WOMEN'S STUDIES MINOR

AREA: BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

  • Training and Development
  • Human Resources
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Advertising
  • Public Relations
  • Sales
  • Consulting

EMPLOYERS

  • Public and private corporations, particularly:  Women's divisions and Female focused industries
  • Consulting firms
  • Marketing companies
  • Public relations agencies
  • Organizations for research on and advancement of women in business (i.e., Catalyst)

STRATEGIES

Obtain a minor in business or take some general business courses.  Earn a graduate degree in an area of interest.  Gain experience through internships or other employment.  Become current with business and industry literature and news.  Develop strong computer skills.  Gain leadership experience through campus involvement or volunteer work.  When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring "any major."
Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as:  communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership and teamwork, etc.  Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level positions.

AREA: HEALTHCARE

  • Medicine Specializing in Women's Issues:  Obstetrics & Gynecology, Breast Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Fertility
  • Nursing
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Dentistry

EMPLOYERS

  • Healthcare settings exclusively for women
  • Organizations devoted to women's health including:  National Women's Health Organization, CDC Women's Health Department
  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Private or group practice
  • Health networks
  • Wellness centers
  • Nursing homes
  • Mental health institutions
  • Federal, state, or local health departments
  • Centers for reproductive health

STRATEGIES

Maintain a high grade point average needed for graduate school and professional programs.  Take prerequisite courses required by professional program, or obtain a related double major or minor.  Meet with a pre-health advisor periodically to discuss curricular decisions.  Prepare for and take appropriate admissions tests.  Obtain summer jobs, volunteer positions, or internships to test field of interest and gain experience.  Talk to professionals in your field of interest and arrange shadowing opportunities.

AREA: HUMAN SERVICES

  • Counseling
  • Psychotherapy
  • Mental Health Services
  • Case Management
  • Programming
  • Community Relations
  • Administration

EMPLOYERS

  • Private and group practice
  • Mental health institutions
  • Hospitals and clinics
  • Federal, state, or local government, including:  Department of Human Services and the  Veterans Administration
  • Women's service organizations, e.g. Girl Scouts, Women for Women, AWARE, About-Face, etc.
  • Organizations for women's aid, e.g. rape crisis, eating disorder treatment centers, battered women's shelters, adoption agencies, etc.

STRATEGIES

Earn a Ph.D. to teach and research in the field of Women's Studies at four-year institutions.  Master's or Ph.D. is required to teach at two-year colleges.  Obtain masters in library/information science or student affairs if interested in those areas.  Join related professional associations as a student member.  Gain experience through volunteer work or internships.  Get involved in leadership roles on campus such as peer mentor, resident advisor, or orientation leader.  Develop strong communication and public speaking skills.