Here are answers to some important questions ...

1. Where do I go for help?

Undergraduates can visit the Chair of Gender and Women's Studies for help with: course selection; degree questions; program requirements; any general question about the program.

Graduates should talk to the Grad Coordinator for any questions regarding Graduate Assistant work; and program and course information.

For other support available to students on campus (for example, writing centre, counselling, and many more), please click here or contact the Gender and Women’s Studies Administrative Assistant WomensStudies@lakeheadu.ca.

2. What will life be like in Gender and Women’s Studies at Lakehead?

Students in our program experience a unique opportunity for professionalization, community engagement, and academic exploration. You will enjoy:

  • Our small dynamic classes (but don’t be fooled, our program continues to grow at a time when other Departments are seeing reductions in student numbers, and we are usually in the top 5 programs for students numbers in the Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities!)
  • Excellent professors (all our full-time Faculty have won awards for teaching, research, & service, so you know you’re getting the best)
  • Our emphasis on community: both on campus in association with the Women’s & Gender Studies Student Association, the Gender Equity Centre, Pride Central, and the Multicultural Students Association; as well as out in the community through volunteer options in some courses
  • Learning to use praxis, or how to put theory into practice in your preparation for the job market!
  • Mentoring and activities through Women's & Gender Studies Students Association
  • Professionalizing opportunities in your classes: for example past students have presented their research at conferences (locally, nationally, and internationally); organized conferences and seminars; won awards from national organizations; received recognition from local organizations for their contributions; and more! All of these accomplishments go on to your resume and help you to get a job when you’re done!

3. What will I get to do in class?

Our classes are dynamic and dialogic, which means that your experiential knowledge is part of the learning process! You have opportunities in our classes to:

  • Do creative presentations and projects such as zines, art, scrapbooks, blogs, and others; enjoy collaborative learning using varied methodologies and dynamic class dialogue  
  • Engage in activism
  • Enjoy student-centred learning that encourages everyone to learn from each others’ experiences, knowledge bases, and ideas in conjunction with the framework of course materials and lectures
  • Examine interesting and relevant evidence about intersectional lived experiences (that is, how people experience their lives and choices differently depending on their gender, race, class, ability, age, sexuality, ethnicity, etc.) in readings such as: “Does a Lesbian Need a Vagina Like a Fish Needs a Bicycle? Or Would the ‘Real’ Lesbian Please Stand Up!”, “Fat is a Feminist Issue, But It’s Complicated” or “I’m Allowed to Be a Sexual Being”.

4. Top reasons for choosing GWS at Lakehead University, and not somewhere else!

  • We offer a number of courses that focus on gender and the law, and on gender and health, two areas our Department is known for nationally and internationally.
  • All Faculty members have been awarded for teaching, research, and service, bringing an exceptional level of expertise to the classroom
  • We offer many opportunities for student engagement with speakers, conferences and events highlighting local and global feminist issues
  • We are interdisciplinary and collaborative, so students are exposed to many cross sections of feminist scholarship, with opportunities to pursue education and research in areas like law, health, English, psychology, social justice, political science, and many more!
  • We offer dynamic and topical courses in numerous formats, including online, which are well suited for those needing flexible schedules for work or family commitments
  • We have lots of opportunities to gain research skills and work experience through our courses
  • We have a high employment success rate of our students post grad!

5. What can I do with a Gender and Women’s Studies Degree?

  • journalist
  • teacher
  • executive director
  • researcher
  • police officer
  • lawyer
  • midwives
  • crisis centre directors
  • police analysts
  • international development worker

And so much more!!