Best Online Bachelor’s of Gender Studies Degree Programs for 2023

BEST ONLINE BACHELOR'S IN GENDER STUDIES
By James Barham
Published:
Updated:

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in gender studies degree programs to equip students with a diverse set of skills and knowledge in fields like politics, literature, sociology, psychology, and history.

Top Online Bachelor's in Gender Studies Degree Programs

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  1. University of Louisville
  2. Florida International University
  3. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
  4. Western Kentucky University
  5. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  6. California State University, East Bay
  7. University of Missouri–St. Louis
  8. California State University, Stanislaus
  1. Western Kentucky University 98%
  2. California State University, Stanislaus 95%
  3. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 92%
  4. California State University, East Bay 82%
  5. University of Louisville 75%
  6. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 70%
  7. Florida International University 64%
  8. University of Missouri–St. Louis 57%
  1. California State University, East Bay 26 to 1
  2. Florida International University 25 to 1
  3. California State University, Stanislaus 22 to 1
  4. University of Missouri–St. Louis 19 to 1
  5. University of Louisville 19 to 1
  6. Western Kentucky University 19 to 1
  7. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 15 to 1
  8. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 13 to 1
  1. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth $13,833
  2. University of Louisville $12,174
  3. University of Missouri–St. Louis $12,015
  4. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa $11,304
  5. Western Kentucky University $10,992
  6. California State University, Stanislaus $5,742
  7. California State University, East Bay $5,742
  8. Florida International University $4,721
  1. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth $16,390
  2. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa $15,600
  3. University of Louisville $13,524
  4. University of Missouri–St. Louis $12,528
  5. Western Kentucky University $12,140
  6. Florida International University $8,912
  7. California State University, Stanislaus $7,176
  8. California State University, East Bay $7,176
  1. California State University, Stanislaus
  2. University of Missouri–St. Louis
  3. California State University, East Bay
  4. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  5. Western Kentucky University
  6. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
  7. Florida International University
  8. University of Louisville
  1. University of Missouri–St. Louis 57%
  2. Florida International University 64%
  3. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 70%
  4. University of Louisville 75%
  5. California State University, East Bay 82%
  6. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 92%
  7. California State University, Stanislaus 95%
  8. Western Kentucky University 98%
  1. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 13 to 1
  2. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 15 to 1
  3. University of Missouri–St. Louis 19 to 1
  4. University of Louisville 19 to 1
  5. Western Kentucky University 19 to 1
  6. California State University, Stanislaus 22 to 1
  7. Florida International University 25 to 1
  8. California State University, East Bay 26 to 1
  1. Florida International University $4,721
  2. California State University, Stanislaus $5,742
  3. California State University, East Bay $5,742
  4. Western Kentucky University $10,992
  5. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa $11,304
  6. University of Missouri–St. Louis $12,015
  7. University of Louisville $12,174
  8. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth $13,833
  1. California State University, Stanislaus $7,176
  2. California State University, East Bay $7,176
  3. Florida International University $8,912
  4. Western Kentucky University $12,140
  5. University of Missouri–St. Louis $12,528
  6. University of Louisville $13,524
  7. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa $15,600
  8. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth $16,390

Featured Programs

Key Takeaways

  • Gender studies mainly involves research on the role and the impact of gender in culture and society.
  • Gender studies experts usually land careers in the social sciences, political sciences, and the media.
  • Social justice, equality, and representation are some of the issues addressed by gender studies as a discipline.
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Gender Studies As a Degree Program and Career Path

If you are passionate about the role of gender in media, psychology, culture, politics, and more, consider diving deeper and learning more about the interesting world of gender studies.

This field revolves around analyzing how people think of gender in terms of society, history, and culture. A bachelor’s in gender studies features an interdisciplinary curriculum focused on many applications in gender research, social justice, and advocacy, as well as some interesting applications in non-related fields.

Careers in Online Bachelor’s in Gender Studies

Degree holders of a gender studies degree are very well-versed in various fields, from literature to sociology, and they have impeccable critical thinking, reasoning, and writing skills.

That is why gender studies graduates are qualified for so many different jobs in politics, social sciences, and media. Plus, a major in online gender studies brings a valuable and unique perspective to any field they want to join, and the capacity to make that field a fairer and less biased one.

Below are some of the most lucrative careers for graduates with an online bachelor’s in gender studies.

  • Journalist: If you’re a fan of investigating stories or reporting on current events, having an online degree in gender studies will give you the research, reasoning, and critical thinking skills you need to become an amazing journalist. You can even focus on issues and stories that you care about, including LGBTQ+ issues or gender equality.
  • Teacher: Graduates of online gender studies also make amazing teachers since the program gives you a solid foundation in the field.

    • Regardless of what level you plan to teach, teachers have the knowledge and understanding of social and identity issues, and can easily communicate even the most complex of ideas—highly critical skills gender studies majors often have.

  • Writer: Like most liberal arts degrees, completing a gender studies program will give you excellent written communication skills and an intensive collection of academic writing. If you love writing essays during your gender studies major, a career in writing is a good choice.
  • Casting Director: Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in gender studies who are interested in theatre, film, or TV, or simply on the production side of the industry can become casting directors. Today, the entertainment industry is in constant need of a new generation of people dedicated to diversity in representation and casting.
  • Human Resources Manager: HR managers are trained to handle a company’s employees—from the interview down to the hiring process, then to the employees’ well-being while working in the company.

    • A background in gender studies is relevant to the HR field, knowing sexism and other types of identity discrimination are rampant issues in the workplace. As an HR manager, being aware of these issues right from the start of the hiring process can help lessen stereotypes, biases, pay gaps, and harassment.

  • Non-profit program director: Gender studies graduates who plan to make a career out of advocacy can join the non-profit world. As a non-profit program director, you can either join or launch an organization that advocates for the improvement of a specific political or social issue or acts on behalf of a particular group of marginalized people.

    • There are myriad non-profit organizations that you can get involved with. Being a non-profit program director, you will supervise the organization and its functioning.

  • Human Rights Advocates: Online degree holders of a bachelor’s in gender studies can directly apply their studies in inequality, identity, and oppression to use in progressive and practical ways. Human rights advocates fight for and on behalf of the marginalized sector for fair opportunities and treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Frequently Asked Questions about Gender Studies Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in gender studies equips you with a diverse set of skills and knowledge in fields like politics, literature, sociology, psychology, and history. Students may also have the option to select a concentration, like women’s health, gender and sexuality in early education, or LGBTQ studies, allowing for a deeper look into topics that align with their interests and professional goals.

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Typically, students can complete the 120 required credits in about four to five years full-time status, either online or in person.

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Courses cover a variety of topics, ranging from violence against women to gender and pop culture. Students can also expect to examine theories, texts, practices, history, and research related to gender studies.

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Graduates will be prepared to work as sociologists, journalists, lobbyists, and in the nonprofit sector.

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Best Online Bachelor's in Gender Studies Degree Programs
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Ranking Process for the Best Bachelor’s in Gender Studies Programs

In putting together the best gender studies online bachelor’s programs, we measured academic excellence by way of specific factors. Academic rigor, even in online education, is a primary yardstick!

The comprehensive curricula in our recommended gender studies online bachelor programs feature core and liberal arts courses. These courses shape each online student into becoming the next generation of experts in the discipline, with a passion for equality, fair treatment, and human rights advocacy, among other related causes.

Having experienced subject experts as faculty is an indicator of academic excellence, too! Gender studies authors and professionals in fields that utilize the principles of the discipline are the most qualified individuals to facilitate the online learning program and advance the field.

Accreditation is crucial to an online program, and gender studies is no exception! The reputable schools offering this program are all fully accredited, emphasizing adherence to the rules of instruction and standards established by academic organizations.

Sociologists Salaries by Percentile in the U.S.

The following graph depicts the average salaries of Sociologists for each percentile in the U.S.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

SVG Attribution: Wikipedia

Total Employed: 2640
10%
15%
50%
15%
10%
bell-curve
607706553092910114300135420
10th Percentile25th Percentile75th Percentile90th Percentile
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Best Online Bachelor’s in Gender Studies Degree Programs

  1. #1

    University of Louisville

    Louisville , KY
    #2 Best Grad Schools in Kentucky 2023 #2 Best Public Colleges in Kentucky 2023 #2 Best Colleges in Kentucky 2023 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    75%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    17K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1160/24

    Online Degrees

    BA/BS in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

    The University of Louisville’s online bachelor’s in women’s, gender and sexuality studies allows students to achieve their academic goals at a flexible pace while pursuing other passions. An online bachelor’s lets students broaden their academic and professional networks by allowing them to meet students from all over the world. The University of Louisville prides itself on offering a program that was ranked 5/5 for LGBTQ inclusivity, and strives to build engaging and informative programs to prepare students for the needs of the future.

    • Required Credits: 121
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
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  2. #2

    Florida International University

    Miami , FL
    #4 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2023 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida 2023 #5 Best Public Colleges in Florida 2023 #6 Best Research Universities in Florida 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    64%

    Graduation

    67%

    Student body

    49K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1185/26

    Online Degrees

    BA in Women’s and Gender Studies

    Florida International University’s Center for Women’s and Gender Studies is an innovative program that seeks to enhance students’ knowledge about women, feminism and the significance of gender in diverse cultures and contexts. The online BA in gender studies at FIU will prepare students for careers as lobbyists, activists, and policy makers. Learning 100% online can also aid students in developing transferable skills in time management, information organization, and project management while they study.

    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
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  3. #3

    University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

    North Dartmouth , MA
    #4 Best Public Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Massachusetts Ranked for Students in 2023 #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Massachusetts #4 Best Online Bachelor’s in Public Administration Degree Programs for 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $14K

    Acceptance

    92%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    6K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1090/23

    Online Degrees

    BA in Women’s and Gender Studies

    A women’s and gender studies degree from UMass Dartmouth places students in courses as diverse as business and visual arts to create well-rounded graduates ready to begin careers across the job market. Those already pursuing their career goals are in luck, the online format is designed so that you can attend at convenient times and ensure that there is no need to change your work schedule or put your career on hold.

    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
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  4. #4

    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

    Honolulu , HI
    #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii 2023 #1 Best Public Colleges in Hawaii 2023 #1 Best Colleges in Hawaii 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    59%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1175/24

    Online Degrees

    BA in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

    University of Hawai’i at Mānoa’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is a comprehensive women’s and gender studies program. The program offers a unique focus on Hawaii, Asia, and the Pacific, as well as certificates in Queer Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Students taking advantage of the fully online bachelor’s option can learn about gender through the lens of these fascinating cultures, all without having to relocate.

    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
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  5. #5

    Western Kentucky University

    Bowling Green , KY
    #3 Best Public Colleges in Kentucky 2023 #3 Best Colleges in Kentucky 2023 #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky 2023 #3 Best Research Universities in Kentucky 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $11K

    Acceptance

    98%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1080/22

    Online Degrees

    BA in Sociology

    Western Kentucky University’s Gender and Women’s Studies Program hails gender and women’s studies as one of the most important fields of inquiry to emerge in higher education in the past forty years. WKU has developed a program designed to showcase the ways that the field can positively impact the future. Offering their program online allows students from all backgrounds and locations to take advantage of the program and how to learn how to advocate for their goals of ethical conduct, social justice, and responsible global citizenship.

    Concentrations

    • Family-Gender And Sexuality
    • Community
    • Environment And Development
    • Inequality And Social Change
    • Research Methods
    • Required Credits: 121
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
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  9. #8

    California State University, Stanislaus

    Turlock , CA
    #8 Best Online MBA Programs in California #19 Best Online Colleges in California 2023 #25 Best Online Master's Programs in California 2023

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    95%

    Graduation

    58%

    Student body

    10K

    Online Degrees

    BA in Gender Studies

    Concentrations

    • Culture
    • Ideology and Representation
    • History
    • Society and Inequality
    • Ethnicity
    • Nationality and Sexuality
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
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Online Sociology Programs Looking for You

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Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Resources for Online College-Bound Students

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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