# FAQs Open all sections Close all sections ### What courses are best for first-year students to take? expand\_more Many students begin with one of our foundational courses -- WGS 1200 or WGS 1210 -- or with a Freshman Seminar related to gender and sexuality studies. Students can also begin with any General Education courses taught by WGS faculty. (Freshman Seminars and Gen Ed courses that count for WGS concentration credit are listed on our [pre-approved courses page](/courses-count), which is updated every year.) See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students) ### Can I joint concentrate in WGS and another department? expand\_more Yes, approximately half of our undergraduate students complete a joint concentration in WGS and another department. All students who wish to joint concentration must apply to and be accepted into the thesis track in both departments. More information about the application process is available on our [Thesis Track page](/thesis-track). See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Can I write a senior thesis in WGS? expand\_more Yes. Students who wish to write a thesis must apply to the WGS thesis track during the first semester of junior year. Interested students must submit an [application form](https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9CL6b2hFBUGtQy461HJpV6jhUI8RpkxNnvGkKtX6UGJUMlZUVVJSMTdET1BWSkRKVTc2RVJBOUdJTS4u). More information is available on the [Thesis Track page](/thesis-track). See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Where do I find information about senior thesis requirements? expand\_more You can find more information on our [Thesis Track page](/thesis-track). See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Where do I find information about the junior tutorial requirements? expand\_more You can find more information on our [Junior Tutorial page](/junior-tutorial). See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Does WGS offer a secondary field? expand\_more Yes. For more information about the WGS secondary field, including requirements, please visit [WGS's secondary field page](http://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/book/studies-women-gender-and-sexuality) in the Handbook for Students. See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### How does advising work in WGS? expand\_more For more information about undergraduate advising in WGS, please visit our [Advising page](/advising). For additional questions, please contact: **Caroline Light** Director of Undergraduate Studies [clight@fas.harvard.edu](mailto:///clight@fas.harvard.edu) **Linda Schlossberg** Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies [schloss@fas.harvard.edu](mailto:///schloss@fas.harvard.edu) See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Can I count a course from outside WGS towards my concentration requirements? expand\_more Each year we pre-approve a number of non-WGS courses to count for WGS concentration credit. The full list can be found on our [pre-approved courses page](/courses-count). Students may also petition to have us count a course that does not appear on this list, please submit the [Concentration Credit Petition form](/file_url/111) along with the course syllabus and a written explanation (approximately 1-2 paragraphs) to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Please note that certain petitions may need to be brought before the WGS faculty for a vote. Students must choose courses for concentration credit at the beginning of the semester in which the course is taught. After the end of the semester, courses cannot be added or deleted from the concentration record, except by petition. Upon entering WGS, new concentrators, with the approval of their adviser, will identify which non-WGS courses already taken may be counted for concentration credit. See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### What kinds of careers will WGS prepare me for? expand\_more WGS concentrators have gone on to successful careers in a variety of fields, including academia, business, law, science, and medicine. You can see a sampling of some of the work pursued by our graduates on our [Alumni page](/people-terms/alumni). See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### I'm a pre-med student. Is WGS a good concentration for me? expand\_more WGS is an excellent choice for students who want to concentrate outside of the sciences but wish to stay connected to medicine. Appropriate areas of study would be women and medicine, the healthcare industry, historic changes in the treatment and diagnoses of women, etc. See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### Can WGS concentrators study abroad? expand\_more Yes, WGS concentrators have spent semesters taking courses in countries such as Kenya, Australia, Spain, and France. With good planning, a semester abroad or out of residence can be a very meaningful educational experience. The [Handbook for Students](https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/sites/projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/collegehandbook/files/harvard_college_student_handbook_2023-2024.pdf) provides more information on how to prepare for a semester abroad. See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students") ### How do I apply for a graduate degree in WGS? expand\_more WGS only offers the graduate secondary field certificate (essentially a graduate minor). We are not able to admit graduate students directly, nor do we offer any graduate degree programs. Students who wish to pursue the WGS graduate secondary field must be admitted to a doctoral program in one of Harvard's degree-granting departments first. For information on applying to Harvard doctoral programs, please contact the [admissions office](http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/prospective_students/admissions_overview.php) for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or one of Harvard's [other graduate or professional schools](http://www.harvard.edu/admissions/index.php). See also: [Graduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/graduate-students "Graduate students") ### How do I make arrangements for academic adjustments or accommodations? expand\_more Any student needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to present their letter from the Accessible Education Office (AEO) and speak with the professor by the end of the second week of the term. Failure to do so may result in the inability to respond in a timely manner. All discussions will remain confidential, although AEO may be consulted to discuss appropriate implementation. Accessible Education Office Phone: 617-496-8707 TDD: 617-496-3720 Fax: 617-496-1098 Email: Web: See also: [Undergraduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/undergraduate-students "Undergraduate students"), [Graduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/graduate-students "Graduate students") ### I am a faculty member at another institution. How do I apply to be a visiting scholar at Harvard? expand\_more Thank you for your interest in WGS at Harvard. At this time, we are uncertain as to whether or not we will be accepting applications for 2024-25 given the pandemic and restricted access to the university. We will update this page when we have clarification from the university. See also: [Visiting scholars](/faq/faq-audiences/visiting-scholars "Visiting scholars") ### I am a graduate student at another university. How do I apply to be a visiting student at Harvard? expand\_more WGS does not offer any graduate degrees, and we are unable to accept graduate students as special students or visiting fellows. [If you are a graduate student who wishes to visit Harvard, you must apply to one of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' ](https://gsas.harvard.edu/policy/non-degree-programs). Graduate students who have been accepted into one of these programs may register for WGS courses and participate in our programs. See also: [Graduate students](/faq/faq-audiences/graduate-students "Graduate students"), [Visiting scholars](/faq/faq-audiences/visiting-scholars "Visiting scholars")