What a WGST major prepares you to do

As an interdisciplinary degree program, Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies prepares its students for a wide range of career opportunities in numerous fields. Allowing students to select courses from a variety of disciplines in the arts and sciences, including history, biology, political science, philosophy, and English, WGST majors are offered a rich environment within which to develop skills in critical thinking and communication that are required by employers and post-graduate schools.

The WGST major requires students to read, write and think critically about such issues as domestic violence, gender and the media, gender and health care, employment discrimination, gender/race and poverty, among others.

In short, the WGST major prepares students to be citizens of the world: equipped to think critically about the major issues of the day; able to perform well in a multitude of jobs requiring skills in reading, writing, and oral communication; and prepared to go on to graduate or professional training in a chosen field.

Many career opportunities exist for people with an understanding of women's, gender, and sexuality issues. There is growing demand in the professions of business, law, medicine, public administration, social work, teaching, counseling, and government service for expertise on gender issues.

Business: Businesses and corporations are increasingly addressing issues such as workplace conduct, flexible scheduling, parental leave, pay equity, and equal employment opportunities. A degree in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies equips professionals with skills to understand how interpersonal dynamics influence the business environment, interpret relevant legislation, and explore diverse leadership and management styles. Graduates often work as consultants in industries such as higher education, insurance, and human resources.

Education: A degree in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies prepares professionals to recognize barriers that limit students' opportunities, design inclusive teaching models, and develop curriculum strategies that reflect diverse perspectives. Graduates find careers as educators, counselors, librarians, program directors, and university leaders.

Media and the Arts: Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies provides tools to analyze how societal structures have influenced media and artistic production, fostering an understanding of these influences on issues related to gender and sexuality. Graduates pursue careers in arts administration, writing, editing, reporting, film and video production, marketing, and museum studies.

Politics and Law: This degree prepares professionals to examine the historical exclusion of women from political processes, analyze contemporary efforts toward political empowerment, and engage with public policy issues. Graduates work as attorneys, lobbyists, public policy advisors, and advocates in fields such as environmental justice, public interest, immigration, and human rights.

Nonprofit and Government Service: Many nonprofit and government organizations address issues such as equitable access to health services, family support, and empowering underserved communities. Graduates of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies programs contribute to policy-making, advocacy, and service roles that promote human rights and equity.

Social Work and Psychology: A degree in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies provides insights into the challenges clients face, such as relationship dynamics, self-esteem, and societal pressures, while connecting personal experiences to broader social structures. Graduates pursue careers in social work, counseling, and clinical psychology.

Medicine and Health Care: Majoring in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies equips professionals in these fields with tools to critically examine research methods and treatment practices, while also gaining insight into the specific concerns often experienced by clients. Graduates of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies programs find employment as doctors, nurses, health service supervisors, health educators, health counselors, and in roles within women's health care.

Advanced Degrees:Majoring in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies provides students with an excellent foundation for pursuing advanced degrees such as an MD, JD, MSW, or PhD, as well as degrees in fields like Nursing, Divinity, Education, Economics, International Relations, Business Administration, and Library Science.

Students who have graduated with degrees in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies nationwide report a variety of post-graduation occupations. The following list was compiled based on an article by Amber E. Kinser ("What Can You DO with a Women's Studies Major?"), published in Women's Studies Program Administrator's Handbook, by the National Women's Studies Association (2006). Below are some of the occuptions listed in Kinser's article:

Politics/Law/Policy

Democratic Counsel to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Staff attorney, Battered Women's Justice Project
Legal Assistant
Paralegal
Policy Analyst

Education

Fourth grade teacher

Social Services/Human Rights

Director of HIV Services at a community healthcare center
Director of a women's center
Director of a city's Housing and Neighborhood Development office
Program Director for a non-profit organization
Assistant director of a university alumni association
Battered Women's Center Administrator
Development Director at a non-profit environmental organization
Homeless Shelter Coordinator
Community Educator & Trainer for Abused Women's Advocacy
Counselor for Domestic Violence Shelter
Crisis Advocate, Harriet Tubman Center
Advocacy for Women & Children
AIDS Project worker
Social Worker

Media/Arts

Assistant features editor at Elle
Arts fundraising
Author
Graphic Designer
Journalist

Medical fields

Medical Clinic Administrator
Mental Health professional

Business/Technology

Business Systems Analyst
Small business owner
Vice President of an Interactive Media Services company
Web design and web development
Computer Information Systems Specialist

Many students graduating with undergraduate degrees in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies also choose to go on to graduate or professional training (as the job list indicates). Graduates of the UofL Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department have gone on to law school, medical school, and graduate studies in both the humanities and social sciences.