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Minor

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

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Overview

The Minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies enhances any undergraduate major by integrating a working knowledge of gender issues with the student's field(s) of study. Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies employs gender as an analytical category, along with race, class, ethnicity, ability, age, nationality, and transnationality, to focus on women's contributions to society and the gender implications of cultural, political, and economic processes. Curricular areas of emphasis include feminist theories and methodologies; social justice and activism; LGBTQIA2+ studies; and women's histories, literatures, visual cultures, and politics.

In addition to the minor, WGSS also offers a Queer Studies concentration. The concentration is an informal option for students wanting to enhance their understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2+) issues or whose undergraduate curriculum or professional goals would be enriched by additional coursework in this emerging vibrant field. The concentration focuses on LGBTQIA2+ histories, political movements, aesthetics, arts, cultures, literatures, scholarship, contemporary experiences, and social formations. Students who complete the sequence can apply their knowledge to positions in education, government, nonprofit organizations, activism, journalism, law, public policy, social services, health services, and careers in the humanities and fine arts.

  • Course Requirements (Catalog)

Point of Pride

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) has been a vibrant part of the ISU community since 1972. Our curriculum and programming are designed to engage students as active critical thinkers and to give them the conceptual tools they will need to think clearly about nuanced production of systemic injustices and to work collaboratively toward solutions.

Why study Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies?

The field of women's, gender, and sexuality studies commits to equity and justice. Students move from awareness to action. They evaluate structures of power and systems of privilege and inequality.
 
Students also use an intersectional framework to examine gender and how it intersects with race, class, sexuality, citizenship status, ability, and systemic inequality that contribute in nuanced ways to the material conditions of women's lives .

How to Apply

Application Information

Minors can only be declared by current Illinois State students. Current students can use the Apply to Your Program tool on My.IllinoisState.edu.

Application Period

Applications for the Women's and Gender Studies minor are always being accepted. 

Apply Now

Contact Information

  • Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
  • (309) 438-2947
  • RC 232
  • College of Arts and Sciences

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