Overview
The Gender & Sexuality Studies (GSS) program at the University of Miami offers an interdisciplinary exploration of how gender and sexuality shape human experience, social structures, cultural expression, and systems of power. Drawing on perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, arts, and professional fields, the program equips students with analytical tools to understand the complex ways identities are constructed, represented, and lived across diverse historical and global contexts.
Students in the program examine topics such as gender roles and norms, LGBTQ+ histories and cultures, feminist and queer theory, intersectionality, reproductive politics, embodiment, media representation, and the relationship between gender, sexuality, race, class, and other axes of identity. Coursework emphasizes critical thinking, research, and communication skills while encouraging students to connect academic inquiry with contemporary social issues.
The GSS curriculum is designed to complement a wide range of majors and career paths. Students develop competencies valuable in fields such as education, medicine, business, marketing, public health, law, communication, public policy, the arts, nonprofit leadership, and community advocacy. The program fosters an inclusive intellectual environment that supports rigorous scholarship, ethical engagement, and a commitment to understanding a wide range of human experiences.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| GSS 201 | Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| GSS 301 | Feminist Inquiries | 3 |
| Select six GSS courses at the 300 level or above 1 | 18 | |
| Select a minimum of two additional GSS core courses | 6 | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II (or higher) | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People & Society Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Additional Required Courses | ||
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| Language course at the 200-level | 3 | |
| Minor Requirement | 15 | |
| Electives | 45 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 1
All Majors have the option of completing GSS 501 (or GSS 505), which will take the form of an individual research project with a faculty member of the student's choice; the student is responsible for finding an appropriate faculty member who is available to supervise the project and then must seek formal approval from the program director before proceeding with the project. The student must produce a substantial written report or research paper, the format of which will vary according to the nature of the project.
- *
A grade of C- or better in each course, with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in GSS courses is required.
Suggested Plan of Study
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II | 3 |
| Language (first course) | 3 | |
| People & Society or Arts and Humanities cognate (first course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| Language (second course) | 3 | |
| STEM cognate (first course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GSS 201 | Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| GSS Core Course | 3 | |
| People & Society or Arts and Humaities cognate (second course) | 3 | |
| Minor (first course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GSS 301 | Feminist Inquiries | 3 |
| GSS Core Course | 3 | |
| Minor (second course) | 3 | |
| STEM cognate (second course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GSS Course 300 Level or above | 3 | |
| GSS Course 300 level or above | 3 | |
| Minor (third course) | 3 | |
| STEM cognate (third course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GSS Course 300 level or above | 3 | |
| GSS Course 300 level or above | 3 | |
| Minor (fourth course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GSS Course 300 level or above | 3 | |
| Minor (fifth course) | 3 | |
| People & Society or Arts and Humanities cognate (third course) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GSS Course 300 level or above | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Additional Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| GSS 201 | Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| GSS 301 | Feminist Inquiries | 3 |
| Select six GSS courses at the 300 level or above 1 | 18 | |
| Select a minimum of two additional GSS core courses | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
All Majors have the option of completing GSS 501 (or GSS 505), which will take the form of an individual research project with a faculty member of the student's choice; the student is responsible for finding an appropriate faculty member who is available to supervise the project and then must seek formal approval from the program director before proceeding with the project. The student must produce a substantial written report or research paper, the format of which will vary according to the nature of the project.
- *
A grade of C- or better in each course, with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in GSS courses is required.
Mission
The Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies is dedicated to fostering the rigorous, interdisciplinary study of gender as a central force shaping human experience. Our mission is to cultivate critical inquiry into the ways gender—and its intersections with sexuality, race, class, ability, and other structures of power—organizes social life, cultural expression, political systems, and individual identities.
Drawing on diverse methods, theories, and perspectives from across the humanities, social sciences, and beyond, we encourage students to question taken‑for‑granted assumptions and to analyze how gendered ideas, practices, and institutions influence the world around us. Through this work, the program aims to equip students with the intellectual tools to understand, challenge, and transform the systems and narratives that shape our lives.
Goals
The program’s core objective is to foster the examination, open discussion, and lively debate of gender issues among faculty and students from all fields of study, enriching the undergraduate curriculum and the university’s academic mission through greater communication across disciplines and colleges. Its aim is to broaden, deepen, and transform the learning community at UM and beyond.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate a critical understanding of gender and/or sexuality as categories of analysis and as fundamental components of human experience, and they will engage with, question, and challenge normative models, assumptions, and viewpoints.
- Students will develop strong critical and analytical thinking skills, enabling them to interpret, evaluate, and synthesize complex ideas across disciplines.
- Students will strengthen their verbal and written communication skills, gaining the ability to articulate arguments, present research, and engage in informed dialogue with clarity and confidence.
