Our courses use feminist theory and gender analysis to examine literature, culture, social structures, and political power, and to understand how assumptions and beliefs about masculinities, femininities, and sexualities shape human institutions, organizations, and activities.

As one of the first in the nation, the Women and Gender Studies Program at Washington University has been encouraging the critical thinking and active participation of students in their education since 1972. The program emphasizes the importance of gender analysis to such disciplines as anthropology, philosophy, psychology, political science, history, education, law, architecture, art history and archeology, English, German, Romance, and Asian and Near Eastern languages and literatures, and to such interdisciplinary programs as culture studies, international and area studies, religious studies, and performing arts.

Undergraduate students can obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Women and Gender Studies, a Bachelor's degree with a second major in Women and Gender Studies, or a minor in Women and Gender Studies.  Graduate students can complete a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies.

In addition, students can take women and gender studies courses while completing majors in other subjects within Washington University's five undergraduate schools. Some courses in the program meet basic distribution requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Newsletter: Fall 2007
Gender Spectrum: News from Washington University’s Women and Gender Studies Program