7 Identity Studies Bachelor's Degree Programs

How do you identify yourself? And, what is the most important part of your identity? Is it your gender, your race, or ethnicity, your sexual orientation, your class status, your nationality, your religious affiliation, your age, your physical or cognitive abilities, your political beliefs? Is there one part of your identity that stands out from the rest, or does your identity change depending on who you’re with, what you’re involved in, where you are in your life?

We are an interdisciplinary academic program. Our courses examine the intersections of sexuality and gender in a variety of contexts. We have courses that draw upon the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. By questioning common-sense understandings of gender and sexuality our program highlights the possibilities for transformation and change.

In the Gender, Sexuality and Intersectionality Studies (GSIS) major and minor you gain an in-depth understanding of gender, sexuality and other social categories through an interdisciplinary framework. You cultivate intellectual depth and breadth through your coursework in the major or minor.

The Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program at Washington and Lee University offers students both the opportunity to complete a multi-disciplinary minor in feminist and gender studies, and a stimulating co-curricular environment in which to develop as intellectual and community leaders. Founded in 2001, the WGSS is a vibrant academic program that links the classroom with the world and offers the theoretical basis for activism and social change.

Examine the cultural and historical production of sexual difference, the impact of feminist research, and the intersection of gender with race, sexuality, class and colonialism. The Gender and Women’s Studies (GWS) major and minor are rigorous inquiries into multiple forms of sexual difference as constructed by culture and history, and the ways these forms intersect with social forces like race, sexuality, class and colonialism.

Study the way gender is defined and the evolution of these definitions over time. You'll also explore the roles women have played in the sciences, arts, politics, religion, and other fields. Gender is studied as a social construction that needs to be examined in conjunction with race and class. Culture and history also shape and inform gender roles and experiences, so our program is multidisciplinary in nature. You’ll study the obstacles affecting women’s lives and the impact of gender roles on men and women in the workplace and society at large.

From creative works in literature and the arts to discoveries in science and technology, women have shaped all aspects of society. Today, more women graduate from college than men, yet only 14 percent of top executives in the nation are women. While we have made strides in diminishing disparities and inequities based on the perception of gender, it continues to shape and influence cultures here and abroad.