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2025-2026

Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Social Sciences (Reynolds Community College)
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Social Sciences 

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies is committed to social transformation. Representing a wide range of disciplines, faculty in the department produce and disseminate interdisciplinary feminist knowledge and theories, and view them as vitally connected to community engagement and activism. The department encourages students to understand gender and sexuality as inextricably bound to other forms of difference and to examine how the construction of difference produces and reinforces social, cultural, economic and political inequities.

Career opportunities

Students in the department are introduced to new analytical, theoretical and creative frameworks to enable them to understand, critique and transform themselves and the world around them. Through teaching, activism, scholarly and creative production and community engagement, the department provides analytical and critical tools to equip students for careers in a broad range of fields, including but not limited to non-profits/NGOs, social services, health care, art production, publishing, education, social justice, and law.


Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies provides the background for students to understand, critique and transform themselves and the world around them. Through teaching, activism, scholarly and creative production and community engagement, the department provides analytical and critical tools to equip students for careers in a broad range of fields, including but not limited to non-profits/NGOs, social services, health care, art & media production, publishing, education, government and international development agencies, social justice, and law.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Clinical Research Coordinator
  • Fundraiser 
  • High School Teacher
  • Human Resource Specialist
  • Marketing Research Specialist
  • Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
  • Social and Human Services Assistant 
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Staff and Legislative Assistant    
  • Technical Writer
  • Training & Development Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • College Professor or Administrator
  • Nonprofit Director
  • Social Worker
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies with concentration in Health, Society and Social Justice

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Social Sciences)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the GSWS department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the GSWS department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Social Sciences)

Reynolds Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Year 1
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ITE 152 Introduction to Digital Literacy BUSN 1XX 3 Elective
World Language Select one: ASL 101 Beginning American Sign Language I, or FRE 101 Beginning French I, or SPA 101 Beginning Spanish I Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. VCU equivalent 4 Major (Ancillary)
MTH Select one: MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning or MTH 161 Precalculus I MATH 131 or MATH 141 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
Science Select one: BIO 101 General Biology I, CHM 111 General Chemistry I, or GOL 105 Physical Geology VCU equivalent 4 General education
World Language Select second course in the language sequence: ASL 102 Beginning American Sign Language II, or FRE 102 Beginning French II, or SPA 102 Beginning Spanish II VCU equivalent 4 Major (Ancillary)
History Select one: HIS 101 Western Civilizations pre-1600 CE or HIS 121 United States History to 1877 HIST 101 or HIST 103 3 General education
Select one: ART 100 Art Appreciation, or HUM 202 Modern Humanities, or MUS 121 Music in Society, or PHI 220 Ethics. VCU equivalent 3 General education
Year 2
History Select one: HIS 102 Western Civilizations Post-1600 CE or HIS 122 United States History since 1877 HIST 3 General education
MTH Select one: MTH 245 Statistics I or MTH 261 Applied Calculus I STAT 210 or BUSN 212 3 Elective
Science Select second course in the science sequence: BIO 102 General Biology II, CHM 112 General Chemistry II, or GOL 106 Historical Geology VCU equivalent 4 General education
Literature Select one: ENG 246 American Literature or ENG 258 African American Literature. ENGL 3 General education
Social Science Select one: PSY 200 Principles of Psychology or SOC 200 Principles of Sociology PSYC 101 or SOCY 101 3 General education
ENG 275 Women’s Literature (fulfils GSWS art, media, culture and creative expression perspective requirement) ENGL 236 3 Major
Social Science Select one: PSY 200 Principles of Psychology, PSY 230 Developmental Psychology, or SOC 200 Principles of Sociology VCU equivalent 3 General education
HUM 210 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (preferred) Note: Please discuss your course options with a VCU transfer advisor if HUM 210 is not available at your community college. GSWS 201 3 Major (Ancillary)
Select two: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking, or CST 110 Introduction to Human Communication, or PLS 135 U.S. Government and Politics, or GEO 210 People and the Land VCU equivalent 6 Elective
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Year 3
GSWS 201 Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (only take if you were unable to take HUM 210 at community college). 0 to 3 Major (Ancillary)
GSWS 301 Feminist Theory 3 Major
GSWS race, racism and anti-racism perspective (200-400 level) 3 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 6 Elective
GSWS methods of social transformation perspective (200- to 400-level) 3 Major
GSWS systems of power perspective (200- to 400-level) 3 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 9 to 12 Elective
Year 4
GSWS 401 Topical Senior Seminar 3 Major
GSWS 493 Internship 3 Major
GSWS electives (300- or 400-level) 9 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) 12 to 15 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120