Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies
Why Major in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Allegheny College
Explore gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, abilities, socioeconomic status, nationality, and religion as central formations in communication & media, law & policy, health & wellbeing, education & scientific inquiry, and visual, performative, and creative arts. You’ll work with faculty and students across campus to think creatively about how to address some of the most pressing issues we face in the 21st-century–from climate change to health disparities, reproductive justice to (im)migration, and from gendered violence to LGBTQ+ rights.
Unusual Combinations
Students often combine Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with:
Division
- Interdisciplinary Studies
Program Type
- Major
- Minor
Number of Credits
40 for major24 for minorWhere Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Alumni Work Today
Senior Director of Operations
LGBTQ Victory Fund
Kathleen M. Creehan ’11
Group Teacher
Pathways, Inc.
Pearl Cooper ’21
Director of of New Student & Family Transitions
Augusta University
Mark Myers ‘19
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program helped launch my career in women’s health policy. The program taught me to think critically, ask difficult questions, and challenge my own biases and privilege. It also taught me that my voice and perspective has value. Since leaving Allegheny, I continue to integrate the lessons I learned from the curriculum into my professional and personal life.
Your Four-Year Journey
Year 1: Understanding
Your first year will introduce you to foundational ideas in WGSS to better understand diverse perspectives. These classes are discussion based and designed to teach you how to think critically, creatively, and with empathy about some of the most pressing issues in the US and around the world.
Year 2 New Approaches
Through courses focused on specific topics, such as social movements, queer & trans lives, the body, transnational feminisms, reproductive justice, feminist approaches to the environment and more, you’ll learn to connect history with contemporary issues and reflect on the diversity of people’s everyday lives. You will also begin to build your own interdisciplinary program in consultation with your advisor.
Year 3: Delving Deeper
In your third year, you will be introduced to the role theory plays in activism and research while further developing your academic and career pathways through our innovative Gender Lab @ Allegheny.
Year 4: The Comp
After completing the capstone course, you’ll develop (with your department mentor) a senior project that is meaningful to you. It is designed so that you integrate what you have learned in classes, study away, internship experiences, and/or community engagement experiences. Your interdisciplinary project is as unique as your academic interests.
Research and Internships
We’ll help open a conversation that dives deep into the dynamics of social, political, and economic power and pushes you to think creatively about transforming inequalities. You’ll explore gender, sexuality, race, socioeconomic status, disability, religion and nationality as central formations in the US and globally.
Our women’s, gender, and sexuality studies students expand their knowledge and experiences through internships, student organizations, community engagement, study away, and more.
- All Gender Equity Society (AGES)
- Black Girl Magic (BGM)
- Latinas on the Rise
- Queer People of Color (QPOC)
The Women’s Studies Lecture Series brings noteworthy feminist scholars and contemporary figures to campus in order to raise awareness of women’s issues. Recent events have included a lecture and slide show by the Guerrilla Girls, a lecture and workshop by Tibetan Buddhist Lama Shenpen, a talk on “Women and Islam,” a lecture by the cultural critic Tania Modleski, and a discussion led by Jennifer Baumgartner and Amy Richards, authors of Manifesta.
Allegheny offers sponsored study-away programs in more than 15 countries across the world.
Featured News
Allegheny Classmates Lead Award-Winning Campaign for Disability Air Travel Reform
Two Allegheny College alumni, Mark Fisher ‘08 and Lynn Leclerc (Stinson) ‘08 have made a significant impact on disability rights and air travel reform after spending the past year working together on an award-winning digital campaign aimed at improving the air travel experience for people living with disabilities.
Related Programs
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Address:
520 North Main Street
Meadville, PA 16335
Contact:
814-332-4351
info@allegheny.edu
admissions@allegheny.edu
