Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Major in Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Minor in Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

WGSS Program Faculty

WGSS Spring 2021 Class Schedule

The WGSS program engages students in the interdisciplinary study of gender and sexuality as interwoven with race, ethnicity, colonization, class, nation, and ability. Our curriculum draws upon intersectional feminist and LGBTQ frameworks to understand diverse human experiences and identities from local to global contexts.  WGSS introduces students to hidden histories, explores complex social structures, confronts injustice and oppression, and imagines more liberatory and just futures.

Students of WGSS will develop theoretical fluency in research and public debates concerning gender and sexuality, with emphasis on the history, sociology, economics and cultural production of women and LGBTQ people. Students will be trained as problem-solvers with a strong basis in concepts of research that seek to collaborate with marginalized communities to identify innovative solutions to pressing social justice issues that involve these communities. Students will also learn about the role of the arts and humanities in creating a diverse and humane society.

WGSS students are innovative problem-solvers who engage with marginalized communities to advance social justice.  Our graduates are informed leaders, policy makers, educators, and community builders.  WGSS graduates possess strong skills in verbal and written communication, research, critical thinking, and working collaboratively. These skills prepare students to advance to pursue graduate education and careers in a wide variety of fields, including the following areas:

• K-12 Education and Higher Education
• Creative Arts, including Museums, Media, and Marketing
• Social Services, including Social Work and Nursing
• Community Organizing and the Non-Profit Sector
• Library and Information Sciences
• The Law, including Legal Services and Advocacy

WGSS course offerings at Cal State LA are vibrant and dynamic.  They explore topics such as:

• feminist, queer, and transfeminist theories
• gender, sexuality, and U.S. law
• LGBTQ political histories and cultural productions
• power, knowledge, and research justice
• contemporary feminist movements
• Chicana, Black, Latin American, Asian American, and Native feminist theories and practices
• Reproductive justice
• Gender, sexuality, and science
• Critical masculinities
• Colonialism, imperialism, and transnational migrations
• Gender, sexuality, and disability studies

Housed in the Department of Liberal Studies, Programs in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies include: an undergraduate Major in Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies (45 Units), Minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (18 units) and a Graduate Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (15 units).

The Major in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The B.A. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary course of study that emphasizes writing, critical thinking, and presentation of research as core competencies. The B.A. degree also offers opportunities for community engagement and internships

The Minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

A Minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies supplements a Major program in any field. Students have combined a Minor with Majors in History, Communication Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Sociology, Liberal Studies, Psychology, and Political Science. A Minor provides research skills and training useful for careers in law, medicine, criminal justice, social work, non-profit agencies, public relations, policy advocacy, and teaching. 

The Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Post Baccalaureate students (those already holding a B.A. degree) will find that a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies can fulfill several career and educational goals. For students continuing on to M.A. or Ph.D. programs, the Certificate offers additional skills in research and teaching in the growing field of interdisciplinary Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. For those already in the workforce as social workers,  human resources professionals, policy analysts, service providers, organizational managers, and teachers, the Certificate offers additional skills in professional development and frameworks for thinking about topics such as social policy, pedagogy, and workplace equity.

Admissions to the Post Baccalaureate Certificate Program:

Students who are not in a Master's progam at Cal State L.A. must apply for admission through the online CSU Apply system Click Here -> CSU Apply

Deadlines to Apply

• Apply by May 29^th for admission for Fall semester
• Apply by October 15^th for admission for Spring semester

Eligibility requirements for the WGSS Post-Bacc. Certificate program

• B.A degree in any discipline from any accredited university or college
• Minimum G.P.A of 2.5 in their last 60 units of coursework

Applicants do NOT need to submit letters of recommendation, GRE scores, or a writing sample.

If you are enrolled in an Master’s program at Cal State L.A. and want to also enroll in the WGSS Certificate program, please email the WGSS director, Dr. Alejandra Marchevsky at [email protected]

Current grad students do not need to go through CSU Apply

Contact information for questions or to make an advisement appointment:

Dr. Alejandra Marchevsky

Interim Director, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

[email protected]