General Education Information
The GE and WGSS
As of Autumn 2022, undergraduate students are pursuing their degrees under the new general education curriculum (GEN). The former general education curriculum, known as the legacy GE (GEL), is in the process of being phased out and will not be offered after the 2024-2025 academic year.
The GEN is designed to be a streamlined education plan that permits more flexibility for undergraduates, with an emphasis on enabling common transfer credits and encouraging the pursuit of double majors and more minors.
This page provides information on the GEN and the GEL in relation to WGSS classes.
New GE
The new GE is a coherent three-part program requiring 32 to 39 hours (reduced from 44 to 69 hours). The new GE consists of:
- Bookend courses (2 hours) — Students will take a launch seminar and a concluding reflection seminar to begin and end the GE program.
- Foundation courses (22-25 hours) — Students will take one course in each of seven distinct disciplines.
- Theme courses (8-12 hours) — All students will take courses in the Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World Theme (4-6 hours) and in one additional Theme of their choosing:
Lived Environments (4-6 hours)
Migration, Mobility, Immobility (4-6 hours)
Number, Nature, Mind (4-6 hours)
Origins and Evolution (4-6 hours)
Sustainability (4-6 hours)
Traditions, Cultures, and Transformations (4-6 hours)
Health and Well-being (4-6 hours)
WGSS has been a leader in the development of the foundational Race, Ethnic and Gender Diversity (REGD) requirement. Unlike other GE foundation courses, REGD courses are unlikely to be completed via transfer credit from AP scores or other external college courses. This means that nearly every undergraduate student at Ohio State will take a REGD class during their course of study. WGSS has the widest array of approved REGD courses at the University and is poised to offer the largest number of REGD courses per semester.
Enrollments in REGD courses have skyrocketed and will likely remain incredibly high for the foreseeable future. While this is an enormous benefit to the department when it comes to recruitment for our major and minor, funding, and exposure, it will inevitably come with some new challenges for instructors. The two most anticipated challenges will be requests to enroll in your course above the course capacity and a larger number of students who are truly unfamiliar with the discipline of feminist studies.
The good news is our introductory courses are already primed to teach students the importance of a feminist, decolonial, anti-racist education. For assistance on dealing with students requesting enrollment above the course capacity, please see our Enrollment Management for Instructors guide.
Foundations
Race, Ethnic & Gender Diversity:
- WGSST 1110 (H): Gender, Sex & Power
- WGSST 2215: Reading Women Writers
- WGSST 2230: Gender, Sexuality & Race in Popular Culture
- WGSST 2260: Queer Ecologies: Gender, Sexuality & the Environment
- WGSST 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- WGSST 2305: A World of Genders & Sexualities
- WGSST 2306: Girlhood
- WGSST 2317: Gender at the Movies: Hollywood & Beyond
- WGSST 2340: ¡Si Se Puede! Latinx Gender Studies
- WGSST 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
- WGSST 2702 (H): Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
Historical & Cultural Studies:
- WGSST 1110 (H): Gender, Sex & Power
- WGSST 2260: Queer Ecologies: Gender, Sexuality & the Environment
- WGSST 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- WGSST 2327: Embodying Gender, Race & Ethnicity
- WGSST 2750 (H): Natives and Newcomers: Immigration & Migration in US History
Social & Behavioral Sciences:
- WGSST 1110 (H): Gender, Sex & Power
- WGSST 2260: Queer Ecologies: Gender, Sexuality & the Environment
Literacy, Visual & Performing Arts:
- WGSST 2215: Reading Women Writers
- WGSST 2230: Gender, Sexuality & Race in Popular Culture
- WGSST 2317: Gender at the Movies: Hollywood & Beyond
- WGSST 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- WGSST 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- WGSST 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- WGSST 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
- WGSST 2702 (H): Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
- WGSST 3310: Science Fiction: East vs. West
Themes
In development; coming SP23
Below are the Expected Learning Outcomes for GEN courses. Please list all related ELOs your course fulfills in the goals portion of your syllabus as well as a short statement that explains how the course will satisfy the expected learning outcomes. For example:
"Students will read, analyze, and discuss articles that explain and illustrate the concepts of intersectionality, power, privilege and oppression. They will be required to take an exam and write a paper focused on these concepts."
Until Autumn of 2025, instructors should list both GEN and GEL information in their syllabi.
Foundations
Race, Ethnic & Gender Diversity:
Goals:
1. Successful students will engage in a systematic assessment of how historically and socially constructed categories of race, ethnicity, and gender, and possibly others, shape perceptions, individual outcomes, and broader societal, political, economic, and cultural systems.
2. Successful students will recognize and compare a range of lived experiences of race, gender, and ethnicity.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Successful students are able to:
1.1. Describe and evaluate the social positions and representations of categories including race, gender, and ethnicity, and possibly others.
1.2. Explain how categories including race, gender, and ethnicity continue to function within complex systems of power to impact individual lived experiences and broader societal issues.
1.3. Analyze how the intersection of categories including race, gender, and ethnicity combine to shape lived experiences.
1.4. Evaluate social and ethical implications of studying race, gender, and ethnicity.
2.1. Demonstrate critical self-reflection and critique of their social positions and identities.
2.2. Recognize how perceptions of difference shape one's own attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors.
2.3. Describe how the categories of race, gender, and ethnicity influence the lived experiences of others.
Historical & Cultural Studies:
Please note: Courses proposed in this category should fulfill either the Historical Studies Goals and ELOs OR the Cultural Studies Goals and ELOs.
Goals - Historical Studies:
1. Successful students will critically investigate and analyze historical ideas, events, persons, material culture, and artifacts to understand how they shape society and people.
Expected Learning Outcomes - Historical Studies:
Successful students are able to:
1.1. Identify, differentiate, and analyze primary and secondary sources related to historical events, periods, or ideas.
1.2. Use methods and theories of historical inquiry to describe and analyze the origin of at least one selected contemporary issue.
1.3. Use historical sources and methods to construct an integrated perspective on at least one historical period, event, or idea that influences human perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors.
1.4. Evaluate social and ethical implications in historical studies.
Goals - Cultural Studies:
1. Successful students will evaluate significant cultural phenomena and ideas to develop capacities for aesthetic and cultural response, judgment, interpretation, and evaluation.
Expected Learning Outcomes - Cultural Studies:
Successful students are able to:
1.1. Analyze and interpret selected major forms of human thought, culture, ideas, or expression.
1.2. Describe and analyze selected cultural phenomena and ideas across time using a diverse range of primary and secondary sources and an explicit focus on different theories and methodologies.
1.3. Use appropriate sources and methods to construct an integrated and comparative perspective of cultural periods, events, or ideas that influence human perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors.
1.4. Evaluate social and ethical implications in cultural studies.
Social & Behavioral Sciences:
Goals:
1. Successful students will critically analyze and apply theoretical and empirical approaches within the social and behavioral sciences, including modern principles, theories, methods, and modes of inquiry.
2. Successful students will recognize the implications of social and behavioral scientific findings and their potential impacts.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Successful students are able to:
1.1. Explain basic facts, principles, theories, and methods of social and behavioral science.
1.2. Explain and evaluate differences, similarities, and disparities among institutions, organizations, cultures, societies, and/or individuals using social and behavioral science.
2.1. Analyze how political, economic, individual, or social factors and values impact social structures, policies, and/or decisions.
2.2. Evaluate social and ethical implications of social scientific and behavioral research.
2.3. Critically evaluate and responsibly use information from the social and behavioral sciences.
Literacy, Visual & Performing Arts:
Goals:
1. Successful students will analyze, interpret, and evaluate major forms of human thought, cultures, and expression, and demonstrate capacities for aesthetic and culturally informed understanding.
2. Successful students will experience the arts and reflect on that experience critically and creatively.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Successful students are able to:
1.1. Analyze and interpret significant works of visual, spatial, literary, and/or performing arts and design.
1.2. Describe and explain how cultures identify, evaluate, shape, and value works of literature, art, and design.
1.3. Evaluate how artistic ideas influence and shape human beliefs and the interactions between the arts and human perceptions and behavior.
1.4. Evaluate social and ethical implications in literature, visual and performing arts, and design.
2.1. Engage in informed observation and/or active participation within the visual, spatial, literary, or performing arts and design.
2.2. Critically reflect on and share their own experience of observing or engaging in the visual, spatial, literary, or performing arts and design.
Legacy GE
The Legacy GE (GEL) varies based on degree pursued (Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree or a Professional Program in the Arts) and college of enrollment (College of Arts and Sciences vs. College of Engineering).
Most WGSS GEL courses have been transferred to their corresponding place in the GEN curriculum. These courses are expected to be offered with similar or even increased frequency moving forward.
GEL courses that are not also approved for the GEN, most notably the 2367 course series, will be sunset by Autumn 2025.
Cultures & Ideas
- 1110(H): Gender, Sex & Power
- 2260: Queer Ecologies: Gender, Sexuality & the Environment
- 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- 2327: Embodying Gender, Race & Ethnicity
- 2400: Higher Powers: Feminisms & Religion
Social Science: Individuals & Groups
- 1110(H): Gender, Sex & Power
Diversity: Social Diversity in the US
- 1110(H): Gender, Sex & Power
- 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
- 3370: Sexualities & Citizenship
- 4401: Asian American Women: Race, Sex & Representations
- 4510(H): American Women's Movements
- 4520: Women of Color & Social Activism
Diversity: Global Studies
- 2702(H): Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
- 3310: Science Fiction: East vs. West
Literature
- 2215: Reading Women Writers
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
Visual & Performing Arts
- 2230: Gender, Sexuality & Race in Popular Culture
- 2317: Gender at the Movies: Hollywood & Beyond
- 3310: Science Fiction: East vs. West
Writing & Communication: Level 2
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
Historical Studies
- 2750(H): Natives and Newcomers: Immigration & Migration in US History
- 4401: Asian American Women: Race, Sex & Representations
Cross-Disciplinary Seminar
- 4597: Gender & Democracy in the Contemporary World
Below are the Expected Learning Outcomes for GEL courses. Please list all related ELOs your course fulfills in the goals portion of your syllabus as well as a short statement that explains how the course will satisfy the expected learning outcomes. For example:
"Students will read, analyze, and discuss articles that explain and illustrate the concepts of intersectionality, power, privilege and oppression. They will be required to take an exam and write a paper focused on these concepts."
Until Autumn of 2025, instructors should list both GEN and GEL information in their syllabi.
GEL Goals & Expected Learning Outcomes
Cultures & Ideas
The Cultures and Ideas GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 1110(H): Gender, Sex and Power
- 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- 2327: Embodying Gender, Race & Ethnicity
- 2400: Higher Powers: Feminisms & Religion
Goals: Students evaluate significant cultural phenomena and ideas in order to develop capacities for aesthetic and historical response and judgment; and interpretation and evaluation.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students analyze and interpret major forms of human thought, culture, and expression.
- Students evaluate how ideas influence the character of human beliefs, the perception of reality, and the norms which guide human behavior.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Social Science: Individuals & Groups
The Social Science GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 1110 (H): Gender, Sex and Power
Goals: Students understand the systematic study of human behavior and cognition; the structure of human societies, cultures, and institutions; and the processes by which individuals, groups, and societies interact, communicate, and use human, natural, and economic resources.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students understand the theories and methods of social scientific inquiry as they apply to the study of individuals and groups.
- Students understand the behavior of individuals, differences and similarities in social and cultural contexts of human existence, and the processes by which groups function.
- Students comprehend and assess individual and group values and their importance in social problem solving and policymaking.
Instructor must include a statement their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Diversity: Social Diversity in the US
The Social Diversity in the United States GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 1110(H): Gender, Sex and Power
- 2282: Introduction to Queer Studies
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text and Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text and Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text and Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text and Context
- 3370: Sexualities and Citizenship
- 4401: Asian American Women: Race, Sex and Representations
- 4510(H): Women’s Movements in the Americas
- 4520: Women of Color and Social Activism
Goals: Students understand the pluralistic nature of institutions, society, and culture in the United States and across the world in order to become educated, productive, and principled citizens.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students describe and evaluate the roles of such categories as race, gender and sexuality, disability, class, ethnicity, and religion in the pluralistic institutions and cultures of the United States.
- Students recognize the role of social diversity in shaping their own attitudes and values regarding appreciation, tolerance, and equality of others.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Diversity: Global Studies
The Global Studies GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 2702(H): Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
- 3310: Science Fiction: East vs. West
Goals
Students understand the pluralistic nature of institutions, society, and culture in the United States and across the world in order to become educated, productive, and principled citizens.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students understand some of the political, economic, cultural, physical, social, and philosophical aspects of one or more of the world's nations, peoples and cultures outside the U.S.
- Students recognize the role of national and international diversity in shaping their own attitudes and values as global citizens.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Literature
The Literature GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 2215: Reading Women Writers
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
Goals: Students evaluate significant texts in order to develop capacities for aesthetic and historical response and judgment; interpretation and evaluation; and critical listening, reading, seeing, thinking, and writing.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students analyze, interpret, and critique significant literary works.
- Through reading, discussing, and writing about literature, students appraise and evaluate the personal and social values of their own and other cultures.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Visual & Performing Arts
The Visual and Performing Arts GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 2230: Gender, Sexuality & Race in Popular Culture
- 2317: Gender at the Movies: Hollywood & Beyond
- 3310: Science Fiction: East vs. West
Goals: Students evaluate significant works of art in order to develop capacities for aesthetic and historical response and judgment; interpretation and evaluation; critical listening, reading, seeing, thinking, and writing; and experiencing the arts and reflecting on that experience.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students analyze, appreciate, and interpret significant works of art.
- Students engage in informed observation and/or active participation in a discipline within the visual, spatial, and performing arts.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Writing & Communication: Level 2
The Writing and Communication GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 2367.01: U.S. Women Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.02: U.S. Latina Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.03: U.S. Lesbian Writers: Text & Context
- 2367.04: Black Women Writers: Text & Context
Goals: Students are skilled in written communication and expression, reading, critical thinking, oral expression, and visual expression.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Through critical analysis, discussion, and writing, students demonstrate the ability to read carefully and express ideas effectively.
- Students apply written, oral, and visual communication skills and conventions of academic discourse to the challenges of a specific discipline.
- Students access and use information critically and analytically.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Historical Study
The Historical Study GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 2750(H): Natives and Newcomers: Immigration & Migration in US History
- 4401: Asian American Women: Race, Sex & Representations
Goals: Students recognize how past events are studied and how they influence today’s society and the human condition.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students construct an integrated perspective on history and the factors that shape human activity.
- Students describe and analyze the origins and nature of contemporary issues.
- Students speak and write critically about primary and secondary historical sources by examining diverse interpretations of past events and ideas in their historical contexts.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
Cross-Disciplinary Seminar
The Cross-Disciplinary Seminar GE and respective goals and learning outcomes below apply to the following courses:
- 4597: Gender and Democracy in the Contemporary World
Goals: Students demonstrate an understanding of a topic of interest through scholarly activities that draw upon multiple disciplines and through their interactions with students from different majors.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students understand the benefits and limitations of different disciplinary perspectives.
- Students understand the benefits of synthesizing multiple disciplinary perspectives.
- Students synthesize and apply knowledge from diverse disciplines to a topic of interest.
Instructor must include a statement in their syllabus about how the course will meet the goals for this GE.
GEN vs. GEL
The below PDF chart illustrates the differences of the GEN and the GEL side-by-side for easy differentiation.