35 Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Women’s Studies

Though it is a relatively new academic field which draws from feminist studies, Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field that can prepare graduates for a variety of professions. An undergraduate degree in the field prepares students to carefully analyze the way the larger forces often shape the ways that we understand ourselves and the world around us. Studying culture with a feminist lens helps students to question the formations and flows of power in social, institutional, and individual contexts. Graduates with a degree in Women’s Studies have opened their own businesses, worked for non-profits, gone into advocacy work for women,  refugees, and any number of other under-represented or vulnerable populations.  Fields like Social Work, Human Rights, or Journalism, which have been typical areas where degree holders have worked, have the potential for growth. For instance, in the area of Social and Human Services, the Department of Labor expects a 16% growth rate, which is double the average growth rate. Other areas like journalism, clergy, or college professors are not expected to grow as fast. No matter your career or vocational aspirations, if you are thinking about an undergraduate degree in Women’s Studies, then check out our list of the 35 Best Bachelor’s in Women’s Studies for 2020!

Methodology

Best College Reviews provides degree rankings, such as the [title of article], from carefully researched data sets published from government and non-profit organizations across the United States. Five primary factors affect how we rank degrees:  – 25% Student Satisfaction   – 30% Earning Potential  – 15% Retention Data  – 20% Affordability  – 10% Acceptance Rates For an in-depth breakdown of how we calculate each ranking, check out our Methodology page.  

#35 BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 75.32 Brandeis University was founded in 1948 in Waltham, MA, as a coeducational and non-sectarian private institution. BU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies through the WGSS Program. The program is staffed by faculty from 23 different departments bringing a significant amount of breadth and depth to the program.  The WGSS major includes nine courses, of which two are required. Students fill out the rest with electives, though there are some additional requirements to make sure that students have adequate breadth in the degree. Classes in the program include Intellectual History of Black Women, Enlightenment of the Flesh: Reading and Writing Sex in the Eighteenth Century, and Rethinking the Gay Bart: Queer Utopias from Stonewall to Pulse.  Net Price: $32,714

#34 MACALESTER COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 75.49 Consistently ranked among the best liberal arts colleges in the country, Macalester College is located in St. Paul, MN. MC’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department offer a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program is interdisciplinary and draws on disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, the arts, and natural sciences to investigate the social and political systems that construct difference and disseminate power, gendered and otherwise.  The major consists of ten courses overall with four required courses, including a senior seminar. Classes in the program include Gender and Sexuality in Colonial American and the Early Republic, Race, Sex and Work in the Global Economy, and Gender, Sexuality and Film. The Department strongly encourages students to pursue independent research and to consider study abroad opportunities, as well as organizations in the Twin Cities where students can get involved in advocacy and other kinds of work.  Net Price: $30,672

#33 OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 76.32 One of the largest institutions of higher education in the country, Ohio State University is a public research university located in Columbus, OH. The Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies degree. The degree stresses the need for an intersectional lens through which to understand the construction of gender, sexuality, and race.  The degree consists of ten courses, plus a prerequisite, with four broad concentrations that students can choose from such as Narrative, Culture and Representation; Power, Institutions and Economies; and Race, Sexualities and Social Justice. The DWGSS offers internship and service-learning opportunities for their students to develop their skills for engaging in public issues pertaining to women, gender, and sexuality.  Net Price: $18,042

#32 COLBY COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 76.48 Colby College is a small private liberal arts college exclusively committed to undergraduate education which is located in Waterville, ME. CC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program is staffed by two permanent faculty appointments and numerous affiliated faculty from other departments such as natural and social sciences, humanities, and education. The degree consists of 12 courses which include three required courses, and an additional nine electives which can be drawn from a long list of options. Classes in the program include Critical Race Feminisms and Tap Dance, Gender and Politicized Religion, and Native American Women and Two Spirit Writers. The program offers several options for student engagement locally, but also through internship programs in places like Washington, DC, among others.  Net Price: $20,361

#31 RICE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN THE STUDY OF WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY Website Score: 76.81 Located in Houston, TX, Rice University is a private institution with a high research profile and an annual student body of over 7,000. RU offers a Bachelor of Arts in the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. The degree is interdisciplinary, and students are taught grounded feminist and LGBTQIA+ theories and methodologies so that they can understand and interrogate the social and political structures which form and inform human and community identities.  The major consists of 12-13 courses, or 10-11 for double-majors, five of which are required courses. Classes in the program include the Future of Food: Feminist, Queer, and Critical Approaches; Gender and Science; and Illness, Disability, and the Gendered Body. Students are also required to take at least one course in Non-Western Studies and one class in Critical Race Studies to help round out their intersectional epistemology.  Net Price: $24,131

#30 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES Website Score: 77.48 A Big Ten school, the University of Wisconsin’s flagship campus is located in the state capitol of Madison, WI. The Department of Gender & Women’s Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Women’s Studies as well as several certificates in related areas. The degree consists of ten courses and in keeping with the field as a whole, the program draws on a variety of disciplines and methodologies.  Entrance to the program requires that students pass one of three 100-level courses with a B or higher. Students take required courses in a variety of areas including the humanities, social sciences, and biology, as well as courses in key Issue Areas including Race/Ethnicity, Sexuality, Disability & Embodiment, and Global. More advanced classes in the program include Transgender Studies, Visualizing Bodies, and Women’s International Human Rights. Students will also benefit from the presence of the Center for Research on Gender and Women which hosts regular visits from scholars and offers awards and funding. Net Price: $15,910

#29 FORT LEWIS COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 78.45 Fort Lewis College is a public liberal arts college located in Durango, CO. The one-time military institution also served as a notorious boarding school for Native peoples, and now is required to provide free education for qualified Native Americans. FLC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Sexuality Studies which draws on a variety of perspectives to inform the analysis of gender and sexuality.  The degree consists of 13 courses, of which seven are electives. Students choose their electives from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, art, and history, among others. Classes in the program include Indigenous Women, Feminist Philosophies, and Queer Theory. Students can also receive credit for internships or practicum experiences. The program also hosts a variety of events during the course of the year adding a significant co-curricular dimension to the program.  Net Price: $18,208

#28 CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH A SEQUENCE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 78.78 A private liberal arts college focused primarily on undergraduate education, Claremont McKenna College is located in Claremont, CA. CMC offers a Bachelor of Arts with a Sequence in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Though not technically a major, the Sequence offers course work in the field taught by expert faculty. The program focuses on the social construction of gender and sexuality and the ways in which identities are formed through the flow of social and political power.  The program consists of a five-course sequence which draws on the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and theory. Classes in the program include Women and Gender in the Jewish Tradition, Gay and Lesbian Cinema in the U.S., and Women and the Law. Students can also get involved in organizations like Power of Women or the Sexuality and Gender Alliance where they can form friendships with other students concerned about issues in gender and sexuality studies.  Net Price: $28,712

#27 OHIO UNIVERSITY

FORMAL DEGREE TITLE Website Score: 79.11 Ohio University is a mid-sized public research university located in Athens, OH. OU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, as well as certificates in the field and in LGBTQIA+ Studies. The program is interdisciplinary and students can choose from among 70 different courses from across the university. The degree consists of ten courses which include required and elective courses.  Classes in the program include Global Feminisms; Children, Families, and Diversity; and Gender, Race, and Class in Journalism and Mass Media. The program strongly encourages students to pursue original research. The faculty focus their research in areas like gender,  development, and sexuality. Students are also strongly encouraged to join the Triota Honor Society which exists to foster further understanding and dissemination of scholarship related to the field. Net Price: $21,607

#26 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 79.43 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is considered a Public Ivy because of the quality of education that it delivers to students. The Department of Women’s and Gender Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies which emphasizes the inclusion of the categories of race, gender, and sexuality in the analysis of social systems as well as in individual psychology and understanding.  The degree consists of nine courses which include foundational requirement courses, courses in non-Western themes, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Students can also opt for the Honors program which offers the option of a thesis requirement, a practicum, or internship in the field. Classes in the program include Comparative Studies in Culture, Gender, and Global Forces, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Histories in the United States, among others.  Net Price: $11,100

#25 CARLETON COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 79.43 Located in the college town of Northfield, MN, Carleton College is a small private liberal arts college focused on undergraduate education. The CC Women’s and Gender Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies. The program brings together critical studies of race, class, sexual orientation, and gender to foster an interdisciplinary and intersectional analysis of social and political dynamics.  The CC program is robust with numerous class options for students to choose from including courses like Transnational Feminist Activism; Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Popular Culture; and Gender, Globalization, and War. CC also has several travel course options including options in India and Europe which enable students to engage in an international comparative analysis of the construction of gender and sexuality.  Net Price: $28,148

#24 TUFTS UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 80.29 Located in Medford and Somerville, MA, Tufts University is a private research institution. The School of Arts and Sciences has an interdisciplinary Program in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies which offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program consists of ten courses and features four broad concentration areas including Creative Arts and Media, Race, Class, and Power, and Sexuality/Sexualities.  Students can take classes like Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants, International Women Filmmakers, and Class, Race, and Gender in the History of US Education. Students can also earn credit in the program through internship experiences which require up to 150 hours during the semester. The TU program also regularly hosts evening and daytime events for students to mingle and connect with one another, and to learn about the latest discussions in the field.  Net Price: $29,449

#23 HAVERFORD COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 81.08 A private liberal arts college located in Haverford, PA, Haverford College is solely dedicated to undergraduate education. In partnership with Bryn Mawr College, HC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Sexuality Studies. The program at HC functions more like a concentration which students can combine with another major, however, there is an option for students to construct an individualized major in GSS.  Students must take at least six courses for the concentration, and individuals interested in crafting an individualized major must submit a petition to the Committee on Student Standing or the Committee on Independent Majors. Available classes include Black Queer Saints: Sex, Gender, Race, Class and the Quest for Liberation; and Sex Work, Political Economy, and Capital, among many others.  Net Price: $23,582

#22 SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S STUDIES Website Score: 81.69 Part of the California State University system, San Diego State University is a large public research institution. SDSU is home to the oldest Women’s Studies program in the nation and the Department of Women’s Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies. The program aims to create scholars and activists who are interested in engaging the wider culture to foster a more just society. Overall the degree includes 11 courses, four of which are required.  The remaining courses are divided between two groupings of elective courses and include classes like Women’s Sexuality and the Body, Women’s Work: Empowerment and Oppression, and Women, Development, and the Global Economy, among many others. The DWS also offers an internship option whereby students working for community organizations can receive college credit. SDSU also has several travel course options which can fulfill WS requirements for students who are interested in an international experience.  Net Price: $13,363

#21 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT NEW PALTZ

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 82.06 The State University of New York at New Paltz is part of the state’s university system and is a small public college. The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program is designed to equip students with a feminist interpretive lens which can be applied to a variety of disciplines for the purpose of improving the lives of women.  The degree consists of 39-42 credits and students are required to take classes in a variety of disciplinary clusters such as Historical and Political Contexts; Race, Culture, Nation; and Gender, Sexuality, and Queer Studies. Classes in the program include Gay & Lesbian Identity in Contemporary Theatre; Women and Work; and Race, Gender & Performance, among others.  Net Price: $14,496

#20 WELLESLEY COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES  Website Score: 82.06 Located in Massachusetts, Wellesley College is probably one of the best known private women’s liberal arts colleges in the nation. The Women’s and Gender Studies Department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies among other options. The program aims to engage the ways in which assumptions and constructions of gender, sexuality, class, and race affect the lives of both women and men.  The degree requires nine courses, of which at least five must be taken in the department. Students are also required to choose between four different concentrations. Classes that students can take include the Body Across Science, Society, and Public Health; the Social Construction of Inequalities: Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality; and Gender in the Workplace. There are also numerous additional courses from other departments approved for the degree ensuring a significant interdisciplinary experience. Net Price: $20,189

#19 BOWDOIN COLLEGE

FORMAL DEGREE TITLE Website Score: 82.39 One of several elite colleges located in New England, Bowdoin College is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, ME. BC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies through its GSWS Program. The program shapes scholars who are interested in understanding the marginalizing power of social constructions of identity and also attends to the various forms of resistance to broader social assumptions about gender, sexuality, race, and class.  Nine classes are required for the degree which includes three required courses made up of an introductory course, a theory course, and a capstone. Students can also participate in the Sexuality, Women, and Gender Center which is located on campus. The SWAG center offers co-curricular, academic, and recreational opportunities for students and adds an important interpersonal dimension to the program. Net Price: $24,447

#18 MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND FEMINIST STUDIES Website Score: 82.72 The first operating college in Vermont, Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college. MC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies. The program is focused on examining the ways in which social power is gendered, which affects the lives of women and men everywhere. The degree includes ten courses which feature a breadth of requirements in areas like Critical Race Feminism and National/Transnational Feminism.  Classes in the program include Gender Images in Popular American Culture, Women in US Electoral Politics, and History of Sexuality in the US. The GSFS program also sponsors the Feminists’ Resource Center at Chellis House and the Queer Studies House. Both houses offer meeting spaces for the many different student organizations committed to the betterment of society.  Net Price: $22,841

#17 SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 83.05 Swarthmore College is located in Swarthmore, PA and is a small private liberal arts college. Through the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, SC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Sexuality Studies. The program integrates queer and feminist theories to engage a variety of disciplines. The degree includes between 10-12 courses and students have the potential of pursuing an Honors program option. Classes in the program include Against the Norm: (Im)Perfect Bodies and (Dis)Ability Studies; Seminar in Gender and Sexuality Studies: Explorations in Theory and Method; and Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement, among others. SC works with the Summer Social Action Awards to offer the Richard Sager Internship, which is a ten-week summer internship working in a non-profit setting on LGBTQIA+ issues.  Net Price: $20,444

#16 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 83.08 A mid-sized private research institution with a Jesuit affiliation, Georgetown University is located in Washington, DC. The Women and Gender Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies which is intersectional in nature and aims to promote race, sexuality, and gender justice.  The degree offers five areas of concentration including Social Justice and Violence, Race and Racism, Globalization and Poverty, Cultural and Media Representations of Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Students take a total of 11 courses including classes like Transpacific Desires; Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault; and Gender, Race, and Feminism.  Net Price: $27,420

#15 WILLIAMS COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, & SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 83.37 Ranked as the top liberal arts college in the country, Williams College is located in Williamstown, MA. WC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program has existed at WC for over 30 years and the major has been offered for 17 years. Students are taught to read, communicate, critique and understand the construction of gender and sexuality in social and political life.  Students take nine courses total, with three required. Courses in the program include the Feminist Poetry Movement; The Veil: History and Interpretation; and Black Writing To/From/About Prison. WC strongly encourages students to study abroad and has partnerships that enable students to take classes in places like India, France, and Germany.  Net Price: $20,380

#14 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, & SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 93.78 A small private Ivy League research university, Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, NH. DC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. The major is overseen by a faculty steering committee dedicated to WGSS from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The program requires a prerequisite, plus nine additional courses. Students can also petition the WGSS steering committee to propose potential modifications.  Students are required to have a concentration and are empowered to structure an individualized focus in consultation with an advisor. Potential classes that students can choose from include Gender and Judaism; Intersectionality; Hashtag Activism and Our Lives; and Gender Topics in Native American Life, among many others. DC also offers a study abroad option in India where students can engage WGSS issues in a global context.  Net Price: $22,303

#13 POMONA COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER & WOMEN’S STUDIES Website Score: 84.03 Pomona College is the founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium and is a small private liberal arts college located in Claremont, CA. PC offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Women’s Studies through its GWS Program. The program offers two distinct types of majors, one of which is focused on feminist interdisciplinary scholarship.  The second option offers additional flexibility by bringing feminist studies into dialogue with another discipline like economics, religious studies, or science, allowing students to easily double-major if they so choose. Classes in the program include Queer of Color Critique: Literature and Theory; Disability Studies: Foundations, Intersections, & Future; and Biopolitics: Sex, Capitalism, Affect. Net Price: $18,427

#12 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S STUDIES Website Score: 84.56 Founded 20 years before the state of Michigan existed, the University of Michigan is a large public research university. The Women’s Studies Department at UM is one of the oldest in the country and offers several majors including a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies. The program draws on the best scholarship in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies to give students a comprehensive knowledge of the field.  The major is comprised of 11 courses and includes a practicum requirement to ensure that students receive hands-on training in advocacy and community service. Courses in the program are often cross-listed with other departments and include classes like Thinking Class: Inequality in Media; Bodies, Environment, & More; Gender, Sexuality, and Health in America; and Gender & the Law.  Net Price: $16,408

#11 IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS OR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 85.30 Iowa State University is the largest in the state and is located in Ames, IA. The Women and Gender Studies Program at ISU offers both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Gender and Women’s Studies. The typical degree is the BA, but students interested in the BS have to complete an additional 12 credits in the sciences and mathematics beyond the required 34 credits for the major.  Students take required courses, including an internship, as well as electives in four different areas of emphasis including Communication and Cultural Representation; Leadership and Social Justice; and Identities and Sexualities. Potential classes include Gender and Sexuality in American Pop Culture, Ecofeminism, and Gender Issues in Sports.  Net Price: $13,949

#10 AMHERST COLLEGE

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SEXUALITY, WOMEN’S & GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 85.84 The third-oldest institution in the state, Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, MA. The Department of Sexuality, Women’s & Gender Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Sexuality, Women’s & Gender Studies. The program includes nine courses, three of which are required. Students can choose to complete a thesis or develop a portfolio of work from the degree program to be submitted during their senior year.  Classes in the program include Rethinking Pocahontas: An Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies; Gender, Law, and Technology; and On Display: Race and Reproduction in Film and Media. The SWGS department also offers an Honors program for interested and qualified students. There are also ample opportunities for study abroad and for joining organizations committed to SWGS issues either on campus or through the Five Colleges Consortium. Net Price: $19,519

#9 YALE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN’S, GENDER, & SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 85.92 The third-oldest institution of higher learning in the country, Yale University is a private Ivy League research university located in New Haven, CT. The Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Program at YU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. Students cultivate an interpretive lens grounded in sexuality and gender as essential categories for social and political analysis.  Students are required to take 12 courses for the degree which includes courses in methodology and a Junior year Research Seminar. Senior year also includes a research and writing component in the form of a thesis. Electives in the program include Sex and Gender in the Black Diaspora; Theory and Politics of Sexual Consent; and Asian American Women and Gender, 1830 to the Present.  Net Price: $18,053

#8 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES Website Score: 85.98 Located near San Francisco, the University of California, Berkeley is a large public research institution. The Department of Gender and Women’s Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Women’s Studies. The program is focused on providing an interdisciplinary lens with which to scrutinize the formation of gender identity and other identities it intersects with.  The degree consists of ten courses, half of which are electives. There are numerous courses taught by world-class faculty such as Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Global Political Issues; Queer Theories: Activist Practices; and Gender, Race, Nation, and Health. The GWS department also offers a significant number of additional opportunities for students, including internships, apprenticeships, grants, scholarships, an Honors program, and study abroad options. Net Price: $14,760

#7 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER & SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 88.01 Located north of Chicago in Evanston, IL, Northwestern is a mid-sized private research institution. The Program in Gender & Sexuality Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Sexuality Studies. The program draws faculty from over 20 different departments at NU to offer an interdisciplinary engagement with the categories of gender and sexuality.   Eleven courses are required for the major and students take core, theory, research, and elective courses. Some classes in the program include Gender, Politics, and Philosophy; Beyond the Binary: Transgender and Race; and Gender Issues in Science and Health, among many others. Students with an interest in GSS can also join the Undergraduate Advisory Board for the program, as well as eight other campus groups engaging issues in GSS.  Net Price: $26,099

#6 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER STUDIES Website Score: 89.86 The University of California, Los Angeles is a large public research institution and is part of the state’s ten-campus university system. The Department of Gender Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies. The program seeks to give students a transnational perspective regarding social inequalities and to give them the communication and research skills necessary to make a significant contribution to the larger conversation.  The degree consists of 12 courses which include a prerequisite. Classes in the program include History of Women in the US: Rebellious Women of the 20th Century; Women, Gender, and Law: Jurisprudence of Sexual Equality; and Race, Gender and Punishment. Students can also pursue an internship for credit in the program. UCLA also offers an Honors option which allows students to write a thesis on a topic of their choosing.  Net Price: $14,760

#5 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

FORMAL DEGREE TITLE Website Score: 90.34 Vanderbilt University was founded in Nashville, TN by Cornelius Vanderbilt, a wealthy northern industrialist, as an act of pacification after the Civil War. The Women’s and Gender Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies. Though the program is especially attuned to gender as a social construct, there is also a deliberate attempt to draw on other critical identity studies as well, including race, class, and sexuality.  Classes in the program include Transgender Lives in Literature and Film; Gender, Sexuality and the Body; and Women and Humor in the Age of Television. Students who have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.3 GPA in WGS can choose to join the Honors program which leads to a thesis allowing students to delve deeper into the field. The thesis option can be pursued through a variety of different disciplinary avenues adding additional flexibility and interdisciplinarity.  Net Price: $23,295

#4 DUKE UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND FEMINIST STUDIES Website Score: 92.75 Located in Durham, NC, Duke University is a mid-sized private research institution. The Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at DU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies. The program enables students to become aware of the ways in which gender constructs shape their daily lives and influences the larger social forces of the culture.  Students take ten courses, including two required courses, and four courses from a prescribed list. Classes in the program include Interpreting Bodies: Identity and Beyond; Gender, Sexuality and Human Rights; and Gender, Sexuality and the Image. Students can take up to two independent studies where they can focus their research under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The GSFS program also hosts an annual Feminist Theory Workshop through which students are exposed to some of the leading thinkers in the field and are also able to present their own original research.   Net Price: $22,011

#3 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

FORMAL DEGREE TITLE Website Score: 93.65 A private Ivy League research institution, the University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, PA. The Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. The program is designed to be flexible as students take three required courses and an additional nine courses in four different concentrations, can create their own concentration, or don’t have to have a concentration at all. Concentrations include Feminist Studies, Health and Disability, LGBTQ Studies, and Global Gender and Sexuality Studies. The program also requires a capstone experience but students have several choices including an applied project, a thesis, or participation in a graduate-level seminar course.  Net Price: $24,539

#2 HARVARD UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 99.9 The first institution of higher learning in the nation, Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university which was established before the US was even a country. HU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The program is led by some of the most world-renowned scholars and Harvard’s stellar reputation ensures the broader education that students receive will be outstanding. The WGS major is small in size in terms of the student-to-faculty ratio which means each student gets more individualized instruction. The program includes classes like Global Feminism; Beyond the Sound Bite: Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Daily News; and Psychology of the Gendered Body. Students can opt for a thesis should they wish and the program is flexible enough that students can easily double-major.  Net Price: $17,030

#1 STANFORD UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN FEMINIST, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES Website Score: 100 Stanford University is a well-known institution of higher learning located in Stanford, CA, not far from Silicon Valley and San Francisco. SU offers a Bachelor of Arts in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Students build their course of study around their own interests and can also choose to integrate a thesis through the Honors program. The program can also easily be combined with other majors for students interested in pursuing a double major.  Classes in the program include Human Trafficking: Historical, Legal, and Medical Perspectives; Sappho: Erotic Poetess of Lesbos; and Queer Stories, among many others. Students can also take service-learning courses which are regularly offered for Junior and Seniors. The practicum experience can include field research or community service. The FGSS program also sponsors undergraduate prizes for original scholarship and fieldwork.   Net Price: $16,562