Women's Studies: Study Resource & Degree Program Information

General Information About Women’s Studies Degree Programs

How you will embark on women’s studies will depend on your particular college or university. Some schools offer a minor in women’s studies as part of a four-year Bachelor of Arts program in another discipline such as sociology or philosophy. Some live and online universities offer two-year or shorter certification programs or Associate of Arts degrees in women’s studies. There are a limited number of graduate programs in women’s studies; many students with a B.A. in women’s studies will choose to pursue a master's degree or doctorate in a related discipline with a focus on women’s studies.

Women’s Studies Degree Study Options

A Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies at universities or colleges that offer them will typically take about four years to complete. Many colleges and universities will allow the student to earn a bachelor's degree with a major in a related field and a minor in women’s studies. These programs also can be typically completed in four years and will prepare the student for graduate work or a career in women’s studies.

Advanced Women’s Studies Degrees

Not all schools offer an advanced degree in women’s studies, however, there are definitely some who do, so if you are interested in graduate work in women’s studies specifically, you should do your research. For example, UCLA offers both a Ph.D. in women’s studies, as does the University of Arizona. SUNY Albany and SUNY Buffalo in New York offer women’s studies master's degrees, as does the University of Texas at Austin, which also offers the doctorate. Do your research to find the best graduate school for you as a women’s studies major.

Master's Degrees In Women’s Studies

Programs that offer master's degrees in women’s studies will give the student the opportunity to do more intensive writing and research based on what they learned in their undergraduate women’s studies curriculum. These programs that take around two years to complete, also may ease entry into a competitive doctoral program in women’s studies.

Doctoral Programs In Women’s Studies

Doctoral programs in women’s studies tend to be small, taking 10 or fewer students a year, which means that spots will be very competitive and students will have to work hard to get into one of these programs. Once accepted, the program can take six or more years to complete, as developing, creating and defending the dissertation in women’s studies can be a long and difficult process. Those who successfully complete the doctoral program will be qualified to teach women’s studies at the university level and to do new research in the field of women’s studies.

Choosing A Degree In Women’s Studies

Choosing a women’s studies degree is a great way to get all the benefits of a liberal arts education while focusing on issues particularly relevant to women. Holding a women’s studies degree shows potential employers that you are not only skilled at critical thinking, research and effective writing, but that you are sensitive to cultural differences and how they affect certain groups, in this case, women.

Career Opportunities In Women’s Studies

A bachelor's degree in women’s studies can be a springboard to a number of interesting careers, including social worker, psychologist, health services worker, sociologist, victim’s rights advocate, politician and college or university professor.

Earning Potential For Women’s Studies Careers

Earning potential for those with women’s studies degrees vary widely because these students may find themselves on so many different career paths. Social scientists can earn anything from around $50,000 to over $90,000 per year. Counseling psychologists earned on average between $45,300 and $77,750 per year in 2006.

Getting Your Women’s Studies Degrees Online

Women’s studies is a degree not offered by every college or university, meaning a top women’s studies program may not be accessible to all willing students. Fortunately, the Internet provides access to many top quality distance learning programs in women’s studies, be it at the associates, bachelor's or master's level. These programs are also well suited to continuing education students looking to resume their studies on a part-time or off-hours basis.

Getting Your Women’s Studies Degree Offline

Working through a women’s studies curriculum at a brick-and-mortar university is a great way to immerse yourself in the subject matter. You will meet people from a variety of disciplines who are interested in women’s issues and be able to learn a broad spectrum of perspectives. Your coursework can be done under the close watch of your college or university’s women’s studies professors who will help you do the best possible work as you do the necessary research and writing to earn the degree. If your school does not offer graduate work in women’s studies, you can earn a graduate degree in a related discipline or take the time to research women’s studies graduate programs in other parts of the country until you find the one that is best for you.