Certificate in Critical Sexuality Studies

This interdisciplinary certificate is designed for students in all majors who want to study sexuality and LGBTQ+ issues in a systematic way. The certificate investigates the historical precedents and theoretical frameworks necessary to understand sexuality and its effects in social, economic, political, and personal life. Particular attention is paid to how sexuality intersects with other social differences, including gender, race, class, religion, nationality, disability, and age, and how power, resistance, and life chances are unevenly distributed at these intersections. The certificate provides students with a robust understanding of the institutional and ideological grounds of social policy and public discourse about sexuality in all its forms. It empowers students to imagine a more just future and equips them with the tools to collectively enact it.

The certificate provides a strong foundation in the field of sexuality studies that prepares students for employment or graduate school in psychology, law, social work, public health, medicine, nonprofit management, human resources, and more.

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The Certificate in Critical Sexuality Studies consists of 21 credits, divided as follows:

CORE COURSES (9 credits)
Course # Course Name GEP Semester Offered
CSST 210 Introduction to Critical Sexuality Studies SS/C
CSST 345 Unruly Bodies AH/C
CSST 485 Sexuality and Queer Theory — Spring Only
ELECTIVE CREDITS (12 credits)
  • 6 credits must be from Interdisciplinary Social Science Courses
  • A maximum of 6 credits may be taken from Arts and Culture Courses
  • Students have the option to take up to 3 credits of independent study and 3 credits of internship towards completion of the certificate
  • Selected topics courses (CSST 292, CSST 392, CSST 492) may also be counted towards the 12 credits in electives

NOTE: A C or better is required in all courses applied toward the certificate

Course Number
Course Name
RoE
GEP
GWST 332/SOCY 332 Human Sexuality in Sociological Perspectives — —
GWST 333/SOCY 333 Human Sexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspective — C/SS
GWST 356/PSYC 356 The Psychology of Sex and Gender — —
GWST 366/HIST 366 Doin’ It: Case Studies in the History of Western Sexuality √ SS/C
GWST 381 Reproductive Justice in the US √ —
GWST 383 History and Politics of Sexuality √ —
GWST 413/MLL 413 Language, Gender and Sexuality √ —
GWST 444/PSYC 444 Psychology of Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity √ WI
Course Number
Course Name
RoE
GEP
CSST 320/GWST 220 Introduction to Transgender Studies √ —
CSST 321 Queer Representation in Film √ AH
GWST 255/MLL 255 Intercultural Paris √ AH/C
GWST 315 Modern Masculinities — AH/C
GWST 341 Indigenous and Decolonial Feminisms √ —
GWST 344 Transnational Femininities √ AH/C
GWST 348 Black, Queer and Feminist Film √ —
GWST 349/THTR 349 Gender, Sexuality and Theatrical Performance √ AH