Gender and Social Justice

Advocate for gender equality, social justice, and positive change

Explore the ways society is shaped by gender. Be an advocate for equity, justice, and positive change. Learn the important role gender and sex play in all aspects of life. Over the course of your degree, you’ll develop a deep expertise in issues of gender, diversity, equality, and social justice.

You’ll be joining a highly-engaged group of students who are active members of their student society, department, and university as well as the student-led Women’s Centre, The Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, and the surrounding community. You'll also have the opportunity to gain work experience through co-op.

International exchanges in 25 countries

briefcase Available as a co-op and regular program

Available as a major and minor

Admissions

Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Gender and Social Justice as your major at the end of first year.

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Contact an Arts student ambassador to learn about their experience.

Ask them questions such as why they chose their program, what the classes are like, and how you can get involved on campus.

First-year courses and beyond

September to December

GSJ 101 - Introduction to Gender and Social Justice: the Global North
Arts First requirement 1*
Three additional courses

January to April

Choose two from:
- GSJ 102 - Introduction to Gender and Social Justice: the Global South
- GSJ 201 - Gender and Social Justice in Popular Culture
- GSJ 207 - Entrepreneurship, Gender and Social Justice
Arts First requirement 2*
Two additional courses

*The Arts First requirement consists of two first-year courses that are capped at 25 students: ARTS 130 - Inquiry and Communication and ARTS 140 - Information and Analysis. Instead of listening to a lecture and trying to capture notes, Arts First courses will have you and your classmates working together to respond to a challenge posed by the instructor.

After first year

40% of the classes you’ll take will be Gender and Social Justice courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

Sample upper-year courses

GSJ 262 - Global Queer Cinema
GSJ 307 - Race and Resistance
GSJ 347 - Witches, Wives, and Whore
GSJ 430 - Literary Women in Early Modern Hispanic Culture

Customize your degree

You can add additional areas of expertise by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students.

Co-op = relevant paid work experience

By taking what you learn about gender studies and social justice in class and combining it with paid work experience through our co-op program, you'll gain relevant work experience and be able to explore new career areas and types of employers as your interests evolve.

Sample co-op job titles

Digital marketing intern
Teaching assistant
Customer success lead

Sample co-op employers

Taplytics
Closing Folders Inc.
University of Waterloo

What can you do with a degree in gender studies and social justice?

Upon graduating, you'll be primed for a career in law, social policy planning, community action, counselling, teaching, human rights, or many other fields. Or take your studies further and pursue a master's program in a variety of areas.