The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies welcomes all students who are interested in understanding dynamics of power and thinking creatively about transforming our communities. Our diverse and challenging courses range from “Social Movements in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies” to “Global Women’s Health,” from “Queer Lives” to “Psychology of Prejudice,” and from “Bodies in American Culture” to “History of Women in the U.S.” We invite you to join us in studying intersectional and transnational approaches that explore the experiences of women, men, trans, and non-binary and gender-queer individuals.

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary and inter-divisional major and minor program that engages feminist and queer inquiry to explore how we might re-imagine the world given  interlocking systems of marginalization and oppression (hetero-sexism, racism, classism, transphobia, ableism, colonialism, and nationalism). Choose from ten core courses and classes from across a wide range of disciplines offered by affiliated faculty in Art, Black Studies, Communication Arts, Community & Justice Studies, English, Environmental Science and Sustainability, History, Philosophy/Religious Studies, Political Science, and Psychology.

Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies prepares students for a full range of professional careers and jobs by providing a creative, communicative, and problem-solving edge that employers seek. When students draw on academic courses and co-curricular opportunities from across the college to create their unique program, it becomes clear that the question is not “What can you do with WGSS?” but “What can’t you do?”

Potential Career Paths

  • Blogging, Vlogging & Social Media Management
  • Environmental Justice and Sustainability
  • Higher Education Administration & Student Affairs
  • Law, Policy & Politics
  • Medical Professionals and Community Health Advocates
  • Museums, Archival & Library Sciences
  • Nonprofits, Organizing & Activism
  • Social Work & Counseling
  • Teaching–Higher Education and K-12
  • Writing, Publishing, and Editing

Students have combined WGSS with a major/minor in Art, Biology and Biochemistry, Communication Arts, English, Environmental Science & Sustainability, Dance and Movement Studies, Global Health Studies, History, Philosophy/Religious Studies, Political Science, and Psychology.