# 2026-2027 Course Catalog
**Source**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/las/minors/gender-womens-studies/
**Parent**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/graduate-minors/
*for the Graduate Minor in Gender & Women's Studies*
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## **Graduate Degree Programs in Gender & Women's Studies**
- [Gender and Women's Studies Graduate Minor](https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/las/minors/gender-womens-studies/)
- [Queer Studies Graduate Minor](https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/las/minors/queer-studies/)
The graduate minor in Gender & Women's Studies offers sophisticated training in feminist theory and methodology to graduate students who want to incorporate gender & women's studies into their degree work. Because gender has become a central category of analysis in many disciplines and fields, the graduate minor strengthens students' formal credentials and offers a versatile area of specialization. Please see the [Department of Gender & Women's Studies website](https://gws.illinois.edu/academics/graduate-minors) for more information.
The graduate minor in Queer Studies offers students the opportunity to gain expertise in queer theory and methodology as part of their graduate degree work. The graduate minor in queer studies offers students a versatile interdisciplinary framework to complement and strengthen their research and pedagogy in their chosen field of study. Please see our website for more information, [Department of Gender & Women's Studies website](https://gws.illinois.edu/academics/graduate-minors).
## **Admission**
Applicants must be in good standing in a graduate or professional program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Department required a formal application, including a personal statement about how the student’s graduate work and/or research interests intersect with gender and women’s studies. Students must also have signed approval of the graduate director of their program.
*for the Graduate Minor in Gender & Women's Studies*
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For additional details and requirements refer to the department's [Graduate Minor](http://www.gws.illinois.edu/student/grad/minor/) and the [Graduate College Handbook](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook/).
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [GWS 550](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=GWS%20550 "GWS 550") | Feminist Theories & Methods | 4 |
| [GWS 590](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=GWS%20590 "GWS 590") | Topics in GWS | 4 |
| An additional 400 or 500 level GWS course selected from a list of approved courses maintained in the department office by the GWS advisor. An independent study in GWS may also serve as the additional course. | | 4 |
| Total Hours | | 12 |
*for the Graduate Minor in Gender & Women's Studies*
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## **Gender & Women's Studies**
Department Chair**:** Siobhan Somerville\
[Gender & Women's Studies Department website](http://gws.illinois.edu/)\
1205 West Nevada, Urbana, IL 61801\
(217) 333-2990\
[gws-email@illinois.edu](mailto:gws-email@illinois.edu)
## **College of Liberal Arts & Sciences**
[College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website](https://las.illinois.edu/)