Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) is an interdisciplinary program housed in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters. It aims to provide a challenging course of study for students who wish to:       

• explore the voices of women and minorities whose experiences have often been overlooked in the traditional curriculum;
• examine the ways that gender, class, race, religion, sexuality and culture intersect in people’s lives;
• understand the interdisciplinary scholarship on women and gender, and learn to think across the disciplines;
• increase their analytical skills by learning how to read and write critically;
• become more knowledgeable and active members of their communities. 

At the undergraduate level, the program offers a major, a minor, a post-baccalaureate certificate, and a certificate in Women and Learning and Leadership (WILL). At the graduate level, students may pursue a WGST track through the Master’s of Liberal Arts program.

Women’s and Gender Studies provides you with all of the benefits of any liberal arts degree, and can be applied to a multitude of careers. It signals to employers that you are well-rounded, having studied across the disciplines instead of in one narrow skill area, and it also signals that you are likely to be more attentive to multicultural and global contexts than other applicants. A degree in WGST also has many practical applications. There is growing demand in professions such as business medicine, social work, law, teaching, counseling and government service for expertise on gender issues. Further, many WGST students say that the course of study gives them the confidence to apply their skills in non-traditional careers.

Many WGST students pursue graduate study, and fields that UM-D WGST majors and minors have been accepted into include law, social work, psychology, history, medical school, public health, international business, economic development policy, fine arts, science education, literature, and counseling.

One of the UM-D program’s strengths is its connection to community organizations and leaders through its Internship and WILL programs.  The Internship offers practical experience in local social service, media, business, educational, and political organizations that are focused on gender equity. If you choose to participate in WILL, you will be connected to the diverse communities of metropolitan Detroit through such projects as mentoring at-risk girls at a Detroit middle school, participating in a women’s history project at the Arab-American National Museum, or assisting with the education of women in a local prison. WILL students also have the opportunity to meet local and national leaders on gender equity at informal “fireside chats,” sponsored lectures, and leadership training workshops. 

“The combination of academic courses and service in Women’s and Gender Studies create an atmosphere of camaraderie as students learn and work together toward social change.”
–Erin, Women’s and Gender Studies major