Why Choose Women's Studies?

Students of Women’s Studies at UCI learn to think in flexible and rigorous ways. Taking classes with leading scholars in the field, they learn how feminist transnational analysis can be used to study many compelling phenomena, including histories of identity production, body politics, religion and gender, the politics of fashion, remote intimacy through technology, environmental politics, and sexual rights. As part of a unit that highly values undergraduate research, students have the opportunity to do research on a project that they design, while working closely with a faculty advisor. They also have an opportunity to become part of an exciting intellectual community.

The interdisciplinary major and minors offered through UCI’s Department of Women’s Studies teach students skills that are valuable in a wide range of careers and life experiences. Among these skills are the ability to engage in critical thinking, informed decision-making, and effective communication.

Our courses integrate many aspects of learning, allowing students to apply what they  learn in school to the world around them. For example, they learn to decode signs and ideological messages in popular culture, they come to appreciate the value of using intellectual tools to interpret elements of everyday life, and they gain an ability to understand how knowledge production is linked to power. These insights are beneficial in many dimensions of life before and after graduation. Graduates of Women’s Studies bring unique skills and knowledge to the professions of law, academia, science, medicine, social work, philanthropy, business, diplomacy, counseling, and government service, all of which increasingly require expertise on issues concerning women and gender.