Courses in LGBTQ Studies devote significant study to the experiences of people who do not conform to culturally dominant identities of sexuality and gender: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and queer. (Transgender refers to individuals whose self-identity with a gender other than the one sexually assigned at birth. Transsexual refers to individuals who have undergone medical treatment by means of drugs, hormones, and/or surgical procedures to modify their sexual identity).
Courses will focus on analyses of the experiences of LGBTQ communities, including critical perspectives on sexuality and gender as complex social, cultural, biological and historical phenomena. The theoretical models of LGBTQ Studies analyze and deconstruct the social, cultural and historical discourses of sexuality and address intersections of gender, race, class, culture and other dimensions of difference among sexualities, both in the U.S. and internationally.
Instructors throughout the university who are teaching, or who are planning to teach, a course consistent with the values and goals of LGBTQ Studies, as described above, are encouraged to consider whether their courses might serve as LGBTQ Studies elective credit. Interested instructors should submit a copy of their syllabus to the program director at lgbtqstudies@depaul.edu. The LGBTQ Studies Curriculum Committee will review all course proposals. Proposals may be submitted at any time. To expedite the review of your proposal, we recommend that you send it via email with attached file(s) to the Director of LGBTQ Studies, who can then forward it directly to the Curriculum Committee members.
A significant portion of the course should focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer experiences, theories, and research in local or global contexts:
- as these incorporate new knowledge on the constructions of sexualities; and/or
- as these interact with gender, race and class, along with issues of age, ability, religion, and other socioeconomic, cultural and political factors; and
- as these incorporate recent research, as appropriate, and interpretations by scholars recognized within the field of LGBTQ Studies.