Gender and Women’s Studies

Have you always been fascinated by the roles and contributions of women in past and contemporary societies? Are you passionate about changing the everyday realities of millions of women facing various challenges around the world? If you want to learn in an interdisciplinary manner and explore different perspective on such issues as race, sexuality, gender and how they affect women, then pursuing Women’s Studies may be the first step to your future.

Career options in gender and women's studies

This list is not exhaustive but provides an idea of the options graduates have and what they have gone on to do. Some options are more directly associated with a Gender & Women’s Studies degree than others.

  • Activist
  • Advocate
  • Artist
  • Author/Writer
  • Community Worker
  • Consumer Advocate
  • Counsellor
  • Editor
  • Entrepreneur
  • Event Coordinator
  • Family Therapist
  • Foreign Correspondent
  • Fundraiser
  • Gallery Director
  • Government Administrator
  • Health Policy Planner
  • Historian
  • Human Rights Advocate
  • Journalist
  • Labour Relations Specialist
  • Lawyer
  • Legislative Aid
  • Lobbyist
  • Media Correspondent
  • Mediator
  • NGO Director
  • Non-profit Administrator
  • Policy Researcher
  • Politician
  • Public Policy Analyst
  • Speech Writer
  • Women’s Rights Advocate
  • Youth Worker

 

NOTE: Some of these career choices may require additional education or preparation in the form of graduate studies, experiential education, or professional formative courses and exams. For a more in-depth description and overall background of some of the careers mentioned above, refer to Job Bank’s Trend Analysis tool by typing the job title into the search engine.  

 

Additionally, consider visiting the Career Cruising website. To locate the university’s username and password, you must login to Experience York using your Passport York information. It can be found under the “Career Education & Development” drop-down menu on the left then under “Career Development Tools”. 

Skills Developed through a gender and women's studies Degree

A background in Gender & Women’s Studies ensures that you develop the skills and mindset to tackle many different professional challenges.

Core Skills

  • An appreciation for what obstacles women and other marginalized groups have overcome throughout modern and ancient history and the significant impact they have had on the development of contemporary realities
  • An understanding of how questions of gender, race, sexuality, and other intersections of difference have shaped and continue to shape our society and our understanding of our history and our identity
  • A critical analysis of gender and sexuality as linked to settler colonial and capitalist relations
  • An ability to approach questions of gender and sexuality from a local and transnational perspective
  • An ability to use the interdisciplinary nature of your degree to solve professional and personal challenges

Communication, Data Gathering and Organizational Skills

  • The ability to present your thoughts clearly and intelligently in written statements and written opinion pieces
  • Deduction of information from various sources and the ability to concentrate on relevant resources
  • The capacity to critically analyze problems, think creatively and make sound decisions while considering different sides of an argument
  • The ability to explain complex ideas clearly to others and to apply complex theoretical concepts to everyday practice and professional dilemmas
  • The skills to collect various types of information, assess them, analyze and incorporate potential linkages from different fields, put them into writing and efficiently convey your message and the goal of your work

Management and Teamwork

  • The ability to interpret and analyze information presented by peers and efficiently and constructively support or challenge their proposals, theories, ideas and reports in order to achieve a project’s intended and successful end result
  • The capacity to lead and interact with a variety of people with different approaches and personal and professional backgrounds
  • Skills enabling you to work effectively in group situations, partaking in decision-making, leading and contributing in various capacities to the ultimate success of the team and task
  • The ability to debate, persuade, mediate and present your thoughts and opinions to others, as well as the capacity to recognize and incorporate other potential solutions or applications to given problems

Professional Associations and Organizations

Knowing the industry and how to excel in it after receiving a degree are key elements of future success. University study sets up the building blocks you will need to develop and enhance your understanding and knowledge in your career. Being part of a professional organisation or network and gaining further insight through training are excellent ways of increasing your knowledge of the field.