School of Multidisciplinary Social Sciences and Humanities
www.kent.edu/multidisciplinary-studies
About This Program
Our Gender and Sexuality Studies program offers a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the complexities of gender and sexuality in contemporary society. With passionate faculty, engaging coursework and a welcoming community, you will have the opportunity to explore your interests, develop critical thinking skills and make a positive impact in the world. Read more...
Contact Information
- Andrew Barnes | abarnes3@kent.edu |
330-672-8947 - Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
General and operations managers
- 4.4% about as fast as the average
- 3,712,900 number of jobs
- $102,950 potential earnings
Human resources specialists
- 6.2% faster than the average
- 944,300 number of jobs
- $72,910 potential earnings
Lawyers
- 4.1% about as fast as the average
- 864,800 number of jobs
- $151,160 potential earnings
Legal support workers, all other
- -1.2% decline
- 51,300 number of jobs
- $68,760 potential earnings
Management analysts
- 8.8% much faster than the average
- 1,075,100 number of jobs
- $101,190 potential earnings
Office and administrative support workers, all other
- -7.8% decline
- 232,900 number of jobs
- $46,040 potential earnings
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.
Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
| GSS 10100 | INTRODUCTION TO GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| GSS 30500 | METHODOLOGIES AND PRAXIS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| GSS 40450 | GENDER AND SEXUALITY ROUNDTABLE | 3 |
| GSS 40591 | SEMINAR IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| Discourse, Identity and Human Dynamics Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
| GENDER AND LANGUAGE | ||
| AFRICANA WOMEN'S LITERATURE | ||
| WOMEN'S LITERATURE | ||
| HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| TRANSGENDER STUDIES | ||
| GENDER, POWER AND CONFLICT | ||
| WOMEN, POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| FEMINIST HUMOR: DISARMING LAUGHTER, DISRUPTIVE DISCOURSE | ||
| Thematic Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
| BLACK WOMEN, CULTURE AND SOCIETY: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES | ||
| THE BLACK MAN: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES | ||
| GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA | ||
| HISTORY OF SEXUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| LGBTQ RIGHTS AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES | ||
| WITCHES: THE MONSTROUS FEMININE | ||
| GLOBAL FEMINISMS: A WORLD AND CENTURY OF WOMEN'S ACTIVISM | ||
| RAPE CULTURE: RETHINKING DANGER, POWER, SEX AND FEMINIST FRAMINGS | ||
| Theory and Thought Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
| RACE, CLASS AND FEMINIST THOUGHT | ||
| QUEER THEORY | ||
| FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY | ||
| ARENAS FOR FEMINIST THOUGHT: TOUCHY SUBJECTS, UNSETTLED MATTERS AND FEMINIST RESPONSE-ABILITY | ||
| Major Electives, choose from the following: | 9 | |
| THE BLACK MAN: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES | ||
| GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA | ||
| RACE, CLASS AND FEMINIST THOUGHT | ||
| HUMAN BIOLOGY (KBS) | ||
| GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | ||
| LGBTQ POPULATIONS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM | ||
| WOMEN IN CRIME AND JUSTICE | ||
| GENDER AND LANGUAGE | ||
| AFRICANA WOMEN'S LITERATURE | ||
| WOMEN'S LITERATURE | ||
| WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES | ||
| ADVANCED HUMAN SEXUALITY | ||
| WITCHES AND EUROPEAN HISTORY, 1500-1800 | ||
| HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| HISTORY OF SEXUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| HUMAN SEXUALITY | ||
| JEWISH WOMEN IN THE MODERN WORLD | ||
| LGBTQ RIGHTS AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES | ||
| TRANSGENDER STUDIES | ||
| QUEER THEORY | ||
| GENDER, POWER AND CONFLICT | ||
| FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY | ||
| WOMEN, POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF SEXUALITIES | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| LGBTQ THEATRE | ||
| ARENAS FOR FEMINIST THOUGHT: TOUCHY SUBJECTS, UNSETTLED MATTERS AND FEMINIST RESPONSE-ABILITY | ||
| KEY CONVERSATIONS THROUGH WOMEN'S STUDIES | ||
| WITCHES: THE MONSTROUS FEMININE | ||
| FEMINIST HUMOR: DISARMING LAUGHTER, DISRUPTIVE DISCOURSE | ||
| GLOBAL FEMINISMS: A WORLD AND CENTURY OF WOMEN'S ACTIVISM | ||
| RAPE CULTURE: RETHINKING DANGER, POWER, SEX AND FEMINIST FRAMINGS | ||
| PIVOTAL PRAXIS: EXPERIMENTS IN ACTIONABLE FEMINISM | ||
| Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) | ||
| UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
| Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) | 10-16 | |
| American Civic Literacy Requirement 1 | 3 | |
| Kent Core Composition | 6 | |
| Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
| Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) 1 | 6-9 | |
| Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) 1 | 3-6 | |
| Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 | |
| Kent Core Additional | 6 | |
| General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 43 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 | |
- 1
If students complete the American Civic Literacy requirement by taking HIST 12061, the course will apply to the Kent Core Humanities category. If they complete it with POL 10101, the course will apply to the Kent Core Social Sciences category.
Graduation Requirements
| Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
|---|---|
| 2.000 | 2.000 |
Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree* in the College of Sciences and Humanities must complete the following:
- Elementary I and II of any language (or equivalent) and
- One of the following options:
- Intermediate I and II of the same language
- Elementary I and II of a second language
- Any combination of two courses from the following list:
- Intermediate I of the same language
- One to two college-level course(s) completed outside the United States
- Courses: ARAB 21401, ASL 19401, CHIN 25421, MCLS 10001, MCLS 20001, MCLS 20091, MCLS 21417, MCLS 21420, MCLS 22217, MCLS 28403, MCLS 28404
*The Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies is exempt from the foreign language requirement until fall 2028 due to its previous longstanding academic placement in the College of Communication and Information, which does not have a foreign language requirement.
All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer courses. This may be accomplished in one of three ways:
- Passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level
- Receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University
- Demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language
Certain programs may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need a particular language proficiency.
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| GSS 10100 | INTRODUCTION TO GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
| Foreign Language Requirement | 4 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| Theory and Thought Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Language Requirement | 4 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| Thematic Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3 | |
| American Civic Literacy Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester Four | ||
| GSS 30500 | METHODOLOGIES AND PRAXIS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| Discourse, Identity and Human Dynamics Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester Five | ||
| GSS 40450 | GENDER AND SEXUALITY ROUNDTABLE | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
| General Electives | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester Eight | ||
| GSS 40591 | SEMINAR IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES | 3 |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 | |
University Requirements
All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.
| Requirement | Credits/Courses |
|---|---|
| Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour |
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission. | |
| American Civic Literacy | 3 credit hours |
| Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies |
Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience. | |
| Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours |
| Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course |
Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course. | |
| Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours |
Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate. | |
| Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours |
Kent Core Requirements
| Requirement | Credits/Courses |
|---|---|
| Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6 |
| Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3 |
| Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9 |
| Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6 |
| Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 |
| Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 36-37 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Identify key terms, theories and conceptual frameworks in the analysis of gender and sexuality.
- Examine the multiple and complex ways gender and sexuality are constructed through, and across, different identities, discourses and systems of power.
- Think critically about contemporary debates and issues related to gender and sexuality and devise policy interventions to address them.
- Apply multiple thematic areas in analyzing questions, dynamics and issues surrounding gender and sexuality and contribute with agency in social discourse.
Program Policies
Foreign Language Requirements
In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.
Progress Toward Fulfillment
College of Sciences and Humanities students are encouraged to begin meeting the foreign language requirement as early as possible in their program to ensure timely degree completion.
Mandatory Outcomes Assessment
In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Sciences and Humanities are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Sciences and Humanities.
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender and Sexuality Studies takes a multidisciplinary and intersectional approach to examining ideas and processes that shape people's understanding about gender, sexualities and bodies throughout space and time. Scholarly investigation and production in this discipline emerged from sociological inquiry on human sexuality as well as feminist, LGBTQ and anti-racist histories and activism to combat social inequality. This program skillfully provides both the theoretical and praxis of the field while integrating these different and contributing perspectives regarding gender and sexuality.