Program Overview

Introduction to the Gender and Women’s Studies Program

The Gender and Women’s Studies program at Western Michigan University is an interdisciplinary field that adds value to an undergraduate degree. It expands students’ knowledge of how cultures construct, express, and maintain gender. The program offers analysis and action in the service of social transformation.

Program Description

Gender and women’s studies is an academic pursuit that grows out of a movement committed to social justice. Classes offer diverse perspectives about our multifaceted identities, including gender, sexuality, class, race, ethnicity, nationality, and more. Students find the discussion-based classes deeply engaging and personally relevant, learning about themselves and the world simultaneously.

Beyond the Classroom

The education about gender begins outside the classroom, with insights from family, childcare, education, the workplace, the marketplace, the health care system, politics, entertainment, and places of worship. With the knowledge gained from taking gender and women’s studies courses, students view the world through a new lens. They can participate in campus organizations, take leadership in groups such as the Gender and Women’s Studies Honor Society, Students for Sexual Awareness, Womyn’s Equality, or OutSpoken, or pursue internships on campus or in the community.

Career Outcomes

Choosing a degree in gender and women’s studies prepares students to make a difference in the world. Jobs that involve community organizing, education, and social services are a great fit for gender and women’s studies graduates. Recent graduates are serving many communities, including:

• Women
• Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
• Immigrants
• Low-income mothers
• LGBT community They are working as:
  • Administrators
  • Artists and writers
  • Case workers
  • Community organizers
  • Consultants
  • Counselors
  • Event planners
  • Lawyers
  • Policy analysts
  • Social workers
  • Teachers
  • Victim/survivor advocates
  • Volunteer coordinators Among the organizations they work for are:
  • Consulting firms
  • Domestic abuse shelters
  • Government agencies
  • Health care organizations
  • Nonprofits and NGOs
  • Political campaigns
  • Private corporations
  • Public and private corporations
  • Schools and universities

Program Location and Related Programs

The program is offered in Kalamazoo. Other programs of interest include:

• Anthropology
• Communication Studies
• English: Literature and Language
• Environmental and Sustainability Studies
• Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education
• B.S. in Family Science and Human Development courses
• Film, Video and Media Studies
• Bachelor's in Healthcare Services and Sciences
• History
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Pre-Law
• Bachelor’s in Psychology
• Teaching: Secondary Education
• Social Work
• Sociology

Conclusion

Western Michigan University's Gender and Women’s Studies program offers excellent preparation for pursuing a professional or graduate degree in areas such as social work, counseling, or law. The program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of gender and its intersections, preparing them for careers that promote social justice and equality.