October 28, 2016
K-State women's studies now gender, women, and sexuality studies department
As students select courses for the spring semester and consider major and minor options, please be aware that gender, women, and sexuality studies is the new name of the former women's studies department. The departmental name change reflects growing attention to study gender and sexuality in addition to women, as well as the recently added a minor in queer studies. The change also reflects trends in similar departments nationwide.
The department's courses are now listed in KSIS and the course catalog under its new prefix, GWSS. A full list of courses that count toward the major, minor and graduate certificate in gender, women, and sexuality studies, and the minor in queer studies can be found at k-state.edu/gwss/courses/index.html. This page includes courses in gender, women, and sexuality studies, as well as in departments across the university that offer courses that center gender, women and sexuality.
The interdisciplinary character of gender, women, and sexuality studies makes it very feasible for students to double major, earn a dual degree, or to add a minor in gender, women, and sexuality studies, or queer studies. Interim department head of gender, women, and sexuality studies, Angela Hubler, is happy to talk with students about whether one of these options is a good fit. Hubler says that if you want to study — and even become part of — the efforts to create a more just world for women, LGBTQ folks, people of color and members of other marginalized groups, this may be the department for you.
Graduates have gone to careers in law, policy studies, international development, social work, higher education, and health and human service, to name just a few of the many areas in which the skills in critical analysis, research, writing and civic engagement that are stressed in the department's courses can be applied. Practical career experience can be gained in internships, which are offered for academic credit.
A few of the organizations in which gender, women, and sexuality studies students have interned recently include the Kansas Legislature; The Crisis Center Inc., which provides services to survivors of sexual and domestic violence; Emily's List, which works to elect female political candidates; and Planned Parenthood.
To learn more about what students do with degrees in gender, women, and sexuality studies, attend the panel on thinking about graduate school from 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Room 2100 in the new College of Business Administration building. Students wondering if graduate school is for them, how to select a program and more are urged to attend. Panelists include Marilyn Ortega, doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas in women, gender, and sexuality studies, who is a 2013 graduate of K-State in women's studies and American ethnic studies; Cassandra Myskiw, a recent KU master's graduate in social work who is a 2012 K-State graduate in women studies and social work; and K-State faculty members Harlan Weaver, Tom Sarmiento and Hubler, who will discuss letters of reference, studying for the GRE, writing samples and funding.
Now is the perfect time to begin to consider postgraduation study plans.
For more information, visit k-state.edu/gwss/; Facebook, facebook.com/Womens-Studies-Department-85213874696/; and Twitter, @KState GWSS.