About the Program

Within the Department of Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Programs (AIP), students may focus specifically on Women’s and Gender Studies as a minor. Women's and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary field in which gender is the critical focus of inquiry. In our classes, students are introduced to feminist and queer theory; examine how gender roles and expectations change over time and across space; and learn how gender intersects with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, age, and nation. Many of our courses focus on the experiences of minoritized people, such as incarcerated women, women of color, women in the Global South, and queer and trans people. Our courses also explore the role of social movements in resisting gender injustice and reshaping gender roles. 

Women’s and Gender Studies overlaps with – and provides a critical lens for analyzing – a number of other fields, including anthropology, sociology, history, political science, performance studies, and the hard sciences. 

Faculty Advising and Mentoring

Women’s and Gender Studies students become part of our academic community and are supported and encouraged by faculty advisors. As with every discipline in the Humanities and Social Sciences, professors provide guidance for research, seeking academic resources, applying to graduate schools, and mentorship in post- graduate endeavors. 

Career Opportunities

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is perched at an exciting and vital moment in higher education, as it prepares students with the cross-cultural and global perspective necessary for a range of careers from the legal sector, social work, community-based nonprofits, education, counseling, medicine, and allied professions.

Prepare for Graduate School

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program serves minors by providing a firm foundation for graduate school. Most importantly, it provides all students with a framework for understanding themselves in the context of their community, nation, and world.

For a comprehensive review of the major and minor requirements, see Courses & Requirements

Undergraduate Minor

Appropriate electives in the Women's and Gender Studies department or respective sub-disciplines can be taken and must be approved by the Women's and Gender Studies program director.