About

Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies (GWS) is an interdisciplinary academic field. It critically engages beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and norms about gender, women and sexuality and their intersections with other axes of difference including race, ability, nationality and class. Studying this field equips students with critical analytical skills necessary to understand how power works in national and transnational contexts and to address and offer creative solutions to issues of equity, diversity and social justice in our world today.

Appalachian’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies is housed in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. The program has two primary faculty members, yet you’ll be learning from 53 affiliated faculty members representing five colleges and 15 departments on campus.

Besides the BA, Appalachian also offers a Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies minor, a Girls’ Studies minor and an LGBT Studies minor. At the graduate level, there is a 12-hour graduate certificate and a 9-hour graduate minor in Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies.

After Graduation

Employment: GWS majors have pursued careers in law, nursing, education, social work, counseling, victims advocacy, human rights advocacy and business entrepreneurship.

Graduate School: GWS majors also have pursued graduate degrees in GWS and other fields. Internationally, there are more than 900 GWS undergraduate and graduate programs. Programs attended by Appalachian’s GWS students include University of Iowa, UNC-Greensboro, University of Chicago, UNC-Wilmington and Emory University.

Career Exploration website

People

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  Student Profile: Sope Kahn

  Spending a summer teaching collaborative portraiture to people in prison and presenting the link between feminist materialisms and clay at regional women’s studies conferences — these are among just a few of the undergraduate experiences of Sope Kahn.

Minors

A minor is required. Since questions of gender and sexuality have broad relevance, this degree is complemented by a minor or double major in any field. Advisors work with students to identify minors that best match their interests.

The GWS program offers the following 15-hour minors: a GWS minor, LGBT Studies minor, and Girls’ Studies minor.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

Many GWS majors are involved in leadership activities across campus, including leadership in several student clubs and other organizations.

GWS also provides support for internships, study abroad and community engagement.

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.

GWS students can take a study abroad course led by a GWS affiliate or core faculty member as an elective when the content is relevant. Faculty can help students identify relevant opportunities.

Admission Requirements

There are no admission requirements beyond admission to Appalachian State University.