Studies & Degrees in Women’s Studies
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The career opportunities provided for graduates of Women’s Studies is immense. The liberal arts education acquired during the course mainly involves critical thinking. More so, major course topics such as gender, politics, and feminism serve as the dominating subject matters under this interdisciplinary academic field.
Women’s Studies involve in-depth and comprehensive study areas that revolve around feminist theory, social history, women history which highlights women’s suffrage, women’s health, women’s fiction, feminist art, feminist psychoanalysis, and courses related to gender studies, humanities, and social sciences.
This interdisciplinary area of study started in 1970s, a time when people become concerned with women’s history, social justice, gender, race, sexuality, class, equality, and other aspects of women studies that have started as societal oppression within a patriarchal society. Initially, women studies were established as an academic rubric. However, it has gotten more sensational and seriously discussed during the second wave of feminism as it had earned political influence in various academies triggered by student and faculty activism of the same year.
Historically speaking, Women Studies were modeled on the American Studies and other ethnic studies that include Afro-American Studies and Chicano Studies. After just a year of its establishment as part of the academy, women studies, specifically in the United States, had grown intense leading to formation and organization of women’s consciousness raising groups, circulation of petition, rallies on the street, operations of unofficial classes, and more women-issues related activities. This in all its worth has marked a historical turning point in the lives of women around the world.
Taking up a degree in Women’s Studies will help students manifest their skills and confidence in understanding women issues that continue to be raised globally. The learning skills that will be developed during the entire course period will be about broad yet relevant knowledge on feminist research, teaching, and diverse topics of women studies related to economic, political, social, and cultural elements of a specific society and as it extends globally.
When it comes to employment opportunities in store to every graduate of Women’s Studies, the possibilities are beyond expectations. This is because graduates of the course are prepared to undertake duties and responsibilities not just in liberal arts but in providing profound insights that tackle issues on women oppression and celebration. As this is learned, students become more sensitive and sensible in handling ethical situations that require immediate actions and making of smart decisions.
Finally, studying Women Studies allows women to comprehend how history silenced the voices of many women. With this awareness, their thoughts, ideas, and views can be easily put into many practical situations as they continue to experience and attend trainings largely related to women studies. With the unstoppable growth of women’s agencies and organizations, the demand for professionals with specialization in Women’s Studies widens. This shows that graduates of the course can handle jobs in medicine, law, social work, counseling, teaching, government services, gender issues-related organizations, insurance companies, higher education, and personnel firms. With this wide scope, it is no longer a wonder that women are now taking over jobs that have once belonged to men.
Job positions for Women’s Studies:
Human Rights Advocate
A course in liberal arts paves the way to a career of a Human Rights Advocate. There are many organizations around the world seeking for professionals who can dedicate their skills, education, and time to providing humanitarian relief, international development, economic sustainability, and assurance that human rights advocacies are executed firmly and righteously.
The diverse opportunities available to every Human Rights Advocate are countless. Every job opportunity tackles specific human right issues that need to be addressed the soonest time. Governmental agencies and bodies around the world use their status in promoting solutions and answers to human rights issues that include the rights of minority people, the rights of the child, the rights of women usually involved in trafficking, migrant workers rights, human rights and the environment, the rights to housing, the right to affirmative actions, the right to food, the juvenile criminal sentencing, racism, and other human rights that aim to solve every human rights issue.
Professionals who have degree in Women’s Studies, Human Rights Advocacy, International Development, and NGO’s are the ideal candidate for every human rights advocate position. The burning passion and intense hope that many human rights advocate have for those suffering from pain, injustices, persecutions, and unlawful abuse of their rights serve as their strengths in acquiring such kind of job.
Human Rights Advocates are educated so they can develop and enhance their skills and abilities in giving cross-cultural services, professional skills, and effectives services to their own people or to the people they are serving. They are particularly keen toward oppressors’ use of coercion and power to dominate the life of a victim. Hence, the victim’s environment and decision making skills become tainted due to misuse of the oppressor’s power.
The role of many Human Rights Advocates is grounded in proper access to power as they represent those who are vulnerable and are unable to defend themselves. They, as human rights advocates, have the power to intervene since their authority aims to overcome that of the perpetrator’s so that proper exercise of power will be done.
As Human Rights Advocates, their expertise and influence in affecting social, political, and economical conditions depend on the broad perspectives of executing laws and regulations being implemented in the society from which she belongs.
When it comes to women and gender rights, every Human Right Advocate should have a global perspective which is to protect the dignity and integrity of all human beings which also means promoting equal rights. Therefore, they focus their duties in conducting activities and social gatherings that will eliminate all forms of discriminations that distinctively target women. More so, they create instruments that will support the continued existence of laws that will protect women’s rights belonging in the public and private spheres.
The existence and numerous numbers of human rights violations can be traced back to history. But the efforts that come from respected activists, thinkers, and leaders served as eye opener to eventually manifest the proper execution of human rights, the untarnished human rights that all human beings deserve to enjoy and live by.
Clinical Social Worker
Professional Clinical Social Workers are responsible in giving mental health services for clients who were diagnosed and being treated due to mental, emotional, behavioral, and other disorders linked to individual, family, and group problems.
Their primary objective in their profession is to enhance and maintain the normal physical, physiological, and social functions of the client. So, their intense desire to improve the lives of many people suffering from mental illnesses is considered to be immeasurable. As they adhere to the values and ethics grounded with the social work profession, they are involve in ethical decision making apart from practicing skills and execution of intervention programs among individuals who need medical treatment.
The job description of Clinical Social Workers is all-embracing. From helping individuals cope with the issues that they encounter in their life, dealing with their relationships with other individuals, solving family-related problems, to assisting clients who are facing life-threatening diseases that are linked to disability, social problems, and serious domestic conflicts like physical and sexual abuse. These scenarios are too general for clinical social workers but the bottom line is: these scenarios are all the root causes of behavioral problems being faced by many clients.
Also, the mentioned duties are considered to be social services. However, some clinical social workers engage themselves in programs and organizations that promote policy and planning developments, research, and other community-related advocacies that aim to promote the normal functioning of clients which most of the time include children and women.
CSWs are often the first to diagnose a client with any mental disorders and other various emotional and behavioral complications. Then, they conduct necessary treatment procedures that will lead to the recovery and wellness of the patient or the client
Community mental health centers, schools, health centers, recovery programs, primary health care centers, aging and child welfare agencies, and other private and government-centered settings are in dire need of professionals with clinical social working background. This is because more and more individuals, families, and groups require treatment that will focus in improving their mental, emotional, and behavioral well being. Thus, to address this issue, CSWs employ a holistic approach related to psychotherapy and client’s relationship to the environment from which he or she belongs.
The requirements and qualifications to become a professional Clinical Social Worker are: a degree or master’s degree under social work education, work experience in clinical setting of least 3,000 hours, a license, trainings attended that discussed social work-related topics, and experienced relevant practices under mental health clinics, child welfare agencies, or other medical institutions.
Another aspect of the CSW’s job description is their counseling role. To help the clients set their goals straight while facing treatment means constant counseling which will help the clients articulate their goals in spite of their medical condition.
Finally, the confidentiality of all information obtained from the client should be maintained by every CSW since this act is considered to be the basic principal of social work intervention. This way, the client’s welfare will continue to be safeguarded.