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Chrys Hudson, GayWired Montclair State University announced today that it is establishing an undergraduate minor in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Studies. With the move, Montclair State joins a small but growing number of colleges and universities in the U.S. that have developed formal academic programs around this subject. According to a release that accompanied the announcement, the minor in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (GLBTQ) Studies expands upon existing coursework relating to gender and sexuality and explores how these issues shape laws, customs and institutions in areas such as marriage, family and health; adoption, immigration and taxation; employee management and business practices; education policy; human rights policy and interpersonal relations. By establishing the GLBTQ minor, students can more readily access and analyze the growing body of information and research relating to sexuality and gender, and synthesize it with their major fields of academic inquiry. "The GLBTQ minor represents a unique opportunity for students to expand their academic and personal horizons," said Sally McWilliams, director of the University's Women's Studies Program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, where the GLBTQ minor will reside. "It can enhance a student's major course of study and better prepare them for careers in business, education, law, health, social work, community service and other fields where they may work with diverse populations." Students earn the 18-credit GLBTQ minor by taking approved electives across a range of academic disciplines including sociology, psychology, women's studies, humanities, health and law. A new, required class for the minor, "Introduction to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Studies," was also created, and will be taught for the first time this spring. There are approximately 30 colleges and universities nationwide offering a GLBTQ minor. Several others offer concentrations or optional tracks within their Women's, Gender and Sexualities studies programs. In addition to the development of the GLBTQ Studies course offerings, Raul Galoppe, GLBTQ studies program coordinator at Montclair State, is planning lectures and events connected with the new minor. More information can be accessed by visiting the University's Women's Studies Program online. Source: Montclair State Press Release
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Originally published on Thursday November 8, 2007.