About the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department at CSUSM

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?

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.

Learn more at our website.