Undergraduate Programs
Our Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Delaware offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary undergraduate program designed to explore the complexities of gender and its intersections with other social categories such as race, class, sexuality, and nationality. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Women and Gender Studies, with options to earn an Honors Degree or complete concentrations in Domestic Violence Prevention and Services or Women in Global Perspective. Additionally, the department offers minors in Domestic Violence Prevention and Services (DVPS), Women and Religion and Sexualities and Gender Studies (SGST).
The curriculum includes diverse topics from history, sociology, political science, and the arts, emphasizing critical thinking, writing, and collaborative learning. Practical experience is integrated through internships, and students receive personalized advisement to align their studies with career goals. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in advocacy, policy development, education, and more, as well as for advanced studies in fields such as law, social work, and human resources management.
Our undergraduate program
The Women & Gender Studies Department offers the Domestic Violence Prevention & Services (DVSP) Concentration for students in the major and a DVSP minor. Both programs prepare students for a range of careers focused on domestic violence advocacy and prevention. The only one of its kind available to undergraduates in the United States, the DVPS program trains students to become advocates for domestic violence survivors. The DVPS concentration combines coursework with practical experience by partnering with local domestic violence service agencies to offer concentration students the opportunity to serve victims and survivors of domestic violence as they participate in a 10-week summer practicum. Developed in conjunction with the certification and training curriculum of the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the course work for the program is interdisciplinary in nature and includes women & gender studies, sociology, criminal justice, and human development and family studies.
Launched in 2011, our Domestic Violence Prevention & Services Program, created with a $187,000 3-year grant from the Verizon Foundation, is the only undergraduate program of its kind available in the United States.
Women's Studies at the University of Delaware has a rich heritage of teaching in the area of gender violence. One of the earliest courses we developed in the 1970's addressed the psychological effects of domestic violence. UD has continued to sponsor a broad range of courses on various aspects of the subject from criminological, sociological, human services, literary, historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our faculty includes nationally recognized scholars of gender violence.
This project has national significance as our students graduate and seek jobs, and disseminate their knowledge to service providers and domestic violence survivors across the country. Students graduate prepared to work in the field of violence against women, to train others and to offer valuable information and resources to domestic violence survivors.
This program brings together knowledge of best practices from our faculty, the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, regional community service providers, state agencies and the generous support of the Verizon Foundation to combat the problem of violence against women. We are therefore positioned to become a national leader in scholarship and training in the field.
Honors Degree
With the honors degree curriculum, students can engage deeply in the knowledge base and tailor their program to best match their interests and needs. Students can develop close relationships with their peers and faculty through courses with small class sizes and projects with faculty. To learn more, visit UD’s Honors College website.
Visit the UD Catalog for more information about University and College of Arts and Science degree requirements.
4+1 Program
Currently enrolled undergraduate students at UD who are pursuing a degree in women & gender studies may be eligible to apply for a 4+1 bachelor’s and master’s degree program.
This option allows students to earn a graduate degree within five years. Applicants must declare their interest at the beginning of their junior year to successfully coordinate the coursework and thesis requirements.
Additional resources and opportunities
