Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies


The Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies offers a major and minor in both WGSS and Human Sexuality Studies; an online bachelor's degree in WGSS; as well as a certificate in Gender, Law & Policy.  The Graduate program supports interdisciplinary research on topics pertaining to women, gender, and sexuality and administers programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, and graduate certificate.

Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Department website

Sample of Related Skills

  • Understand how gender and sexuality intersect with race, culture, ethnicity, and social class 
  • Show how critical analysis of gender and sexuality contributes to an understanding of the historical and contemporary formations of patriarchy, heternonormativity, and gender normativity 
  • Achieve a knowledge base about LGBTQ+ people’s role in history – their contributions oppression, and resistance 
  • Describe the manner in which race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect 
  • Become aware of women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s experience in cultural contexts, both nationally and globally, including understanding the roles of gender and sexuality in social justice movements around the world  

Popular Career Paths

Social and Human Services: Involves seeking out and connecting clients with the information, materials, and resources they need to cope with and overcome challenges in their lives. 
Human Resources: Deals with personnel management issues such as compensation, hiring, performance management, and training. 
Law: Involves the interpretation and enforcement of the laws in our legal system to minimize, prevent, punish or remedy the actions of individuals which damage or threaten the environment, public health and safety. 
Writing: Allows individuals to express themselves through communication and provide entertainment and/or provide necessary or informative information the public through a variety of resources such as books, magazines, newspapers, or websites. 

Jobs to Consider

Places to Seek Employment

  • Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Firms
  • Colleges and Universities
  • Community Health Centers
  • Corporations: Human Resources
  • Domestic Violence Centers
  • Educational Institutions, especially Higher Education Administration and Women's Centers
  • Law Firms
  • Local, State, and Federal Government Agencies
  • Newspapers and Magazines
  • Non-Profit Organizations
  • Self-Employed/Freelance Writing

Explore More Career Resources

Feminist Majority Foundation - listing of Feminist related jobs and internships. 

Government & Non-Profit Resources - more resources from career.ku.edu 

Human Resources Jobs.com - listing of jobs in the HR field. 

Human Rights Watch - list of jobs, fellowships, and internships related to human rights 

Institute for Women's Policy Research - Internship and job listings at the IWPR. 

LGBT Career Link -job listing at diversity-friendly employers. 

Kansas Press Association - journalism position announcements in the state of Kansas 

Magazine Publishers of America - job and internship banks for careers in the magazine industry 

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The Leadership Center on Civil and Human Rights - job listings of positions dealing with civil rights. 

Department of Health and Human Services - information about how to apply for jobs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services