What can I do with this degree?

We know what employers want!

We have a unique approach that combines: skills training for the nonprofit sector (United Nations, nongovernmental organizations, grassroots organizations) + collaborative research and advocacy with faculty + building an intellectually curious community.

Wondering what you can do with a degree in Women's and Gender Studies (WGS)?

1. You can learn how to go from being a bystander to someone who creates justice in the world
2. You can learn the skill-set and knowledge to build on the successes of the #MeToo movement, March For Our Lives, and other movements to end violence and oppression (which is why we have competitive mini-grants to fund your independent research projects!);
3. You can learn how feminist knowledge is relevant to everything, especially for you to understand your purpose, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to advocate for your dreams and goals.
4. You learn to be/do what employers are seeking, which includes: specialists/consultants in the major social issues that get in the way of an organization’s mission; problem-solving; specialists/consultants in the experiences of marginalized communities; adapt to changes in the world and within organizations; the ability to explain difficult concepts persuasively to others.

Wondering What You can Do with a degree in Peace and Justice Studies (PJS)?

1. You will be actively engaged in addressing harm and preventing violence and can pursue careers in non-profits, humanitarian and international aid work, international law, negotiation, diplomacy, meditation, community organizing, poverty reduction, restorative justice, and many more fields
2. You can engage in advocacy-based careers in New York City, as we are currently the only university in the city offering a major in Peace and Justice Studies and one of the largest programs in the country

In sum, there are many ways you can utilize a WGS degree and/or a PJS degree after graduation. Some of our majors have received Fulbright awards to study injustice in different regions and countries around the world; participated in policymaking and decisions in agencies that work on women’s, queer, trans, and marginalized communities’ rights; and brought a social justice perspective to their work, helping to drive important changes in organizational practices and policies.

Internships and Careers

We have a working relationship with a variety of humanitarian organizations and non-profits that advocate on rights issues for women, girls, LGBTQ communities, and marginalized communities around the world. We regularly organize events that focus on careers in the nonprofit sector for students, inviting our alumnae/i who are pursuing purpose-driven careers in advocacy, cultural, or social justice organizations to come back to campus to talk to our current students.

We have partnered with the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and the National Organization for Women to create workshops and events for our students. Students have also completed internships at organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, Pride for Youth, Lesbian Herstory Archives, and World Council of Churches and are flourishing in graduate school and/or their chosen careers, fondly remembering their experiences with civic engagement, community activism, travel, and independent research with our faculty.

Students also participated in the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning work of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons!

Student life

As a student, you will be welcomed into a department with outstanding faculty who are invested in your success. You will take a sequence of classes so that you are well versed in different concepts and theories, learn how to conduct research that can influence policies, and receive the opportunity to design your own senior capstone project. By the time you graduate, you will join a new generation of leaders, visionaries, and thinkers who will address our world's problems.