Academic Programs - Undergraduate

Women's and Gender Studies

When you choose Women's and Gender Studies, you will learn how gender operates in the world. You will explore how gender and sexuality expectations have organized social habits. You will discover how to create new ways of doing things.

Connections and Perspectives

Two female Acadia students eat ice cream, chat, and laugh as they walk down the trail behind the Wolfville Library.

In Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) at Acadia, you will use different ideas, frameworks, and theories to understand how gender operates in the world.

The program emphasizes the importance of gender as a category of critical analysis. You will explore its application in areas such as these:

  • scholarly activity
  • education
  • social relationships
  • cultural expression
  • politics

The study of women and gender is not limited to one discipline. You will take courses from a variety of programs, and you will be presented with different perspectives. These will help you understand how communities are organized according to gender and sexuality expectations.

The program has a collaborative relationship with WISE Acadia (Women in Science and Engineering). The aim is to promote a STEAM-based approach to academia. (A STEAM-based approach ties together science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.) Alongside psychology majors, you will take a Women in Science course to study why women are underrepresented in the sciences.

Women's and Gender Studies is offered as a major and honours in the Faculty of Arts. Students from all faculties can minor in the program or pursue it as a second major. The program has 14 WGST courses. From there, you can choose from cross-listed courses offered in all three faculties on a rotational basis. All these courses include themes and issues related to women, gender, and sexuality.

The program hires students to assist in the teaching of its courses. The program also offers an annual award worth $1,500 to $2,000.

First Year at a Glance

First semester

  • WGST 1413
    Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies
  • ENGL 1413
    Writing & Reading Critically 1
  • LANG xx13
    Language other than English
  • HUMANITIES xx13
    Introductory humanities course
  • SCIENCE xx13
    Introductory science course

Second semester

  • ELECTIVE xxx3
    Your choice
  • ENGL 1423
    Writing & Reading Critically 2
  • LANG xx23
    Language other than English
  • HUMANITIES xx23
    Introductory humanities course
  • SCIENCE xx23
    Introductory science course

Future Careers

  • Academia
  • Advocacy
  • Business
  • Community development
  • Education
  • Health sciences
  • Human resources
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Politics
  • Social work
 

Apply to
Acadia

If you’re looking for a high-quality, high-engagement university experience, you’ve come to the right place. Bringing out the best in you is what we do best.

Applying online takes about 15 minutes. Let’s get started!

Continue Exploring

Visit the Women's and Gender Studies website

Related Programs

You may also be interested in programs including:

Campus Life & Residences

Most first-year students choose to live in residence to make friends and stay close to class, recreation facilities, and downtown Wolfville. Learn more about our residence experience and the student services here to support you.

Residences & Meal Plans Student Services
 
A smiling Acadia staff member speaks with a student in the KC Irving Centre Garden Room

Speak to Us

Our enrolment advisors are here to answer your questions about the application process, campus life, and more.

Connect Now
An Acadia student gestures as she leads a campus tour. The campus chapel is visible in the background.

Visit Campus

Seeing is believing. Book a campus tour to explore Acadia in person.

Book a Visit