Major

The Gender Studies department provides a quality education that emphasizes analytic and writing skills, qualitative research methods, and a historical and transnational understanding of social inequalities. Our faculty integrate feminist pedagogical approaches and their own research into their teaching. Our core courses address the concepts of gender and the body, gender and power, and gender and knowledge through a range of topics such as freedom and liberty, social movements, masculinities, work and leisure, politics of social justice, intersectionality, colonial and sexual violence, and visual culture and citizenship.  Gender Studies offers a major and a minor, and is open to all undergraduates in the College of Letters and Science, students in other Schools may petition.


How to Register

To sign up for the major or minor in the Department of Gender Studies, visit the Gender Studies undergraduate advisor, Samantha Hogan, in 1120 Rolfe during drop in advising hours, Monday-Thursday 11:00-2:00pm.  Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in person drop in hours have been suspended.  Please contact undergraduate advisor Samantha Hogan directly at shogan@gender.ucla.edu

Student Affairs Officer: Samantha Hogan, 1120G Rolfe Hall, shogan@gender.ucla.edu

Department of Gender Studies Main Office: 1120 Rolfe Hall (310) 206-8101.  Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Gender Studies staff is currently working remotely and the main office is closed until further notice.

Learning Outcomes

Students completing the Gender Studies B.A. will:

  • demonstrate a working knowledge of the field of gender studies
  • understand key theoretical approaches in the study of women, gender and sexuality
  • demonstrate the ability to construct well-written analytic essays and give an oral presentation for a seminar or other suitable venue
  • conduct a research project that involves the consultation of scholarly literatures and presentation of evidence to support an argument

Eligibility

The Gender Studies major is open to all UCLA undergraduates. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better. A grade of “C” or better is required for prep and required courses; required courses for which a grade of “C-” or lower is earned will not count.

Students meet with the Gender Studies undergraduate counselor to review the requirements, to complete the registration and petition forms, and to plan their course of study.  This should be done no later than three quarters prior to graduation.

Major Requirements

Preparation: GS 10: Introduction to Gender Studies (5 units)
GS 10 is a General Education (GE) course (Society and Culture- Social Analysis).

Core Courses: GS 102: Power (4 units); GS 103: Knowledge (4 units); GS 104: Bodies (4 units)
The core courses are 4 units, and students are required to complete three (12 units).  Courses may be taken in any order.  Students must complete GS 10 prior to enrolling in a core course.

Research: GS 187: Capstone Seminar (4 units)
Students are required to have completed all three core courses prior to enrolling in the research seminar. You must contact the Gender Studies advisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Electives: 7 courses (28 units): No concentration or distribution requirements.  Seven upper division courses (at least 4 units each) chosen from the departmental course list or from non-departmental electives approved for GS credit.  Lists are available in the GS main office or online.  See Courses.