Gender Studies at Lawrence University transforms how you see yourself and the world around you. 

Gender Studies courses facilitate inquiry into how power shapes everything from interpersonal relations to global economic structures. This inquiry occurs along the intersections of gender, race, class, sexuality, nationality, ability, religion, and age. Our courses will prepare you to engage in critical thinking, in-depth discussion, community engagement, and research. The interdisciplinary approach to gender studies at Lawrence will help you cultivate agility to address social challenges in an ever-changing job market and political arena.

Brienne Colston laughing and in a 100% Black-Owned tshirt

Student Perspective


“My education at Lawrence propelled me with the audacity to start an organization dedicated to actualizing equity through healing in my hometown of The Bronx. … My Lawrence experience taught me to dream big, to not be stopped by one or two peoples’ opinions, thoughts, or behaviors, and to bring my community with me in all endeavors.” 

Brienne Colston ‘15
Gender Studies
Bronx, New York

Academics

Unbagging First-Year Studies

Martyn Smith, director of First-Year Studies, unbags the 10 works being used in First-Year Studies during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Person writing in notebook.
Course

Black, Brown, and Queer on Film: Race, Gender, and Sexuality on Film

Visual culture has long defined that which is not white, not queer, and not male as deviant from the visual norm. Explore the way in which film culture has traditionally positioned people it defines as deviant from the racial, ethnic, gender or sexual norm and the ways in which filmmakers have responded to that positioning.

Interdisciplinary courses study how the concept of gender shapes our understandings of ourselves and each other.

View course descriptions and schedules.

More than 20 faculty members from disciplines all across the curriculum teach courses in the gender studies program.

Close up of student's notebook

The Excellence in Gender Studies Fund

A dedicated fund for gender studies students is available to you to support your travel, research, or other activities that further your research in gender studies.

The Chandler Senior Experience

You will design an independent research project with one or more of our 20+ gender studies faculty members from all across campus—from biology, anthropology, psychology, art, film, music, theatre and literature—to explore the ways gender shapes personal identities, relationships and social structure.

Recent Senior Experiences include:

  • Trans Women's Lived Experiences in the Sex Work Industry
  • Affecting the World: My Queer Love Letter to Difference
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Commencement takes place at the Banta Bowl

Gender Studies Outcomes


Because gender is a foundational aspect of our identities, it has great cultural impact and is important to many different career paths and areas of advanced study like law, social work, media, education, business, and more.

Can you picture yourself at Lawrence? Apply for admission.

The best way to find out if Lawrence is the university for you is by visiting.

Check out campus without leaving your couch.

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