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Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

We are delighted to announce that the new major in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies will begin with the Fall 2019 semester.

gender spectrum symbol wiht diverse faces in the center

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) students explore profound themes that change lives and develop a sense of social justice. Our WGSS Department offers an intersectional feminist, interdisciplinary, and academically rigorous program.

We consider such questions as:

  • How are we shaped by politics, economics, art, culture, social media, our changing environment, and education?
  • What expectations are placed on us relative to variables such as gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, faith, ability, and age, and how can such expectations be productively challenged?
  • How do concepts such as identity, family, and work affect us?
  • What can we learn from studying inequalities—such as sexism, racism, classism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia—and how can that learning be applied to our lives, our communities, our nation, and the global community? 

diverse WGSS students in class

WGSS Curriculum and Career Preparation

The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department offers courses that examine gender in relation to race, class, sexuality, and other identity markers, in national and international contexts. Our students gain a solid academic foundation on which they develop the professional skills necessary for rewarding careers in the 21st century. Analytical thinking, writing, teamwork, research skills, and a commitment to social justice prepare WGSS students for careers in diverse areas: education, international relations, government, technology, health, counseling, law, human resources, social services, journalism, the creative arts, and public safety, among others.

Our faculty are eager to introduce you to a life-changing curriculum. You’ll find dedicated mentors, learn to advocate for justice, broaden your career prospects, and develop enduring friends in the WGSS Department.

Explore our pages and contact us to learn more about our Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major and our Women’s Studies minor.

Contact Us

Department Chair

Dr. Jodie Lawston
jlawston@csusm.edu 

Student Advisor

Dr. Jodie Lawston
jlawston@csusm.edu 

Administrative Coordinator

Christie Ashley
Phone:  760-750-8054
cnashley@csusm.edu 

"The WGSS program is a revelation. Anyone can retweet a political slogan, but learning about how our society attempts to define us, about how to challenge injustices, this is the perfect field of study for a fulfilling career no matter where I end up. I've learned how to work collaboratively with diverse people, how to lead with a social conscience, how to make a positive difference in people's lives and my own." 

– WGSS Graduate

Maya Angelou quote