Women's Studies

Women's Studies has a long history at Lesley University, which began as an institution dedicated to education for women. Lesley is committed to feminist pedagogy, and to approaching disciplines and exploring themes from the perspective of gender. The Lesley faculty includes a wide range of feminist scholars across the disciplines, committed to feminist theory, practice, and advocacy. The essence of many programs is a model of adult education incorporating gender as an important component, along with race, class, and other aspects of personal and cultural identity. Lesley's already gender-rich environment provides a strong incentive for drawing together the resources, courses, and faculty to create a strong women's studies community that more fully integrates related academic, social, and co-curricular aspects of the Lesley experience.

Undergraduate students may incorporate a minor in women's studies in their degree plans, and opportunities for self-designed degrees have led graduate students to pursue Independent Study Degrees and Interdisciplinary Studies master's degrees with a specialization in Women's Studies

Undergraduate Program

The Women's Studies minor introduces students to the study of women and their experiences from an interdisciplinary, critical, women-centered perspective. Theoretical developments in feminist scholarship and methodology are addressed and the relevance of theory for feminist activism is investigated. Students must choose courses from at least two disciplines.

Graduate Program

The Women's Studies Specialization is an option for students entering the Interdisciplinary Studies Master's Program at Lesley University. Students draw upon Lesley's well-known programs in counseling psychology, creative arts, expressive therapies, adult learning, intercultural relations, environmental studies, and liberal arts. Students experience an interdisciplinary approach, student-centered pedagogy and a commitment experiential learning.