Department of Women's & Gender StudiesHistory
Building on our History
The Women's and Gender Studies department at Old Dominion University, established in 1977, was the first such program in Virginia, and in 1995 became the first state-assisted school in the Commonwealth to offer a major as well as a minor in Women's and Gender Studies. The department has been notable for its faculty and curriculum development and for its emphasis on the intersections of gender with race, class, nation and sexuality.
At ODU, we draw from 40 years of women's political activism, support, and feminist education with our aligned tripod support through the Women & Gender Equity Center and the Women's Caucus. Through this distinct and long-standing feminist framework, students, faculty, and community members draw profound ties of connection and support across a range of academic, personal, professional, and political pursuits.
1977
Established in 1977
Women's Studies was the first such program in VA.
1995
Major & Minors Offered
ODU became the first state-assisted school in the Commonwealth to offer a major and minor in women's studies.
2017
40 Years of WGSS at ODU
Today, Women's and Gender Studies has been notable for its faculty, community-based research, and curriculum.
