLACK VENUS/VÉNUS NOIRE: REPRESENTATIONS OF BLACK WOMEN IN THE LONG 19TH CENTURY3
FREN 414SEX AND RACE IN THE FRENCH ATLANTIC3
HART 306WHAT ARTISTS CITE: CORE TEACHINGS IN BLACK STUDIES3
SOCI 307INTERSECTIONALITY3
SOCI 343RACE, SOCIETY AND POPULATION CHANGE3
SOCI 389RACE, GENDER, CLASS IN FILM3
SWGS 247SEX, RACE, AND THE CITY3
SWGS 327 / ENGL 381TOPICS IN WOMEN WRITERS3
SWGS 329 / ENGL 369THE AMERICAN WEST AND ITS OTHERS3
SWGS 338 / HIST 33819TH CENTURY WOMEN'S NARRATIVES3
SWGS 354 / ENGL 371 / SPAN 396CHICANO/A LITERATURE3
SWGS 370 / ENGL 370AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE3
SWGS 389 / ENGL 389YOUTH STUDIES3
SWGS 415 / LING 415SOCIOLINGUISTICS3
SWGS 466 / SPAN 456LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN'S CULTURE3

Area of Specialization: Global South

To fulfill the remaining Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality minor requirements, students pursuing the Global South area of specialization must complete:

  • a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the Global South area of specialization
ANTH 316BLACK DECOLONIAL FEMINISMS IN THE AMERICAS3
ASIA 381SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORAS3
FREN 337SHAKESPEARE IN THE CARIBBEAN: POST/COLONIAL READINGS3
FREN 340GENDER AROUND THE WORLD3
FREN 414SEX AND RACE IN THE FRENCH ATLANTIC3
PJHC 371POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND HUMAN CAPABILITIES3
POLI 459SEX, GENDER, AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN LATIN AMERICA3
SOCI 389RACE, GENDER, CLASS IN FILM3
SPAN 361WOMEN AND GENDER IN SPANISH CULTURE3
SWGS 247SEX, RACE, AND THE CITY3
SWGS 250 / POLI 250 / ASIA 251SEX, MONEY, AND POWER AROUND THE WORLD3
SWGS 315 / RELI 315 / ASIA 315GENDER AND ISLAM3
SWGS 384 / HIST 384 / ASIA 328MODERN GIRL AND ASIA IN THE WORLD3
SWGS 399 / ASIA 399 / MDEM 379WOMEN IN CHINESE LITERATURE3
SWGS 449 / ANTH 449CULTURES OF SEXUALITY3

Area of Specialization: Sexuality

To fulfill the remaining Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality minor requirements, students pursuing the Sexuality area of specialization must complete:

  • a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the Sexuality area of specialization
ANTH 346QUEER ARCHAEOLOGY3
ANTH 399ANTHROPOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION3
HART 363SENSORIAL QUEERNESS : QUEERING THE SENSORIAL3
HART 364GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN FILM3
HIST 391QUEER HISTORY3
HUMA 134WHAT IS LOVE? A BIG QUESTIONS COURSE WITH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION3
LALX 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
LING 303LANGUAGE, GENDER & SEXUALITY3
RELI 393MUTANTS AND MYSTICS: RACE, SEXUALITY, AND THE FUTURE OF THE HUMANITIES3
SWGS 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
SWGS 247SEX, RACE, AND THE CITY3
SWGS 306 / HEAL 306HUMAN SEXUALITY3
SWGS 317TRANSGENDER STUDIES3
SWGS 333 / ANTH 311MASCULINITIES3
SWGS 364 / ENGL 354QUEER LITERARY CULTURES3
SWGS 385SEXUAL DEBATES IN THE U.S.: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS OF SUPREME COURTS DECISIONS3
SWGS 477SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4

Area of Specialization: Theory

To fulfill the remaining Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality minor requirements, students pursuing the Theory area of specialization must complete:

  • a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the Theory area of specialization
PHIL 267PHILOSOPHY OF SEX AND LOVE3
PHIL 470ADVANCED TOPICS IN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY3
SWGS 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
SWGS 317TRANSGENDER STUDIES3
SWGS 345 / HIST 340HISTORY OF FEMINISM3
SWGS 380 / ENGL 382FEMINIST THEORY3

Department Approved Electives

ANTH 321SOCIAL LIFE OF DNA3
ANTH 346QUEER ARCHAEOLOGY3
ANTH 380GLOBAL HEALTH JUSTICE: HEALTHCARE INEQUALITIES IN CONFLICTS3
ANTH 381MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY3
ANTH 382BODY, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENHANCEMENT3
ANTH 428FEMINIST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES3
ENGL 332LITERATURE OF THE BRITISH ENLIGHTENMENT3
FREN 370WOMEN IN TALES OF THE FANTASTIC3
FREN 460WOMEN IN FICTION AND HISTORY: NOTIONS OF THE FEMININE SINCE THE FRENCH REVOLUTION3
FWIS 119THE BEAUTY OF THE BEAST: TELLING AND RE-TELLING THE TALE AS OLD AS TIME3
HART 307WOMEN IN ANCIENT ART3
HART 356SEX AND MONEY: THE SPECIES DIVIDE3
HART 364GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN FILM3
HIST 391QUEER HISTORY3
LALX 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
LING 303LANGUAGE, GENDER & SEXUALITY3
PHIL 267PHILOSOPHY OF SEX AND LOVE3
PHIL 275FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY3
POLI 339GENDER AND POLITICS3
POLI 459SEX, GENDER, AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN LATIN AMERICA3
POLI 461WOMEN AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP3
RELI 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
RELI 393MUTANTS AND MYSTICS: RACE, SEXUALITY, AND THE FUTURE OF THE HUMANITIES3
SOCI 301SOCIAL INEQUALITY3
SOCI 307INTERSECTIONALITY3
SWGS 205 / LING 205LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY3
SWGS 238SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
SWGS 273 / ENGL 273MEDICINE AND MEDIA3
SWGS 301 / ENGL 317 / MDEM 317ARTHURIAN LITERATURE3
SWGS 303GENDER AND SCIENCE3
SWGS 305 / ENGL 316 / MDEM 316CHAUCER3
SWGS 306 / HEAL 306HUMAN SEXUALITY3
SWGS 324 / SOCI 306SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER3
SWGS 325 / SOCI 334SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY3
SWGS 327 / ENGL 381TOPICS IN WOMEN WRITERS3
SWGS 331 / PSYC 331PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER3
SWGS 332 / ANTH 325SEX, SELF, AND SOCIETY IN ANCIENT GREECE3
SWGS 333 / ANTH 311MASCULINITIES3
SWGS 336 / ANTH 308THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE HISTORICAL IMAGINATION3
SWGS 343 / ENGL 343JANE AUSTEN'S WORLDS3
SWGS 353 / ANTH 354ILLNESS, DISABILITY, AND THE GENDERED BODY3
SWGS 361 / GERM 338 / HUMA 373NEW GERMAN FILM: HITLER'S CINEMATIC CHILDREN3
SWGS 364 / ENGL 354QUEER LITERARY CULTURES3
SWGS 372 / ENGL 342SURVEY OF VICTORIAN FICTION3
SWGS 385SEXUAL DEBATES IN THE U.S.: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS OF SUPREME COURTS DECISIONS3
SWGS 390 / SPAN 390HISPANIC CINEMA3
SWGS 424 / FREN 424WOMEN IN FRANCE3
SWGS 434 / HART 434 / MDEM 434SEEING SEX IN EUROPEAN ART, 1400-17003
SWGS 465 / SOCI 465GENDER AND HEALTH3
SWGS 477SPECIAL TOPICS 11-4
SWGS 495INDEPENDENT STUDY1-4

Footnotes and Additional Information 

Policies for the Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

Students pursuing the minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality should be aware of the following program restriction:
  • As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, i.) students may declare their intent to pursue a minor only after they have first declared a major, and ii.) students may not major and minor in the same subject.

Transfer Credit 

For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities. 

Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines

Students pursuing the minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guidelines:

  • No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the minor.
  • Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality (CSWGS) Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Center's Director, (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis. 
  • Courses taken at another university must be equivalent in required reading, writing, research and testing, as well as classroom hours, of a Rice course. Regarding subject matter, however, there does not have to be an equivalent course in the Rice course offerings, unless the student requires distribution credit.
  • Rice students planning to study at a foreign university must also obtain pre-approval from the Rice Study Abroad Office.
  • Transfer credit received via the articulation of approved exam credit, such as advanced placement (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not be considered towards minor requirements.

Distribution Credit Information

The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.  

Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration. 

Distribution courses from the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality (SWGS) are broad in theme and scope and prompt students to probe knowledge about how gender and sexuality are crucial components of political life, social life, and general well-being. They involve a broad, interdisciplinary spectrum of such knowledge and provide students with the tools for thinking critically about formations of gender and sexuality in diverse contexts. Current SWGS DI courses are 100- and 200-level introductions to the study of women and gender and to LGBT studies. (Courses that originate in other departments and fulfill SWGS requirements may or may not be distribution courses. Please check the course description.)

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality website: https://cswgs.rice.edu/

Opportunities for the Minor in the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

Academic Honors

The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality website: https://cswgs.rice.edu/.

See https://humanities.rice.edu/student-life for tables of fellowships, prizes, and internships/practica that may be relevant to this minor.