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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Back to TopTypically, students can complete the 120 required credits in about four to five years full-time status, either online or in person.
Back to TopCourses 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.
Back to TopGraduates will be prepared to work as sociologists, journalists, lobbyists, and in the nonprofit sector.
Back to TopIn 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.
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
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
62%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1160/24
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.
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
67%
Student body
49K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/26
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.
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
54%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/23
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.
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
59%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/24
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.
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
98%
Graduation
54%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/22
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.
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
58%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1172/24
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
48%
Student body
15K
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
58%
Student body
10K
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.
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.