Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary academic discipline. A Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies major and minor presents students with diverse perspectives for understanding and interpreting the historical and contemporary experiences of women and men in the United States and throughout the world. Students will become familiar with numerous feminist, gender and sexuality theories and utilize them in understanding and contextualizing varied forms of structural and cultural oppressions, interactions, and solutions. While illuminating the impact of gender and sexuality in daily life, the multiple, diverse perspectives encompassed by Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies courses prepare students for the multi-faceted, complex viewpoints they will encounter in graduate study and the workplace.
About The Program
The objective of the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies program is to analyze the practical and theoretical manifestations of gender as a determining category in social, cultural and political systems. A student majoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies will become familiar with numerous feminist, gender and sexuality theories and utilize them in understanding and contextualizing varied forms of structural and cultural oppressions, interactions, and solutions.
Major: Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies
Minor: Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies
Coordinator: Dr. Jennifer Slivka
School: Birdsong School of Social Science
About the Major
A student majoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at Virginia Wesleyan is required to complete a minimum of 36 hours in specified coursework in disciplines such as English, history, theatre, biology, psychology and sociology. Students may also choose to increase their opportunities in the workforce and graduate study by double-majoring or minoring.
Internships/Undergraduate Research
Students may elect to complement the classroom experience with an internship opportunity. Internships allow students to gain supervised experience in applying knowledge from the major in real-world settings and in developing the professional skills, providing students with the opportunity to expand their intellectual horizons. Internships provide students a “competitive edge” in the job market or when applying for admission in postgraduate degree programs.
Beyond the Classroom
Students earning a degree in gender, women, and sexuality studies will gain skills that employers seek in an array of fields such as law, medicine, business, the arts, education, counseling, community work, journalism, social services and public health. The study of gender, women, and sexuality also provides graduates with an understanding of the roles of gender and diversity in an increasingly interconnected world.