A photo of an instructor and students in a class

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The women’s, gender, and sexuality studies (WGS) program examines gender and sexuality as they intersect with race, ethnicity, class, nationality, disability and other sites of social inequality.

  • Discussion-based introductory courses.
  • Close interaction with faculty.
  • Internships with local social service organizations.
  • Financial support to attend annual conferences.
  • Excellent student advising, with director advising all the WGS majors.
  • Interdisciplinary approach that introduces students to ideas from across campus.

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary program with contributions from faculty across campus and beyond. Our alumni are employed in social service work, health services occupations, business, law, education, and government at all levels.

The Bachelor of Arts in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies is an interdisciplinary program offered by WGS with two joint appointment faculty members (with expertise in fields of history and English) and with faculty from a variety of academic units or hired part-time for their particular expertise.

All students are required to engage in an internship or activism project in the community. This is a great way to make contacts for future employment.

Students are encouraged to pair their WGS coursework with another major. WGS brings forward questions and perspectives relevant to most disciplines that usually remain in the background.

The social construction of gender has influenced the roles, contributions, and experiences of individuals and groups both women and men in many different cultures, now and in the past. Students will learn about social activism’s roots in feminist theories of the past and will also increase their understanding of contemporary queer theory and LGBTQ issues. Such awareness can help them better understand our contemporary world with its changing roles for all.

The goals of the women’s, gender, and sexuality studies program are to:

  • Teach and learn about açll women’s and men’s experiences, past and present.
  • Make all people visible in their similarities and differences.
  • Value personal experience as a way of knowing.
  • Create new knowledge about women and men, applying it to personal, political and institutional change.
  • Strengthen the links among women, men and programs in the community and on
  • Empower women and men by increasing choices in all people’s lives.

WGS majors have gone on to graduate school in law, medicine, social work, education and human development. Careers have included business, social service organizations, midwifery and others.

Our alumni are employed in social service work, health services occupations, business, law, education and government at all levels.

Elizabeth Neiman

Director

Chadbourne Hall, Room 422
 207.581.3439 | elizabeth.neiman@maine.edu

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Chadbourne Hall, Room 422
207.581.1228