North Central College - Naperville, IL

Gender and Women's Studies


How do we make distinctions
among human beings based
on their physical sex?

How are we gendered ––
that is, how are we taught to become
men and women, both here
in the United States and in other cultures?

How is our sexual identity
intertwined with cultural
understandings of our
physical sex, gender roles
and behaviors?

These crucial questions inspire the gender and women’s studies (GWS) program, an exciting interdisciplinary field of study.

If you choose to minor in gender and women’s studies, or create your own individualized major, you will
• undertake in-depth studies of  women and men in history, language and literature, the arts, sciences, education, religion, philosophy and the business world
• take courses from our passionately committed faculty of 20 men and women from across campus who are engaged in contemporary debates on sex, gender and sexual identity 
• be prepared for careers in education, childcare, social and community work, counseling, healthcare and medicine, law and communications fields, among others
• gain an academic foundation for graduate studies in gender and women’s studies.