Women's and Gender Studies Program Objectives

To be open, inclusive and welcoming of all members of the Oakton community.

To incorporate inter- and cross-disciplinary approaches to teaching and learning.

To examine oppressions related to gender and sexuality experienced by people in multicultural, transnational, and global contexts.

To highlight the often overlooked contributions of women to diverse histories and women's struggles for political and human rights.

To celebrate the transformative impact of Women's and Gender Studies on humanities disciplines as well as the social and natural sciences.

To draw on feminist principles integral to cooperative methods of teaching, learning, curriculum development, and research.

To foster critical thinking that examines the complex intersections between gender and other identity categories such as sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, age, and ability.

To meet a wide range of student needs and interests, including seeking personal enrichment, satisfying general education requirements, attaining a WGS Certificate, or preparing to transfer as a WGS major.

To fulfill the unique mission of the community college through programming that supports the WGS curriculum and promotes active engagement with our multiple communities.