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Women’s and Gender Studies, BA

Location
  • New York City
Associated College
Dyson College of Arts and Sciences
Other Study Options
Women’s and Gender Studies (Minor)
Nonprofit Studies (Minor)
Queer Studies (Minor)

Learn and Think Critically

A bachelor of arts in women’s and gender studies gives you the critical thinking skills and experiences to identify oppressive systems and to create forms of social justice. Take a unique constellation of classes that use categories of analysis, including gender, race, ability, sexuality, class, among others, to build a specialized portfolio of experiential learning in and with communities and independent research and policy projects. Our students go on to prestigious fellowships, career opportunities, and graduate school, creating a positive impact throughout the world.

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See the World Anew

  • Learn concepts and strategies that will change how you see the world and help you commit to creating positive change.
  • Learn how to conduct research and gain skills that can influence policy-making.
  • Receive the opportunity to design your own senior capstone project.

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Add Opportunities and Experiences

As a student, you will be welcomed into a department with outstanding faculty who are invested in your success. By the time you graduate, you will join a new generation of leaders, visionaries, and thinkers who will address our world's problems.

  • Gain a working relationship with a variety of nonprofits that advocate for women’s and girls’ rights and issues facing LGBTQA+ and marginalized communities.
  • Network with the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Doctors Without Borders, and the National Organization for Women.
  • Easily create a double major with: psychology, English, political science, history, peace and justice studies, sociology/anthropology, economics, and more.
  • Gain career-ready skills that will set you apart.
  • Work on independent projects and conduct research with faculty. Recent examples include:
    • Sydney Tisch and Natalia Villarreal’s work with Professor Nayak on feminist activism published in International Feminist Journal of Politics
    • Duke Huang’s work with Professor Bent on girls’ activism in climate justice
    • Devyn Cain, "Best Practices for Gender Inclusive Housing: Filling in the Gaps"
    • Eliana Colletti, "The Malleable Latina: The Construction of Hispanic Women in Hollywood"
    • Sydney Korman, "If Not Now, When? American-Jewish Activist-Identities in Anti-occupation Organizing"
    • Sadie Ronga-Rubin, "I Want to Tell You My Story": An Exploration on the Power of Creating Personal Expression after Sexual Trauma for Transgender Survivors"
    • Natalia Villarreal, "Woman, Power, and Resistance: A Critical History"

Getting Involved

  • Human Rights Advocacy Badge:
    A credit-bearing sequence of three classes (WS 115C Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies; WS 297F Geographies of Girlhood; WS 297X Gender and Human Rights) that provide an experiential practicum for students to learn first-hand how youth activists advance human rights priorities with world leaders at two key global events at the United Nations: International Day of the Girl and the Commission on the Status of Women. Students also conduct collaborative research and present findings to the United Nations and key nongovernmental organizations. This “badge” is a digital credential on LinkedIn and other career-oriented platforms.
  • LGBTQA+ and Social Justice Center:
    The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, and Ally (LGBTQA+) Social Justice Center exists to create campus environments that are inclusive and supportive of students, faculty, and staff diversity in the areas of sexuality and gender identity and expression. The office promotes identity expression, self-determination, and exploration on all levels for all members of Pace University through advocacy, education, activism, programming, and a commitment to social justice.
  • Center for Community Action and Research:
    For more than a decade, the Center for Community Action and Research (CCAR) has supported civic engagement, social responsibility, and reciprocal partnerships with the community, resulting in enriched learning for positive change. Housed within the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, the CCAR’s programs serve the entire University through curricular and co-curricular initiatives, coordination of national civic engagement programs, and support of ongoing community partnerships.

“Our department offers students a space through which to explore and inform social justice initiatives both within and outside of the University system. Our classes prioritize student-centered learning informed by feminist, anti-racist, decolonial, and intersectional pedagogies designed to challenge and dismantle systemic racism and structural inequalities in all its forms. Together, we commit to fostering communities of care and respect with a shared vision for social justice, collective resistance, and intentional solidarity across our varied campus communities."—Emily Bent, PhD, Associate Professor

Choose Your Career

Career Options

  • Legal Aid Society
  • Migrant advocacy organizations, such as Al Otro Lado
  • NYC Mayor’s Office
  • Safe Horizon and other anti-violence organizations
  • Vera Institute for Justice
  • Self-employed as consultants or founders of nonprofits