Mission Statement
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department prepares students to become future professionals, scholars, activists, and artists who engage critically with issues of gender and sexuality across multicultural and transnational contexts. Our mission is to familiarize students with the histories of feminist thought and social movements, teach them to apply feminist, queer, and transgender theories in their writing and research, and train them in developing interdisciplinary, problem-based approaches that can be applied both within academic settings and in broader professional and community contexts.
History of WGSS at Stony Brook University
Women's Studies has a long and rich history at Stony Brook University. The first classes on women and gender were offered in 1973, and since that time we have grown from offering a minor to being a program with a major and minor to a department with robust and growing graduate and undergraduate programs. Today, we teach approximately 2,000 students annually, have over a 100 majors and minors and over 30 current and former PhD and MA students. Our graduates have gone on to law school and medical school, work in the health professions, are teachers, nurses, academics, and small business owners. We are a small but dedicated department who welcome students interested in thinking about the challenges of contemporary life and working collectively toward social transformation and justice.
Department Focus and Expertise
At the heart of all programs is a profound commitment to:
The critical study of gender and sexuality as an intellectual project indebted to
past and present activist movements and committed to future social change.
Core beliefs and visions
We believe in the transformative potential of feminist, queer, and trans studies.
Our innovative approaches to research, teaching, and mentoring aim to enact positive
effects in the world.
Learning Environment
At the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department, you’re never just a number.
Our seminar-style courses foster thoughtful dialogue, allowing students to build lasting
relationships with both peers and mentors. These small, engaging classes create a
supportive environment where challenging topics are explored in respectful, solution-oriented
ways.
What You'll Learn
WGSS courses equip students with powerful analytical tools that enable them to critically
examine gender and sexuality norms, explore the intersections of race, class, ability,
nation, and health, and approach complex social issues through interdisciplinary frameworks.
Our areas of academic focus:
- Black & Women of Color Feminisms
- Critical Disability Studies
- Feminist Media Studies
- Political Thought, Social Justice, & Policy
- Race & Ethnic Studies
- Queer & Trans Studies
- Transnational Feminisms
Our faculty:
Core faculty all hold graduate degrees or certificates in women’s, gender, or feminist
studies. Approximately 50 affiliated faculty work across a variety of fields, including
the arts, humanities, social sciences, and health sciences.
Collaboration and Knowledge Production:
The department fosters collaboration and collective knowledge production by actively
forging alliances with feminist scholars, programs, and initiatives across campus.
We aim to enhance gender and sexual diversity at Stony Brook University, throughout
New York State, and beyond.