Graduate Minor Program Requirements

Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary program that examines the multiple roles gender plays in everyday life, the impacts of gendered practices on social, cultural, and political behavior and thought, and the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, ability, age, and class.

A Graduate Minor in WGSS supports interdisciplinary research and provides students with an understanding of the impact of gendered practices on social and cultural behavior and thought and a theoretical foundation for analyzing and responding to these gendered practices and their outcomes.

The minor complements a graduate degree in disciplines all over campus. Some of our Grad Minors come from these departments:

  • Communication Studies
  • English
  • Education
  • Kinesiology
  • Political Science
  • Sociology

Requirements for the Graduate Minor in WGSS

Students interested in the graduate minor in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies in either the Master’s or Doctorate program should complete the WGSS Plan of Study Form and submit it, through their advisory committee, to the Graduate Advisor of the WGSS Curriculum Committee for final approval by the WGSS Director. The student’s WGSS Plan of Study Form will be maintained in the WGSS Office and any changes affecting the WGSS Minor should be coordinated with the advisory committee and the Graduate Advisor of the Curriculum. Courses must be clearly delineated as to which hours count as major coursework and which as minor coursework.

Students minoring in WGSS must complete 12 semester hours of course work including 6 hours at the 7000 level (choose two of these three: WGS 7150, WGS 7500 and WGS 7900) and 6 hours of approved elective courses that are listed as 4000 and above. Of these courses, no more than two may be taken within the same department or with the same professor and no more than one course may be taken within the student's home department.

While WGSS accepts 4000-level courses for the Graduate Minor, your home department may not. Check with your home department's DGS for departmental degree requirements.

View the WGSS Program Overview and Classes Flyer

View the WGSS Graduate Minor Flyer

Admission & Financial Support

A student must be accepted by the Graduate School and an LSU Graduate Program. After acceptance into a departmental program, the student should work with faculty advisory committees in their home department and in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies to identify specific coursework that will be taken in WGSS as part of their graduate studies at LSU.

Graduate research assistantships may be available from participating departments, institutes and centers. The primary source of financial support is from the Graduate School and the student’s home department.

How can a Graduate Minor in WGSS benefit you?

There are many ways in which a graduate minor in WGSS can combine and enhance your current graduate degree when on the job market. If you are interested in finding out more about a 4-class graduate minor in WGSS, please contact the Director of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program, Dr. Benjamin Kahan, dwgs@lsu.edu.

Related Information

PhD Students are eligible for the Ann Veronica Simon Outstanding Gender Studies Dissertation Award

To join the listserv for WGSS Grads, the Women's, Gender, and Sexualities Studies Graduate Organization, visit our organizations page.