Skip to main content

Pre-2012 Majors

The major in Gender & Sexuality Studies offers students a comprehensive understanding of the intersections between gender studies and sexuality studies across the humanities and social sciences and their relation to historical and contemporary feminist and LGBT activism.

In 2012 Gender & Sexuality Studies became a stand-alone major and introduced new major requirements. Students entering Northwestern in 2012 or thereafter, must follow these new requirements. Students who entered Northwestern before 2012 may choose to pursue the stand-alone major requirements or the earlier adjunct major requirements (each set of requirements is listed below). 

(To 2012 Catalog) *Please note these requirements fulfill the adjunct major. To complete a stand alone major you must complete the requirements from the 2012 (to present) catalog. Students who entered Northwestern in Fall 2012 or later can only pursue the stand-alone major.

Adjunct Major in Gender Studies

1. Three of the following six courses: 

2. Six additional courses, at least four at the 300-level, focusing on gender issues. Four of these six must be offered through the Gender & Sexuality Studies program. The others may be either offered through Gender & Sexuality Studies or cross-listed. 

3. One Gender & Sexuality Studies theory course approved by the Program (e.g. 397, 396, or 381).

4. Option (a) or (b):

a) 398 Senior Thesis Research Seminar and 399 Honors Thesis Independent Study
b) one other 300-level elective course

*All students completing the adjunct major in Gender Studies must complete another major that is not an adjunct major.

*At most 2 courses may be double-counted toward the Gender Studies adjunct major and another major. None may be double-counted toward a minor.