What can you do with a Women and Gender Studies Major?

Students who earn undergraduate degrees in Women and Gender Studies (WGS) pursue diverse employment and educational goals after graduation. Our majors and minors have become juvenile probation officers, professors of criminal justice, development managers for non-profit organizations, direct service workers at domestic violence/abuse shelters, directors of admissions and marketing, human resource managers, counselors/therapists, supervisors in a range of industries, contract attorneys, and counsels for private firms. As you can see, the options and opportunities are as limitless as your imagination and drive!

The WGS program provides students with all the benefits of a liberal arts degree. A liberal arts education emphasizes: critical, independent, and mature thinking, demonstrating to potential employers that you have the confidence, skills, intelligence, and maturity to make excellent decisions; that you are well-rounded, having studied a wide variety of topics rather than one narrow skill area; and that you are able to think more globally than many other job applicants. Managers often prefer liberal arts majors because they are better at organizing material, writing well, and making oral presentations.  Moreover, a WGS major equips you with significant practical advantages. For example, as more women work and the workplace becomes more diverse, business and corporations find the need for more knowledge of, and sensitivity to, issues of diversity, such as sexual harassment, issues of race, flex-time and parental leave, pay equity, and equal employment opportunities.  The development of women's agencies and organizations is spurring demand for graduates with specializations in WGS studies. There is a growing demand in the professions of law, medicine, social work, teaching, counseling, and government service for expertise on gender and diversity issues. Similarly, gender specialists are increasingly being used as consultants in industry, higher education, insurance companies, and personnel firms. Pursue your passion and take advantage of this special positioning in the marketplace!