Women’s and Gender Studies, B.A.

Minimum number of credits required to graduate:  124

Minimum cumulative GPA required to graduate:  2.0

Minimum number of credits to complete the major:  34-36

School: School of Arts and Sciences

Department of Humanities  

Learn more about the major

Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) is an interdisciplinary major with courses that investigate cutting edge issues of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, nation, and ability from an intersectional and multicultural perspective. WGS centers experiential, community-based, and interactive learning in which student involvement, critical thinking, and personal insight are encouraged and made relevant in the learning process.

With affiliated faculty from across the College, students select courses from a range of disciplines including Business, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, English, History, Human Development, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Visual and Performing Arts, Religious and Theological Studies, Languages and Cultural Studies, and the Sciences. Courses cover a wide range of topics such as cultural representations of gender, sex, race, and ethnicity in media; legal issues; cross-cultural, global, and historical portrayals and experiences; social movements; literary narratives and theories; economic aspects of gender; ethical issues; and the social and psychological dimensions of gender and debates about it.

Degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies equip students with a range of skills and an understanding of and ability to work with people from various backgrounds, something that is highly valued in the 21st century labor force. The curriculum also prepares them for graduate study in traditional disciplines and professional fields. Our graduates secure highly prized positions in law, education, social justice and human rights work, non-profits, psychology and social work, business, media, publishing, human resources, and as international gender specialists and more.