Ball State’s major in women’s and gender studies offers a comprehensive overview of women’s and men’s gendered experiences. Due to its flexible, multidisciplinary nature, this degree is excellent preparation for a variety of career paths. Our students learn from dedicated faculty in small class sizes that allow for one-on-one interactions. In addition, our program offers a range of real-world learning experiences to ensure you graduate well-prepared for your career.
Many students take advantage of the flexibility of this major by electing to have a double major. The interdisciplinary nature of women’s and gender studies means students take courses offered by other departments. These courses can also be applied toward an additional major or minor in those departments.
What You Will Learn
As a Women’s and Gender Studies major, you’ll learn how gender intersects with other characteristics such as race/ethnicity, social class, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and citizenship. You’ll explore how gender expectations are built into institutions, like governments, schools, businesses, professions, and the family. Your knowledge and perspective will prepare you to interact respectfully and professionally with colleagues and clients in any workplace, to solve problems, and to be an advocate for diversity and inclusion.
Upon completion of the Women's and Gender Studies Major, graduates:
- will identify and explain how gender definitions and norms, and gendered institutions, affect perspectives, behaviors, experiences, and life chances of individuals. (gender-sensitive perspective)
- are able to synthesize interdisciplinary knowledge, think critically, and provide a reflection of these experiences.
- will evaluate gender-related social problems to identify possible actions to alleviate the problem, and to justify a decision regarding appropriate action.
- demonstrate writing competency at a level appropriate for college graduates.
Other Majors that Work Well with this Degree
If you’re considering a double major, women's and gender studies is a good complement to anyone also studying:
Minors that Work Well With This Degree
Major Requirements
Our program in women’s and gender studies requires 36 credits of core courses and electives, in addition to the University Core Curriculum.
Credits
Total to Graduate: 120
- University Core Curriculum: 33
- General Electives: 51
- Major: 36
Students may participate in an internship for up to six credits. The WGS 499 Capstone should be taken at the completion of the program.
Students should refer to individual course descriptions for information about prerequisites.
Courses
A few of the classes you will take include:
- WGS 210 Intro to Women’s and Gender Studies
- WGS 220 International Women’s Issues
- WGS 410 Feminist Theory
- WGS 499 Women/Gender Studies Capstone
For a complete list of all the courses you will take and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog.
View Catalog
What Can You Do with a Degree in Women’s and Gender Studies?
A women’s and gender studies degree is excellent preparation for nearly any career. A short list of the hundreds of possibilities includes:
- Women’s organizations (abuse prevention services, employment training, advocacy groups, policy-making institutions)
- Social service organizations (counseling, social work, psychology)
- Business (advertising, sales, management, human resources)
- Education (teaching, administration, adult education)
- Humanities (artist, art director, writer)
- Media/communications (communications consultant, journalist, publisher, editor)
- Health care (medicine, nursing, psychiatry)
- Law and political science (lawyer, government)
Explore More Career Opportunities
Paying for Your Education
Apply to Ball State
Admission to Ball State is selective, and we carefully evaluate all applications on an individual basis. Applying is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application.
Apply Now
Want to Learn More?
The best way to get a true feel for Ball State is to spend some time here, so we encourage you and your family to schedule a campus visit. Take a tour, attend an information session, meet with a professor in our area, and ask plenty of questions. Or, if you’d rather speak to someone directly by phone or email, please feel free to contact us.