Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Minor

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on the experiences of women, men, and non-binary people in society and history.

Initially conceived as a method to include women’s contributions to knowledge and culture into education, it has evolved into a mature field that draws on feminist theories and scholarship in order to analyze how systems of gender, race and intersectionality have shaped experiences in areas such as art, literature, history, the family, science, and other dimensions of daily life. As the mission statement of the National Women’s Studies Association indicates, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies has as its vision a world free of sexism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and racism.

At Central, you may choose to minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. We offer courses that draw on the resources of many different departments, and we also offer three “stand alone” classes. When you take a course in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, you will study with some of the most dynamic teachers on the Central campus.

While not all majors at Central require minors, individual WGSS courses can be taken in General Education study areas I, II, and III, and WGSS can be added as a minor in majors where none is required.

Browse our course listings and check out what our faculty are doing. We also periodically sponsor lectures and events (especially in March, National Women’s History Month).

Career Opportunities

The WGSS courses prepare students for various employment and professional opportunities. The minor does not prepare students for employment in one particular job, but for many different types of employment that emphasize or require strong writing skills, analytical and critical thinking, research skills, reading comprehension, and oral communication, a WGSS minor can enhance one’s credentials. Our courses and our minor complement any major degree in which students anticipate working in diverse environments and/or in which they serve the public. The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor is particularly useful for those who will major in any liberal or fine arts field, business fields, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Engineering, Journalism, Nursing, Sociology, Social Work, Communication, Psychological Sciences, Education, and many STEM fields.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will show how critical analysis of gender and sexuality contributes to an understanding of the historical and contemporary formations of social, political, economic and cultural structures.
2. Students will demonstrate familiarity with major concepts and vocabulary in the fields of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
3. Students will demonstrate a knowledge base about women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s role in history — their contributions, oppression, and resistance.
4. Students will describe the manner in which race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect.
5. Students will demonstrate an understanding of women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s experience in historical and cultural contexts, both nationally and globally.
6. Students will define and describe a range of theories that underlie feminist and queer analysis, understanding their similarities and differences.

Mission

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies creates a community of learners dedicated to scholarship that emphasizes feminist knowledge of ideas, the accomplishments of women and sexual minorities, and social advocacy. The minor prepares students to be thoughtful, responsible and compassionate citizens of the world. Our interdisciplinary focus allows us to offer a broad perspective on contemporary cultural problems that can be studied in depth.