Women's Studies

Bachelor of Arts

(Faculty of Arts)

Women’s Studies is about the diversity of women. The program explores the social construction and variability of gender. We also examine how power relations linked to race and ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation and ability/disability impact the lives of women on the local as well as on the global levels.

Relatively new, women’s studies programs developed within the second wave of feminism in the 1970s. They give university curricula a focus on women and on women’s experiences, history, social movements and activism, literature and achievements. Today, Women’s Studies is a dynamic field that continues to grow and develop as new research and perspectives emerge.

At the U of C, Women’s Studies is a liberal arts program that draws from, and contributes to, many academic disciplines including sociology, political science, history, philosophy, economics, English literature, psychology, religious studies, natural sciences and the arts. Women’s Studies students learn feminist theories, analyses and research methodologies along with oral and written communication skills. Students also have the opportunity to apply this knowledge in feminist praxis and community service learning courses. The knowledge students gain in cultural and political literacy can help them to become agents of change in our society, and in the institutions and organizations in which they become involved.

Not surprisingly, our students reflect the cultural diversity they study and are of all ages, ethnicities, socio-cultural backgrounds, genders, sexual identities and beliefs. Although Women’s Studies focuses on women, it is not exclusively for women. Men can and do pursue majors and minors in the program.

Whatever your background, gender or interests, you’ll find a major in Women’s Studies relevant to the current events, issues, work and studies of daily life. A combined major or a minor in Women’s Studies complements almost every major area of study at the University of Calgary and many students choose to combine Women’s Studies in a joint major with another program of interest.

The Co-operative Education version of either program will give you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in up to four paid work terms of three months each. For details see our Co-op website.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission applicants are required to present the appropriate high school subjects and a competitive average.

Application/Document Deadlines  

Why take this program?

Speaking out
Women’s Studies classrooms are spaces ideally constructed by class participants to create a democratic, non-hierarchic, co-operative and challenging learning environment. Students learn to transform “I feel” into “I think” and actively participate in discussions in a setting promoting diversity and respect of difference. The expression of voice, experience, and education allows students to develop the confidence to think of themselves as agents of change.

Finding your strength
Students are sometimes asked to describe personal activities that contribute to the improved status of women. Sharing of these off-campus experiences can become part of the classroom learning environment. Students also have the opportunity to enroll in WMST 405 – Seminar in Feminist Praxis, a course that requires students to engage in volunteer feminist work and then meet to reflect on their experiences and ways in which their experiences are part of both their own, and the larger, feminist project. Thus, the Women’s Studies program has much to offer to students interested in social activism and women’s issues.

Living legacies
Are you interested in learning how current women’s roles came to be? Women’s Studies majors gain a critical and dynamic knowledge of key historical women and the legacy of their work and thoughts. They also learn about the influence of the nameless women of history whose contributions have shaped our past. Learning about the lives of women from different times and places allows students to practice applying the lens of ethical discernment to their own society and better understand the world in which they live.

Interdisciplinary education
As part of your degree you will become familiar with the deep roots of Western culture, with one or more non-Western cultures, and with the intersections of thought that knit together politics, science, religion, art and philosophy.  This broad education can form the basis for a rich and varied range of careers.

What will I study in my first year?

In your first year you will take Women’s Studies 201, an introduction to academic feminism that critically deconstructs cultural notions of sex, gender, race, class and other social stratifiers, discusses contemporary and classical feminist perspectives and examines feminist work and activism.

The relatively open nature of the Women’s Studies first year makes it an ideal time to explore a wide variety of courses in other areas that might interest you: Sociology, Art History, Languages, Philosophy, Literature -- try them all!

What will I study in later years?

In later years you will analyze central and contentious issues impacting upon women’s lives today such as violence against women, sexual identities and transgressions. WMST 311 will introduce you to a survey of the theoretical assumptions and political stances associated with the main forms of feminist theory today while in WMST 321, 331 and 339 you will examine women’s experience of health and treatment of women within health care systems; women’s domestic labour, employment equity and the “feminization of poverty”; and representations of gender in popular culture.

Senior courses include opportunities to develop practical and political skills by engaging in feminist activism (WMST 405) and an examination of gender, bodies, and knowledge through an interdisciplinary analysis of studies in medicine, history, psychology and feminist theory (WMST 431). A capstone course, WMST 591, will round out your degree through an advanced seminar in which you will apply your learning to a major academic project, guided by an in-depth consideration of feminist research methodology and action.

In addition, you will take a pair of courses that many students describe as life-changing experiences: General Studies 300 and General Studies 500.  These courses integrate a breathtaking sweep of knowledge and culture from the Greeks and Romans to present-day thinkers and artists into a personal search for meaning and place in an uncertain world. The courses expose you to the evolution of modern ideas through some of the most influential thinkers of the past.

In your final year, you may wish to take an Honours program.  Honours in Women’s Studies is excellent preparation for graduate school, but you may also be interested in Honours for the opportunity to explore a topic in depth for eight months in close consultation with a supervisor.  For details see http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/honours

In later years you may choose to enrich your educational experience through a number of other opportunities such as to deepen your learning by acting as a peer mentor for junior students while you learn the theoretical background of knowledge building (GNST 507 and 509). 

What can I do with this degree?

Women’s Studies graduates have excellent oral and written communication skills and are able to critically analyze and assess arguments and theories. Graduates have a high level of cultural and political literacy, as well as respect for class, race, gender and sexual orientation differences. The Women’s Studies degree provides the interdisciplinary focus valued in journalism, governments, politics and social agencies. The program also teaches the personal discipline required for entrepreneurship and the compassion and creativity needed for social activism and international development. For those interested in pursuing postgraduate studies, the Women’s Studies degree offers excellent undergraduate preparation for professional programs such as law, medicine, management and social work, as well as Master’s and PhD graduate programs in a variety of disciplines related to women’s studies.

To see a full list of potential skills, careers and industries available to you, take a look at the Career Services Women's Studies Career Profile (PDF).

Additional Information

Women’s Studies Program