Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Careers & Internships

WGSS students develop critical thinking, communication, collaboration, research, and leadership skills that are highly valued by employers. These skills can be applied to a wide range of industries, providing students flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing job market.  

Additionally, as an interdisciplinary field, WGSS prepares students to pursue graduate school in the humanities and social sciences as well as professional school in law and the health sciences (when WGSS is paired with a major in the sciences). 

WGSS offers internship and service-learning courses so that students can further explore the fields they wish to pursue. Additionally, the university and the College of Arts and Sciences offer a wide range of professional development resources for students.  

WGSST 3191: Internship in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

WGSST 3191: Internship in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies will be offered every autumn, spring, and summer semester! It is a variable-credit-hour internship (1-3 credit hours per term) that can be used to fulfill certain course requirements in eligible programs.  

Students are responsible for seeking-out and securing all internships. However, the department has put together a directory of organizations and businesses with potential internship opportunities (see drop-down below). We encourage students to look at the list and reach out to organizations and businesses directly to inquire about current openings. 

For more information, please contact the WGSS Education Program Specialist.  

Students seeking to enroll in WGSST 3191 must submit an internship application to the WGSS Education Program Specialist by no later than the Friday BEFORE the first week of the semester in which their internship will take place (retroactive credit cannot be granted). Students are required to obtain input from their internship site for sections 3 and 6; therefore, they should allot sufficient time to complete the form. Students will be enrolled in WGSST 3191 as soon as their internship applications have been approved. Upon completion of the internship, students must submit an exit survey and supervisor assessment to receive their grades.

Current Internship Calls:

Position: TransOhio Student Intern

Workload: 10 hours/week
Application materials: Resume and a short paragraph answering (1) who you are, (2) why you want to intern with TransOhio, and (3) what kind of internship experiences you are hoping to gain through this experience. 
 
I am very excited to share that TransOhio, a statewide organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming people in Ohio, is looking for WGSS student interns! An internship with TransOhio will offer students an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our community statewide and gain hands-on experience in communications, policy, research, event planning, graphics, community arts, operations, and more. All work completed by interns will directly benefit trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming Ohioans. Examples of past intern projects include website graphic design, t-shirt design, community research, resource writing, lobbying, policy research, training design, event support, and mutual aid operational assistance. TransOhio likes interns to learn about all of their programs and services, then help them design an internship that will both align with their interests and TransOhio's organizational needs.
 
Please reach out to alkhalifa.2@osu.edu with your application materials by November 14th. If you have any questions about TransOhio, please reach out to Dara Adkison (they/them), the executive director of TransOhio.
 

Social Media Intern: (10 hours/week)

Department: Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies
Location: Ohio State University
Position Type: 3 Credit Hours
 
Position Summary:
The Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Department is seeking a creative and motivated Social Media Intern to support our digital presence on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. This internship offers hands-on experience creating engaging social media content that is connected to WGSS scholarship, growing an online presence, and showcasing the WGSS community in fun and innovative ways. The goal is to help you translate what you’ve learned in the classroom into engaging content for broader communities through social media, with mentorship from a social media specialist and guidance from a WGSS faculty or staff member.
 
Please be aware of the below internship opportunity exclusively open to WGSS majors and minors. Email Ali, at alkhalifa.2@osu.edu with your interest, resume, and any questions. For those who are interested, please apply by November 7th.
 

WGSS students are encouraged to explore internship and volunteer opportunities at the following organizations. This list is not exhaustive; rather, it serves as a starting point for students. 

Service-Learning

Service-learning is an approach to community-engaged teaching “…that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities” (Seifer and Connors, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2007). 

With support from the Ohio State Office of Service-Learning and Community-Engaged Teaching, WGSS offers three service-learning courses: 

  • WGSST 2326S: Feminist Perspectives on Addiction (3 credit hours) 

  • WGSST 3300.01S: Feminist Perspectives of Incarceration in the U.S. (3 credit hours)   

  • WGSST 4189.01S: Reproductive Rights and Justice (3 credit hours) 

In each of these courses, theory meets practice, giving students hands-on, real-world experience. Read more about the courses in the drop-downs below.  

This course offers a multicultural feminist perspective on women and addiction. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore addiction within the contexts of social construction, popular culture, mental health, and public policy. Discussion topics explore the socially constructed meanings of addiction, gender, power, and privilege. This service-learning offering combines the study of feminist scholarship on addiction with volunteer work at a local organization that provides services to persons with substance-abuse issues. Students will use the course materials and tools of analysis to think and write critically about their volunteer experiences. Not open to students with credit for 2326. 

This course explains the growth in the U.S. prison system and its punitive shift from feminist, anti-racist, and queer perspectives. Students will learn about the historical and ongoing disproportionate incarceration of the poor, people of color, and gender non-conforming people. This service-learning course is an Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program class, part of the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project (OPEEP). Enrollment requires permission of the instructor.

Why is reproduction such a controversial issue, both in the U.S. and in many parts of the world? What do we mean by reproductive rights, and what is the relationship between rights and reproductive justice? How do reproductive technologies—such as surrogacy, IVF, new contraceptives—shape reproductive politics? What is the relationship between reproductive rights, justice, and feminism? This course takes an interdisciplinary feminist approach to investigating the history and contemporary politics of reproduction beyond a “pro-life” vs. “pro-choice” dichotomy. It focuses on both U.S. and global contexts and links the academic investigation to service-learning in the Columbus community. Students will work with organizations that seek to further the goals of reproductive justice in policy, activist, legal, and health care contexts. Throughout the course, students will probe the connections between academic coursework and feminist practice, and link theoretical study to their work in local communities. Prerequisite: WGSST 1110. Due to limited space, enrollment requires instructor permission. 

What can I do with a WGSS degree?

Digital strategist. Fundraiser. Lawyer. Researcher. Educator. These are just a few of the professions of WGSS alumni.   

Let's take a closer look at some of the job titles of WGSS graduates:  
 

  • Digital state campaigns manager 
  • Digital communications and strategy manager 
  • Development and marketing manager 
  • Communications and research associate 
  • Technical writer 
  • Academic advisor 
  • Attorney 
  • Professor 
  • Real estate broker 
  • Grants manager  

Our graduates have built careers at a variety of organizations, from advocacy organizations to health care systems.

Here are some of the organizations where our alumni have worked: 
 

  • Planned Parenthood Federation of America  
  • Amnesty International 
  • Smithsonian Institution 
  • The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio 
  • Innovation Ohio 
  • League of Women Voters 
  • The Ohio State University 
  • Mount Carmel Health System 
  • United Healthcare 
  • OhioHealth Sexual Assault Response Network (SARNCO) 

Professional Development Resources

Students talking to employers at career fair
ASC Career Success
Student talking to employer at career fair
Buckeye Careers
Student talking to employer at career fair with Handshake logo
Handshake