Academics and Programs

What Can You Do with a Women's and Gender Studies Degree?

Posted
September 9, 2026
Two women sit at a table, studying

At Pace University's Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, earning a bachelor’s degree in Women's and Gender Studies gives you the tools to understand complex social issues, examine how identity and systems shape people's lives, and turn that knowledge into meaningful action. You'll build skills in critical thinking, communication, research, advocacy, and policy analysis while gaining hands-on experience in New York City and beyond. Whether you're interested in law, public policy, nonprofit work, communications, social impact, or adding a second major that strengthens your primary field of study, the program can help you connect your interests to a wide range of academic and career paths.

Have questions about where a Women's and Gender Studies degree can take you? Explore career paths, skills, experiential learning opportunities, graduate school preparation, and what it's like to study the field at Pace University.

Key Takeaways

  • A Women's and Gender Studies degree builds transferable skills in critical thinking, research, communication, and policy analysis, preparing graduates for careers in law, policy, and nonprofit work.
  • Pace holds special consultative status at the United Nations (UN), one of only 10 universities nationwide, giving students direct UN and NGO exposure from year one.
  • Women's and Gender Studies pairs easily with majors like economics, criminal justice, and political science for a flexible double major.
  • Pace alumni have built careers as policy advisors, nonprofit founders, DEI program managers, and consultants on LGBTQ+ issues.

Is a Women's and Gender Studies Degree Worth It?

A Women's and Gender Studies degree can prepare you for a wide range of careers by developing highly transferable skills in communication, critical thinking, research, problem-solving, leadership, and the analysis of complex social issues. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for graduates with degrees in cultural and gender studies is comparable to that of bachelor's degree holders overall.

Women's and Gender Studies can also be especially valuable as a second or double major, allowing students to apply their perspectives and skills to another field of study. A criminal justice student, for example, might examine gender-based violence and the experiences of survivors, while an economics student might study the gender pay gap or the ways economic policies affect different communities.

Since the field covers topics such as equity, disability, intersectionality, public policy, culture, and social change, a Women's and Gender Studies degree can complement careers in a wide variety of fields. These include law, public policy, education, communications, nonprofit, business, advocacy, and social services. At Pace, the interdisciplinary nature of the program gives students the flexibility to connect these skills and perspectives with their broader academic and career goals.

What Careers Can You Pursue with a Women's and Gender Studies Degree?

Many graduates pursue careers in the social impact sector, which aims to create systemic and sustainable change to meet societal and environmental needs. Career opportunities for those who graduate with a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies include:

  • Community education program developer or manager
  • Policy analyst in schools, hospitals, foundations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations
  • Social and community service manager
  • Gender equality advocate
  • Social policy analyst
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion program coordinator
  • Community outreach specialist
  • Nonprofit program manager

What Jobs Have Pace University Alumni with a Women's and Gender Studies Degree Held?

  • Consultants specializing in LGBTQ+ issues
  • Leaders of transgender rights nonprofits
  • Advisors to political candidates and elected officials
  • Nonprofit and small-business founders and CEOs
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion program managers
  • Professionals working in corporate social responsibility and law
  • Data analysts
  • Psychologists, therapists, and mental health social workers

What Skills Do Women's and Gender Studies Majors Develop?

As a Women’s and Gender Studies major, you’ll develop a wide-ranging set of transferable skills that can prepare you for careers and graduate-level programs, including:

  • Storytelling. Learn how to frame and communicate people’s experiences to advocate for and lead social and political change.
  • Equitable systems design. Learn to look beyond surface-level change and consider how transparency, feedback, governance, and policy can create more equitable institutions.
  • Grant writing and fundraising. Build foundational program-development skills that are valuable in nonprofits, philanthropy, advocacy, and community organizations.
  • Intersectional analysis. Learn to examine how factors such as gender, race, class, sexuality, and disability intersect when addressing inequity, discrimination, violence, and access.
  • Critical thinking and communication. Strengthen your active listening, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, which are valuable across industries and professions.

Can Women's and Gender Studies Prepare Me for Law School?

Women’s and Gender Studies can provide strong preparation for law school by developing skills in analytical reading, research, writing, legal and policy analysis, and examining complex issues from multiple perspectives.

Pace graduates have gone on to law school and report that their Women’s and Gender Studies coursework helped prepare them to analyze laws and policies, understand their impact on different communities, and apply concepts such as intersectionality to their work. These perspectives can be especially valuable for students interested in areas such as civil rights, public interest law, social justice, and corporate social responsibility.

What Majors Pair Well with Women's and Gender Studies?

Women's and Gender Studies pairs well with a wide range of majors, thanks to its flexible, interdisciplinary skill set. Common options include:

  • Communication and Media Studies
  • Criminal Justice
  • Economics
  • English
  • Peace and Justice Studies
  • Philosophy/Religious Studies
  • Political Science
  • Sociology/Anthropology

Does Women's and Gender Studies Examine Race, Class, Sexuality, and Identity?

Women’s and Gender Studies examines how race, class, sexuality, gender, and other aspects of identity intersect and shape people’s experiences. Students explore these connections to better understand social issues, systems, and inequalities and to consider approaches that can create meaningful change. Examples of some courses you can take that center on these conversations include:

  • Global Activism and Transnational Feminist Theories
  • Understanding Community and Diversity: Queer Cultures
  • Economics of Gender, Race and Class
  • Inclusive Sex Education and Reproductive Health in the Nonprofit Sector
  • Topic: Black Sexualities and Creative Resistance

Explore more courses you can take as part of a Women’s and Gender Studies degree

What Experiential Learning Opportunities are Available in Women's and Gender Studies?

Through Pace’s Women’s and Gender Studies program, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a variety of experiential learning opportunities, including:

  • Special consultative status at the United Nations. As one of 10 universities in the country with this status, students can gain insight into what working in the UN and consultative NGOs is like starting on day one of their college journey.
  • Collaborative research with faculty and other students.
  • Community partnerships with local, national, and international organizations including opportunities to develop modules and teach courses to community members.
  • Access to a Makerspace and collaboration with the Pace Zine Library to create unique zines and creative portfolios.
  • Funding for independent research and seed grants through the Jenny Loi scholarship, particularly for students interested in STEM.

Why Study Women's and Gender Studies in New York City?

When you study Women’s and Gender Studies in New York City, you can explore gender, sexuality, identity, social justice, and public policy in one of the world’s most diverse cities.

At Pace University, you can connect what you learn in the classroom with hands-on experiences, civic engagement, advocacy, and global organizations throughout the city.

You’ll also join a university with a strong history of LGBTQA+ advocacy and community. Pace’s LGBTQA+ Center was established with support from the Women’s and Gender Studies department, continuing a legacy that includes program co-founder Karla Jay, a pioneering LGBTQA+ activist who participated in the Stonewall uprising and helped found national LGBTQA+ organizations.

Through Pace’s emphasis on experiential learning and civic engagement, you’ll have opportunities to examine lived experiences, analyze complex social issues, and develop approaches to creating meaningful change.

One of Pace’s most distinctive opportunities is its special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which can give you insight into the work of the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations. With the UN and countless advocacy, nonprofit, cultural, legal, and public-service organizations nearby, New York City becomes an extension of the classroom.

Ready to Explore Women's and Gender Studies at Pace?

Discover how a Women’s and Gender Studies degree from Pace University’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences can help you turn your interests into meaningful academic, professional, and real-world experiences. Explore the program, review the curriculum, and take the next step toward studying in New York City.