About WGS
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Women and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program that looks at the lives and contributions of women throughout history and around the world. Courses focus on the complex interaction that gender has with class, race, nationality, and other variables. |
 Kate Reeves, a WGS student, poses as Rosie the Riveter |
Through WGS courses, students are encouraged to explore the voices of women and minorities, too frequently overlooked in regular curriculum. They also increase their analytical skills by learning to think, write, and read critically. They examine the ways that gender, class, race, religion, culture, and sexuality intersect in people's lives. They also are able to think about these issues through the lenses of different courses, as the WGS courses include courses from a variety of different majors across campus (e.g., Journalism, Literature, Sociology, Health, and more.)
What do WGS students think about the program?
"The Women and Gender Studies classes have been my most challenging and
exciting classes that I have taken at USU. They are challenging not
because there are a lot of assignments and tests, but because they
require real thinking. Dr. Cooper is an amazing teacher and I have
learned more in her courses than in any of my others. She has been a
great mentor and has broadened my perspective significantly. The WGS
program is very personal. Students know eachother and their professors
well. Because of the WGS classes I have taken, I have decided to
pursue a career working with women internationally. I think that the
WGS 1010 course, taught by Dr. Cooper, should be a requirement for all
students at USU, it is my favorite class that I have ever taken. . .
"I was worried at first that some of the things that we would be
discussing would challenge my personal and religious values. I have
always thought that feminism could be more than man-hating, but I
worried that the professors would try to push their values on me. I
have been very impressed with the openness and honesty conerning
feminism and how it relates to the LDS religion. It's no secret that
the majority of USU students are LDS. There has always been an
understanding that whatever you believe is ok and this is an
opportunity to learn about other beliefs and to further develop my own
understanding of women's roles. I have never felt pressures to change
my values or beliefs because of WGS class."
--Katie Reeves, 2008, WGS minor
"This program gives students the opportunity to see a different perspective about gender than they might otherwise have known.
I love being involved in this program because I feel like its an issue that affects everyone so its important that we be aware of what is going on.
I feel like I am a lot more aware of issues that I had no idea still existed. The WGS staff is so nice and takes a personal interest in each of
their students and everyone in the program feels included and welcome."
--Amy Mattson, 2008, WGS minor
