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What can I do with a major in gender and women's studies?
SUNY Oswego - Career Services
- Career Communities
- Major And Career Exploration
- Resumes and Cover Letters
- Networking, Personal Branding and LinkedIn
- Job and Internship Searching
- Graduate School
- Online Career Tools
- Affinity Group Resources
- Compensation Negotiation
- Events
- Graduate Outcomes
- Information for
- Resource Center
- Connect with us
View videos of professionals describing a day on the job
Join a student organization today
Greek Local Women's Association Her Campus Oswego Vega: Junior and Senior Women's Honor Society Women's Center Women in Business Women in Computing at Oswego Women in STEMGet involved in a professional organization
National Women's Studies Association The American Association of University Women Feminist Majority Foundation National Organization for WomenSearch for opportunities
Companies:
Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
NYPD Legal Bureau
New York Civil Liberties Union
Titles:
Community Affairs Coordinator
SAF House Sexual Assault Advocate
Drug Counselor
Search for employers hiring graduates in your major
Employers in NY (Public Policy): 5,075
Employers in US (Public Policy): 85,399
Employers in NY (Social Work): 21,869
Employers in US (Social Work): 367,466
Employers in NY (Human Development): 9,924
Employers in US (Human Development): 163,184
Other useful links
Women's Studies Majors GuideExplore the numerous career fields related to your major
Areas
Training and Development
Human Resources
Management
Marketing
Advertising
Public Relations
Sales
Consulting
Employers
Public and private corporations, particularly:
- Women's divisions
- Female focused industries
Consulting firms
Marketing companies
Public relations agencies
Organizations for research on and advancement of women in business (i.e., Catalyst)
Sample occupations
Obtain a minor in business or take some general business courses.
Earn a graduate degree in an area of interest.
Gain experience through internships or other employment.
Become current with business and industry literature and news.
Develop strong computer skills.
Gain leadership experience through campus involvement or volunteer work.
When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring "any major."
Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership and teamwork, etc.
Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level positions.
Areas
Medicine Specializing in Women's Issues:
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Breast Cancer
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Fertility
Nursing
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Dentistry
Employers
Healthcare settings exclusively for women
Organizations devoted to women's health including:
- National Women's Health Organization
- CDC Women's Health Department
Hospitals
Clinics
Private or group practice
Health networks
Wellness centers
Nursing homes
Mental health institutions
Federal, state, or local health departments
Centers for reproductive health
Planned Parenthood
Sample occupations
Maintain a high grade point average needed for graduate school and professional programs.
Take prerequisite courses required by professional program, or obtain a related double major or minor.
Meet with a pre-health advisor periodically to discuss curricular decisions.
Prepare for and take appropriate admissions tests.
Obtain summer jobs, volunteer positions, or internships to test field of interest and gain experience.
Talk to professionals in your field of interest and arrange shadowing opportunities.
Areas
Counseling
Psychotherapy
Mental Health Services
Case Management
Programming
Community Relations
Administration
Employers
Private and group practice
Mental health institutions
Hospitals and clinics
Federal, state, or local government, including:
- Department of Human Services
- Veterans Administration
Women's service organizations, e.g. Girlscouts, Women for Women, AWARE, About-Face, etc.
Organizations for women's aid, e.g. rape crisis, abortion clinics, eating disorder treatment centers, battered women's shelters, adoption agencies,etc.
Sample occupations
Obtain essential practical experience through part time or summer jobs and internships.
Volunteer with organizations for women's aid such as crisis hotlines, Big Sisters, women's resource centers, etc.
Learn to work well with different types of people and gain experience working with diverse clientele.
Acquire knowledge of government and community resources available for those in need.
Obtain a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, or social work for substantive counseling work and advancement into administrative work.
Research and pursue specific degrees of interest at the graduate level, including marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, social work, counseling psychology, etc.
Areas
Teaching
School Counseling
Student Affairs
Administration
Research
Information/Library Science
Community Education
Employers
Universities and colleges (Women's Studies departments)
Women's resource centers
Non-profit organizations
Government programs, e.g. classes for displaced homemakers, parenting, etc.
Libraries (for Women's Studies departments, women's organizations, museums, etc.)
Sample occupations
Earn a Ph.D. to teach and research in the field of Women's Studies at four-year institutions. Master's or Ph.D. is required to teach at two-year colleges.
Obtain a master's degree in library/information science or student affairs if interested in those areas.
Join related professional associations as a student member.
Gain experience through volunteer work or internships.
Get involved in leadership roles on campus such as peer mentor, resident advisor, or orientation leader.
Develop strong communication and public speaking skills.
Areas
Journalism
Creative Writing
Freelance Writing
Copy Writing
Employers
Newspapers
Magazines
Broadcast media companies including television and movie industry
Trade, professional, or consumer publications
Internet sites
Advertising agencies
Publishing houses
Large corporations
Self-employment
Sample occupations
Pair an interest in Women's Studies with communication skills to write about women, write on topics of interest to women, or for publications targeting a female audience.
Obtain a minor in English or journalism or take some general writing-focused classes.
Write for campus publications such as college newspapers, magazines, or department/program newsletters.
Volunteer to assist or tutor students in a writing center.
Create a portfolio of writing samples, especially those that have been published.
Seek opportunities for recognition and networking through writing contests and freelance writing submissions.
Become familiar with the proposal and submission process involved in freelance writing.
Areas
Law
- Corporate Practice
- Public Interest Law
- Civil Law (family, discrimination, sexual harassment, etc.)
Lobbying
Government Relations
Elected or Appointed Leadership
Public Policy
Research
Intelligence
Campaign Management
Special Interest Advocacy
Program Administration
Employers
Law firms
Corporate legal departments
Public defenders offices
District attorneys
Government agencies
Public interest groups
Legal aid
Sole practitioner
Lobbying groups
Sample occupations
Supplement curriculum with relevant courses.
Maintain a high grade point average.
Prepare for and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Participate in activities that develop strong debate and public speaking skills; participate in mock trial.
Obtain the J.D. for law positions or an advanced degree in political science or public administration for government positions.
Gain relevant experience through jobs or internships with law firms or government agencies.
General information and strategies
- Women's Studies provides a broad, liberal arts background that helps build skills in critical thinking and problem solving, data collection and analysis, oral, written and presentation skills, and co-operative teamwork skills.
- Women's studies also provides in-depth knowledge of the conditions of women in various cultures and societies, gender dynamics, strategies and organizational skills needed to address gender inequalities, women's struggles, achievements, and contributions in past and present societies and across cultures, the courses and consequences of women's subordination, gender-based assumptions and biases and their consequences, social change agents, and sensitivity to social concerns and other view points.
- Some students may choose to study Women's Studies because they enjoy the subject but wish to pursue careers requiring "any major." In this scenario, it is critical to develop desirable skills through internships, part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer experiences.
- Women's Studies majors are excellent candidates for a number of graduate school options because of their broad liberal arts background as well as specific interests that may set them apart from other students.
- Volunteer with organizations for women's aid such as crisis hotlines, Big Sisters, women's resource centers, etc.
- Learn to work well with different types of people and gain experience working with diverse clientele.
- Earn a Ph.D. to teach and research in the field of Women's Studies at four-year institutions. Master's or Ph.D. is required to teach at two-year colleges.
- Pair an interest in Women's Studies with communication skills to write about women, write on topics of interest to women, or for publications targeting a female audience.