To fix a problem related to gender or sexuality, you first have to understand it
From the moment a child is born, society has plans for him or her. Eckerd’s Women’s and Gender Studies major explores views of gender and sexuality, including how they contribute to problems like domestic violence, workplace discrimination and the unequal division of labor in the home. Our Women’s and Gender Studies grads have won Fulbright Scholarships, worked for the United Nations and become educators, lawyers and activists for gender justice.
Only@Eckerd
Amazing variety of choices
Although Eckerd is a small college, our Women’s and Gender Studies program offers as many courses as bigger institutions like Yale University.
An inclusive setting
The College is set in Saint Petersburg, Florida, a gender-inclusive and LGBTQ+-friendly city.
The Women’s Resource Center
The on-campus Women’s Resource Center sponsors events that encourage community understanding of gender issues, from the local to the global level.
In Their Own Words
“I found the interdisciplinary nature of the Women’s and Gender Studies major to be formative. Examining issues from multiple perspectives and becoming acquainted with several methodologies helped sharpen my critical thinking skills.”
—Shelby Hall, Class of 2016, Graduate Student at Emory University
Beyond the Classroom
Want to really understand people’s lived realities as they relate to gender and sexuality? At Eckerd College in Florida, you can do your own research under the guidance of a Women’s & Gender Studies professor—or join a professor’s research team.
For example, Dr. Lisa Miller enlists students to collect and analyze interview data for projects that:
- Examine how women’s intimate relationships change as they age
- Ask older (55+) lesbian, gay, and bisexual people about their experiences, including how their lives have unfolded over time
You’ll even have a shot at presenting your work at a national conference, a feather for anyone headed to grad school.
Women’s and Gender Studies students who are accepted into the Ford Apprentice Scholar program research, write and present an original paper on a topic of their choice. Recent topics include:
- Sexism in reproductive health
- Shining a light on the adversities female professors face
- Reimagining liberal arts ideals through gender studies
Mark Tluszcz ’89, now chairman of Wix and the original investor in Skype, was a Ford Scholar at Eckerd College.
All students are asked to take at least one designated Reflective Service Learning course, which includes at least 20 hours of service, before graduation, either on campus or internationally.
Service Pics on FlickrWe offer more than 300 study abroad destinations every year, including three-week study trips between semesters and alternative spring break service projects in Mexico, Guyana, Iceland, Panama and Cuba.
Popular classes
Sex and Society
This class is a deep dive into how society shapes our sexual behaviors, desires and identities. Topics include LGBT issues, hook-up culture, kink, intersectionality, schools, the law, the media and sex work.
Feminisms and Gender Theory
Here you’ll study gender as an agent of culture, and how it’s often used to express and assign (or withhold) power. Topics range from various waves of intercultural feminist thought to contemporary gender theory, and emerging intersectional feminism.
Outcomes
What can I do with a women’s and gender studies degree?
- Advertising copywriter
- Community educator
- Counselor
- Creative writer
- Dentist
- District attorney
- Fundraiser
- Higher education administration
- Human resources officer
- Journalist
- Legal aid
- Medical assistant
- Nonprofit program manager
- Nurse
- Obstetrics & gynecology doctor
- Occupational therapist
- Physical therapist
- Psychotherapist
- Public interest lawyer
- Researcher
- Social worker
- Teacher
- Union organizer
Where our women’s and gender studies majors go to graduate school
- Boston College
- Columbia University
- Emory University
- Salem State University
- Santa Fe College
- Sarah Lawrence College
- University of South Florida
- University of Texas at San Antonio
- Yale University
