Gender and Women's Studies

Gender and Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary program that offers courses examining the formation of gender and intersections between gender and race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality. Courses are drawn from a variety of disciplines and introduce students to the intellectual, social, political, economic, spiritual, and artistic contributions and experiences of women in a variety of historical, global, and cultural contexts. Program courses, internship opportunities, and service learning encourage students to examine gender construction nationally, cross-culturally, and historically in order to better understand dynamics of empowerment and oppression. The program also gives special emphasis to the particular challenges that women face locally and globally. Gender and Women's Studies provides students with a critical and interdisciplinary perspective on the social construction of gender and opportunities to bring this framework to bear in a variety of careers and areas of graduate study. Furthermore, Gender and Women's Studies is an excellent complement to other majors if students choose to earn a double major.