Contacts

Graduate

Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate Director:Dr. Yana Rodgers
Sr. Department Administrator: Monique Gregory

The Women's & Gender Studies undergraduate program, founded in the early seventies, is one of the oldest in the nation. Currently, the program has over 200 majors and minors and serves over 1900 students annually in a wide array of core and cross-listed courses. The major, approved in 1984, introduces students to significant issues and debates in feminist scholarship, theory, and activism.

“Women’s & Gender Studies seek to enrich traditional disciplinary approaches not simply by including women but by transforming the categories, through which knowledge is produced and disseminated.”

All courses are interdisciplinary and each considers the complex dynamics among race, ethnicity, locality, class, gender, and sexuality. The readings and discussions in each class represent a wide variety of women's perspectives concerning issues such as: the conceptualization of difference, the production and recreation of femininity and masculinity, language and gender, the division of labor, women and poverty, sexual violence, reproductive rights, gay and lesbian theory, gender and popular theory, and contemporary feminist politics. Ultimately, we strive to ground both research and theory in the everyday realities of feminist activism around the globe. Women’s & Gender Studies program faculty, students and staff are active members and leaders of academic and community women’s organizations.

The WGS alumnae pursue their professional career in various fields. One-fifth of our graduates continue their education in graduate programs in different fields (political science, English, law) around the country. Many alumnae also engage in work in the area of health and pharmacy (about one fourth). Others choose law (one-fifth of the alumnae), education (one fourth) media or computer studies. Many WGS graduates continue their activist work in non-governmental organizations that engage with women and work, international politics and women’s leadership.

Advising

Need academic advising? We're here to help!

Academic Advising Schedule

Undergraduate:

Dr. Carlos Decena, Interim Undergraduate Director
Zoom, by appointment; email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*APPOINTMENTS STRONGLY SUGGESTED*

The mission of academic advising is to assist each student in developing and implementing their own academic plan designed for your educational, career and personal goals. The advising process is a shared responsibility between students and advisers.

To make the most of your advising experience, we suggest that you:

  • come prepared with a general idea of majors/minors that you would be interested in, including WGSS; 
  • come prepared with a general idea of career paths you may be interested in pursuing or areas of interest; 
  • consider what types of courses or subjects you may be interested in within the WGSS department;
  • have a copy of your transcript available, and have a sense of when you are hoping to graduate.

Our Associate Undergraduate Director can assist you directly or point you in the right direction, regardless of the type of advice you need or questions you have.

Undergraduate Course Catalog

To view current course descriptions, please click HERE. 

01:904:493 Social Justice Independent Study

  • Course Code: 01:904:493
  • Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Credits: By arrangement

01:904:494 Social Justice Independent Study

  • Course Code: 01:904:494

01:904:493,494 Social Justice Independent Study (3,3)

Supervised individual study of selected topics of interest with extensive reading and a research paper. Reserved for social justice minors.

01:904:401 Social Justice Capstone Seminar

  • Course Code: 01:904:401
  • Semester(s) Offered: Spring
  • Credits: 3

01:904:402 Social Justice Capstone Seminar

  • Course Code: 01:904:402
  • Semester(s) Offered: Spring
  • Credits: 3

01:904:401,402 Social Justice Capstone Seminar (3,3)

In-depth exploration of a particular social justice issue such as globalizing inequality, gendered migration, war and displacement, refugee camps, militarization, the color of AIDS, asylum-seeking, the prison-industrial complex. Topic varies with instructor. See website for details.

01:904:391 Topics in Social Justice

  • Course Code: 01:904:391

01:904:392 Topics in Social Justice

  • Course Code: 01:904:391

Prospective Students

Minors

Course Listings

Undergraduate Catalog

Critical Sexualities Courses (888)

Social Justice Courses (904)

Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Courses (988)

Synopses

Critical Sexualities Courses (888)

Social Justice Courses (904)

Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Courses (988)

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