Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Learn about the world and our place in it through a deeper understanding of sexuality, femininity, embodiment, and social justice.

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Why study Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies at UBC’s Okanagan campus?

Career opportunities

Earn a UBC degree respected by employers around the globe. Build a broad foundation and acquire the skills to pursue careers in government departments and agencies, media and publishing, and non-government organizations or services, or to pursue graduate studies.

Access to professors

Explore opportunities to engage in research on topics relating to gender and sexuality studies and feminist theory with professors working across a range of subjects and disciplines. See the exciting projects they are working on here.

Undergraduate research

Complete directed studies, where you will conduct independent research and readings, culminating in a major term paper.

BROAD RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE

UBC Okanagan’s liberal arts degree prepares students for global citizenship by integrating foundational knowledge with interdisciplinary opportunities in social justice, sustainability and Indigenous content. Students who earn a BA degree graduate with a broad range of knowledge and the ability to think critically, be creative, problem solve and communicate effectively.

Co-op experience

Put your classroom learning to the test with Co-op job placements throughout the region and beyond. Co-op helps you to gain beneficial skills such as how to build your resumé, apply for jobs, expand your professional network, and earn money to pay for tuition.

what you need to know

Get your UBC degree in gender, women and sexuality studies, which draws from across the humanities, social sciences, and cultural studies.

This dynamic program allows students to develop integrative and finely-tuned perspectives on how gender and sexuality are central components of everyday life. Subjects of exploration include experiences of embodiment and social recognition; histories of modernity and domination; global, social, and economic processes; cultural production and systems of representation; and social justice movements.

At UBC Okanagan, you can complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with a major or minor in gender, women and sexuality studies.

UBC Okanagan’s gender, women and sexuality studies program offers a wide variety of foundational and advanced courses that prepare students for careers in government, media, and non-government organizations or services.

Sample courses:

  • GWST 110 — Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Power II: Everyday Life
  • GWST 215 — Women and Popular Culture
  • GWST 333 — Perspectives on Gendered Bodies
  • GWST 419 — Gender, Dress, and Fashion: Histories and Theories

Browse gender, women and sexuality studies courses and descriptions.

The following links take you to gender, women and sexuality studies program details in the Okanagan Academic Calendar, a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academics policies at The University of British Columbia:

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Communications and Rhetoric Certificate

Students can receive a Certificate in Communications and Rhetoric by completing 15 credits through courses from four thematic interdisciplinary and relational clusters, and a final capstone project. This is an add on to any major; some credits can be double-counted.

Planning

Plan your academic journey by exploring the undergraduate academic planning guide designed for Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences students.

Learn about graduate studies in gender, women and sexuality studies.

For your application to be considered, you will need to:

  • meet general requirements (e.g., graduate from secondary school)
  • demonstrate a certain level of English competency
  • meet specific requirements for the degree you’re applying to

Then, UBC will take a closer look at your application. We’ll read your Personal Profile to get a sense of who you are and what you’ve achieved. We’ll also look at all of your Grade 11 (junior level) and Grade 12 (senior level) courses, paying special attention to the courses that relate to the degree you’re applying to.

Find your specific requirements at https://you.ubc.ca/

WHEN TO DECLARE YOUR MAJOR

Declaring helps you plan your program more effectively, build your education, and stay connected.

Students are encouraged to declare their major in gender, women and sexuality studies at the end of their first year in order to take the prerequisite second-year courses. Refer to the Academic Calendar for admission requirements.

Application Deadlines

Plan ahead to ensure you meet important deadlines and other target dates listed at you.ubc.ca.

Tuition Fees

UBC Okanagan’s fees compare favourably with universities of the same high calibre. See Financial Planning for helpful resources, and add up your first-year costs with our Cost Calculator.

Apply to UBC at you.ubc.ca — there are just five steps in the application process. Soon you could be studying at one of the world’s top universities.

Check out the steps to apply to UBC, and be sure to choose “Okanagan campus.”

Or let our Student Recruitment & Advising experts guide you: call 1.877.807.8521.

Your Career Options

Build a broad foundation and great career potential with a UBC degree — respected by employers around the globe. Career options range from government relations advisor and equity analyst to advocate and non-profit director.

  • Advocate
  • Arts administrator
  • Campaign organizer
  • Civil servant
  • Communications officer
  • Community service worker
  • Constituency assistant
  • Consumer researcher
  • Editor
  • Equity policy analyst
  • Equity educator
  • Event coordinator
  • Filmmaker
  • First Nations Band project coordinator
  • Fundraiser/development officer
  • Gender development specialist
  • Gender & women’s health researcher
  • Gender & women’s services coordinator
  • Government relations advisor
  • Grant writer
  • Hotline operator
  • Housing or poverty analyst
  • Human resources professional
  • Impact assessment officer
  • Investigative journalist
  • Job coach/retention worker
  • LBGTQ centre worker
  • Law enforcement
  • Legislative assistant
  • Lobbyist/organizer
  • Multiculturalism educator
  • Non-profit worker
  • Policy analyst
  • Project manager
  • Public administrator
  • Public outreach coordinator
  • Public relations advisor
  • Publishing assistant
  • Reproductive health support worker
  • Settlement worker
  • Strategic planner
  • Women’s shelter worker
  • Government departments and agencies concerning Canadian human rights, health care, historical sites, human service organizations, and museums
  • Media and publishing houses, including print, radio, TV, and alternative media sources
  • Non-governmental organizations and services, including cultural services, immigrant and refugee services, international development agencies, public education, and women’s organizations
  • Private industry, including communication companies, financial institutions, market research firms, and private foundations

Learn and earn with Co-op, a paid opportunity for students to enrich their education with work experience. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, sign up for Co-op to:

  • build your resumé with professional experience
  • learn valuable tips on how to successfully apply for jobs
  • expand your network of industry contacts
  • earn money to pay for tuition

Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.

The UBC Okanagan Arts Career Apprenticeship Program (UBCO ACAP) connects upcoming arts, humanities and social sciences graduates from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies with Okanagan-based employers for one-year, paid, early career opportunities.

UBC’s Okanagan campus offers MA, MSc and PhD degrees in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program, which offers innovative interdisciplinary themes and individualized options in which students can have a gender and women’s studies faculty member as their primary supervisor.

Gain Valuable Experience

Learning experiences beyond the classroom help prepare you for a career and life after university. Expand your horizons while studying abroad, conducting meaningful research, or working in the community with your UBC colleagues.

  • See the world through Go Global, a UBC program for exchange and study with more than 150 international partner institutions. Experience university life abroad as a resident, or earn academic credit while participating in summer group-study courses led by UBC profs.
  • Travel to a conference or competition with financial assistance available through the Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund, which provides financial support up to $3,500.

Follow your ideas and jump-start your career:

Get a financial boost to start your research experience. Pay for travel and other expenses. Win merit-based cash awards that look impressive on your resumé.

  • Undergraduate Research Awards: The URA offers an $8,000 salary plus a maximum of $1,500 for research expenses, for a total of up to $9,500 per student. For international students, the IURA offers a $9,000 salary plus a maximum of $1,500 for research expenses, for a total of up to $10,500 per student.
  • Co-op puts your classroom learning to the test, allowing you to explore career options while earning money. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.
  • Learn through doing, create strong connections, and develop professional skills with a campus job arranged by UBC’s Work Study Program.
  • Meet a community need and get practical experience by volunteering for a Community Service Learning project — a life-changing experience.

FEATURED STORY

WHEN ALL THE STARS ALIGN

Seeking the language of social justice, Assistant Professor Heather Latimer found gender, women and sexuality studies.

READ MORE

WELCOME TO UBC’S OKANAGAN CAMPUS

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world. In the gender, women and sexuality studies program at UBC’s Okanagan campus, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally respected university while studying in a close-knit learning community.

  • Get a glimpse into life on UBC’s Okanagan campus at you.ubc.ca.
  • Take a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art labs, modern facilities, campus residences.
  • Visit the campus for a personal guided tour led by a student ambassador.
  • Tour the campus, city and lake with this interactive 360-degree Kelowna From Above* video.
    * Best viewed in Chrome and Firefox 

On the first day of university, faculties offer “Meet the Faculty” sessions where you can get to know the Dean, professors, and the staff who provide student support. It’s all part of UBC Okanagan’s new student orientation: CREATE.

Attend an orientation tailored to your needs as an Indigenous student, domestic student, international student, or student living in residence. You can even register your parents for an orientation that includes a workshop and campus tour.

  • Peer mentors are a great resource — ask questions and learn from students who’ve been there, done that.
  • Navigate your studies with the help of a professor, your Program Advisor.
  • Use the library which offers print, audiovisual and electronic research materials, a leisure-reading collection, and loaner laptops. It also offers research consultations, instruction, and workshops.
  • The library’s Writing and Resource Centre can help you articulate your ideas. Pursue your research in a range of subject areas and scholarly genres, including essay writing, grammar, presentation skills, punctuation, thesis development, and coursework.
  • Familiarize yourself with resources designed to help you succeed. Student Services offers a variety of academic supports, from study sessions to tutoring and writing workshops.

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved and stay active — from workout space in the new Hangar Fitness Centre, to athletic courts, intramurals, fitness classes, and varsity athletics.

Learn more at Sports and Recreation, which includes links to fitness facilities, sport clubs, intramurals, and recreation programs, as well as the nationally ranked UBC Okanagan Heat varsity teams that compete in the Canada West Universities Athletics Association.

  • Branch out, get involved in student life, and have fun in various campus clubs.

Meet new people while living in a study-oriented environment with easy access to academic and personal support.

UBC Okanagan offers modern residence living surrounded by hiking and biking trails. One of the newest residences, Purcell, includes a rooftop patio that offers a panoramic view of the campus and the Okanagan Valley.

Find out more about living in residence.

UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people — the fourth fastest growing population in Canada. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is rated one of the best communities in Canada to grow your business.

More than 160 buses travel daily from campus to key locations such as Kelowna’s cultural district and thriving downtown waterfront. The campus is two minutes from the Kelowna International Airport, one of the Top 10 busiest airports in Canada.

UBC Okanagan is situated within the First Nations territory of the Okanagan Nation, whose spirit of stewardship for the land is reflected in the university’s respect for sustainability.

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards and orchards, and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan Valley features sweeping stretches of lakeside and endless mountain trails for biking and hiking.

Explore the Okanagan lifestyle at you.ubc.ca.