Women's & Gender Studies

Explore gender inequalities ~ Promote equality and justice

Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) emerged from civil rights and feminist movements around the globe, and its goal is to change the unjust world and end gender, racial, sexual, and other forms of oppression. It is an interdisciplinary field that examines the subjugation, activism, and research contributions of women and other marginalized people, and issues related to gender, race, class, (dis)ability, Indigeneity, and sexuality through intersectional lenses and with cross-cultural perspectives in a global context.

Classes cover a wide range of subject areas including history, education, sociology, political science, biology, communication, and cultural studies; queer & LGBTQ+ studies; and ethnic, regional, and global studies. Students look critically at the practices of gender and sexuality in different societies and at different historical periods. The feminist method of teaching used in Women’s & Gender Studies courses empowers students to become active learners and social change agents through discussion, written work, collaborative projects, and practical involvement beyond the classroom.