Women's, Gender, and Ethnic Studies
The Women’s, Gender, and Ethnic Studies major provides students with the historical and theoretical frameworks of gender, race, class, sexual identity, status, settler colonialism, and anti-oppression work.
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Why Saint Martin's University?
Students of Saint Martin's University will use disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge including intersectional feminist theory, queer theory, and critical race theory that deconstruct traditional hierarchical scholarship and provides new ways of knowing. All courses within the major ask students to think critically and confront issues of power, oppression, racism, homophobia, transphobia, classism and sexism.
- Through feminist, gender, and queer theories, these courses interrogate western paradigm, knowledge, values, and assumptions on gender, identity, race and ethnicity.
- The major centers on the issues, experiences, perspectives, narratives, and voices surrounding women, gender, LGBTQ+ communities, and American racial and ethnic groups.
- Allows students to explore interconnectedness, deepen the understanding of themselves and humanity, and apply restorative justice values and social justice competencies to address sexism, racism and oppression.
- Lead by faculty with a commitment to personal and professional social justice, anti-oppression, and equity work.
- Utilizes inclusive teaching and learning practices such as Universal Design for Learning.
Women's, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Requirements
Required lower-division courses (12 credits)
- WGE 200: Intro to Feminist & Identity Studies
- WGE 210: Introduction to the Study of Race and Ethnicity
- WGE 260: Research Methods for Social Identities
- WGE 280: Contemporary issues in WGES Theory
Required upper-division courses (12 credits)
- WGE 370: Gender, Sex, and Feminist Theory
- WGE 400: Advanced Critical Race Theory
- WGE 450: Methods and Competencies on Anti-Racism, Oppression, and Intersectionality
- WGE 499: Senior Seminar
Feminist and Sexuality Studies Concentration
This concentration is for WGE majors. It focuses on a wide range of feminist and LGBTQI* perspectives. Students will explore a variety of theories including feminist paradigms, critical theory, gender theory, and queer theory. Students will practice analysis and synthesis within their writing, critical thinking, and synthesis of material.
Concentration Electives (12 credits)
- COM 201: Communication and Identity
- COM 320: Media and Culture
- CRJ 395: ST: Race, Gender, and Class in Criminal Justice
- ENG 350: Gender and sexuality in literature
- GIS 250: Men and Masculinities
- GIS 350: Queer Theory
- GIS 375: Gender and Pop Culture
- GIS 295/395: Special Topics in Gender and Identity Studies
- HIS 305: History of American Women
- HIS 319: American Working Class History
- PLS 360: Gender and Global Politics|
- PSY375: Multicultural Psychology
- PSY 385: Psychology of Gender
- SJ 110: Introduction to Social Justice
- SJ 301: Social Justice in Literature
- SJ 310: Social Justice in Film
- SOC 333: Women, Culture and Society
Race and Ethnic Studies Concentration
This concentration is for WGE majors. It focuses on a wide range of race and ethnic studies perspectives. Students will explore a variety of theories including Critical Race Theory paradigms, deconstructionist theory, intersectionality, and other Race theories. Students will practice analysis and synthesis within their writing, critical thinking, and synthesis of material.
Race & Ethnic Studies Concentration:
- PSY 375: Multicultural Psychology
- SJ 310: Social Justice in Film
- HIS 435: History of Struggles for Justice
- HIS 360: History of American Slavery
- SOC 370: Social Action: Activism
- SOC 302: Sex, Race, and Disability
- PSY 375: Multicultural Psychology
- LS 101: Court, the Legal Environment and Ethics
- HIS 370: History of American Immigration
- HIS 413: History of Modern Africa
- PLS 363: Race and American Politics
- ENG 345: Literature, Race, and Ethnicity
- COM 201: Communication and Identity
- COM 317: Language and Culture of the PNW Food and Culture
- COM 385: Conflict and Peace Studies
- COM 398: Media History-Native Film
- GE 359: Professional Ethics, Legal Issues and Applied Economics in Contemporary Society
- RES 295/RES 395: Special Topics
Women's, Gender, and Ethnic Studies at a Glance
- Degree
- Bachelor of Arts
- Program Type
- Major
- Campus
- Main (Lacey)
- Type of Instruction
- In Person
- School
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Resources
- What can I do with this major?
