Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program at UNC Asheville began as a minor in 1991. The major launched in 2005. We offer a boutique-style curriculum with the major requiring just four core courses (WGSS 100, Feminist Theory, Research Methods, and Senior Seminar) and five choose-your-own-adventure electives taught in various disciplines. WGSS minors take two core courses (WGSS 100 and Feminist Theory) and three electives. Previous elective courses offered include
- Black Women Leaders
- From Gospel to Gaga: The History of Women in Music
- Witches, Feminism, and African Anthropology
- Unauthorized Selves: Race and (Trans)Gender Construction
- Southern Women’s History
- Oral History for Social Change
Core WGSS classes provide interdisciplinary perspectives on the interconnectedness of social, political, economic, and environmental systems as well as the history of social movements and coalitional practice. Our program values community engagement, so we encourage WGSS students toward internship experiences and support direct service partnerships with local nonprofits and small businesses.
A WGSS major signals to future employers and graduate programs intercultural competency, strong communication skills, and interpersonal professionalism. The bulk of our alumni go on to graduate studies (library sciences, sociology, social work) or into nonprofit work.
