Women's studies - shift your view, change your world

"In its ability to reveal different perspectives, Women's Studies, more than any other discipline, went further in teaching me 'how to think' rather than 'what to think.'" 

- UVic women's studies grad Susan Cooper

Women's studies will give you a unique perspective on the world and your place in it.  It's the only discipline that consistently uses gender to analyze the power that shapes people's lives, experiences, knowledge and possibilities.

In women’s studies classes you’ll often draw on your own experiences, and your learning will be relevant and applicable to your life. You'll explore categories like gender, race, class, sexual orientation, age, ability, citizenship, geographical location and national identity, and how these intersect and affect the world around you.

With knowledge of the factors and connections that define our world, you'll see beyond what is usually taken for granted as “just the way things are.”

Understanding how “normal”, "feminine", "masculine" and other labels and relationships are socially constructed will enable you to challenge outdated ideas and systems. You can work with others to make a difference and transform what you don’t like or consider unfair.

Women's studies will give you the vision and skills to "Be the change you want to see in the world."

A degree in women's studies provides excellent preparation for future employment, law school and graduate studies in a variety of fields. 

Acknowledgement of the territories

The women's studies department respectfully acknowledges that the University of Victoria is located on unceded Coast Salish Territories, specifically of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.