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Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization

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The Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization (GIS) in Sexuality Studies focuses on the social, historical, psychological, literary, legal, and political contexts in which human sexualities have been and are currently being expressed and theorized. The GIS pays particular attention to the tension between non-normative sexualities and the concept of heterosexuality against which they are typically defined. It also investigates the ways that sexuality is shaped by social roles and identities, such as race, gender, dis(ability), nationality, and social class. The GIS in Sexuality Studies enables graduate students enrolled in graduate programs at Ohio State to enhance their regular course of study with 20 credit hours of course work in the field of Sexuality Studies. At least four different courses must be part of the 20 hours for the GIS in Sexuality Studies, with at least 14 of those hours taken outside a student's home graduate program (including cross-listed courses so long as the student enrolls in a department other than his/her own). At least 15 of the 20 hours must be at the 600-level or above. One five-hour 500-level class can count towards the GIS so long as it is taken outside the student's home department. For elective courses (not listed here), students must have the approval of a coordinating adviser of the specialization.

The benefits of pursuing a GIS in Sexuality Studies are several. For one, the specialization provides graduate student with expertise in a truly interdisciplinary field that is transforming academic work in many different disciplines as well as across disciplines. It can thus inform the work that students do for their master's theses and dissertations, and consequently, position them to compete on the academic job market or, alternatively, in professional fields where such training is vital (e.g., health services, law, social work, education). More generally, the GIS in Sexuality Studies helps students improve their understanding of the complex diversity of our world by exploring sexuality in cross-cultural, transnational, and historical contexts.