MOST PROGRESSIVE LGBTQ GRADUATE DEGREES

This degree equips master’s level students with understanding of the ideologies and frameworks behind LGBT movements on both sides of the debate. Courses in areas of power movements, gender within race identity, gender theory, and discrimination offer insight needed to understand historical implications while working toward greater equality.

Gender Studies is an important degree as it grounds the movement in an academic study, allowing practitioners to provide data-driven research about where the movement is and how it can be moved forward.

Possible careers: researcher, teacher/professor, advocate or grassroots campaign manager

This emerging interdisciplinary degree combines studies in sociology, psychology, history, literature, and politics to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to be resounding voices in ongoing discussions on LGBTQ rights and equality. Courses may include queer texts, the history of gender and sexuality, body politics and social theory.

LGBT studies degrees ensure students are able to think outside the box and approach the field from many different angles due to the infusion of multiple disciplines and ways of thinking.

Possible industries: non-profit administration, journalism, education, news and media

Also sometimes called sexuality studies, this program explores topics related to the psychology of sexuality, international views, sexual diversity, how sex and love are viewed in modern society, and the role of race.

Human sexuality degrees are crucial for continued understanding and evolved knowledge on human sexuality and how it varies according to sexual orientation and gender identity

Possible careers: sexologist, sex therapist, LGBTQ advocate or reproductive rights specialist

Rooted in theory and method, sociology programs equip graduates with frameworks they can apply to myriad research questions, including those related to LGBT issues. Students will learn how to form research questions, frame research studies and further the field through intellectual inquiry.

Because LGBT topics remain misunderstood and unheard even in present day, sociology gives an academic and intellectual voice to the continued pursuit of widespread understanding and acceptance.

Possible career areas: research, teaching, writing, advocacy or human rights

To be an advocate requires perseverance, political savvy, effective communication and a team effort, and degree programs in this area outfit students with these skills and more. Common classes include applied advocacy, advocacy methods, transformational leadership, civic participation and building sustainable organizations.

Regardless of future career aspirations, a degree in advocacy prepares students to work in their communities, their states, the nation or the world by enacting effective policies.

Possible career areas: community organizing, political advising, grassroots movements, nonprofit administration or government relations

Although first year cornerstone classes are the same for all students regardless of the area in which they plan to practice, the second and third years allow for more flexibility to tailor degrees. Law students seeking to work with the LGBTQ community frequently focus their studies in areas of civil and human rights

Because so many LGBTQ issues revolve around equal rights, law is a critical area of study for advancing the conversation and creating more equitable environments for LGBT individuals.

Possible areas of practice: litigation, human rights, government relations or in-house legal consulting

Psychology is a discipline concerned with the mind and behaviors, and students enrolled in LGBT psychology programs apply psychological principles and frameworks to understand issues within this community. Topics such as the history and mythology of LGBT movements will be covered alongside affirmative approaches to treatment, affirmative psychotherapy and LGBT mental health issues.

Because the LGBTQ community continues to face oppression, hate crimes and misunderstanding, individuals able to address underlying psychological factors and mental health are critical to providing therapy and treatment programs.

Possible careers: counselors, therapists, psychoanalysts or researchers

Social justice programs are focused on educating students in the practice of creating fair and equal societies by addressing injustice and prejudice. This is accomplished by providing both practical and theoretical coursework. Students learn about creating sustainable communities, addressing systemic prejudices, embracing and promoting diversity, and working with established institutions to enact change.

Outdated mindsets about what is “normal” continue to perpetuate offensive and oppressive stereotypes, making social justice an incredibly important discipline for altering views and enacting change.

Possible career areas: advocacy, policy analysis, mediation, intervention or social service

Individuals looking to help organizations or causes gain awareness are often drawn to graduate programs in public relations and development, as it gives them the tools to be effective communicators on behalf of their clients. Students learn how to create strategic communication plans, develop donor campaigns, use digital and print media to craft appropriate messages, and deploy fundraising strategies.

Because many of the leading LGBTQ organizations operate as nonprofits, the field needs qualified and passionate individuals who can raise their profile and help build a diversified donor base.

Possible careers: public relations specialists, fundraisers, development directors, direct campaign coordinators or publicists

Public policy graduate programs help students become leaders in the world of policies – be they regulations or laws – by engaging in decision-making, legitimation and ongoing dialogue about ethics and values. Throughout the program, students are required to think about established norms and existing laws, and how those have shaped the world.

The law of the land is the deciding factor for many issues relating to LGBTQ interests, as seen by the ruling on same-sex marriage. Because policy makers are at the forefront of setting agendas and leading change, professionals furthering the interests of the LGBT community are vital.

Possible careers: policy analysts, researchers, planners, public interest advocates or legislative aides

Individuals with a desire to serve others are frequently drawn to MSN programs, where they learn how to be professional and knowledgeable while also exhibiting compassion and resiliency. Programs are designed to instill these traits through coursework covering physiology, pharmacology, health assessment, disease prevention, human and family development, and sexual health.

Though nursing is an established field, heterosexism in healthcare can prevent LGBTQ individuals from receiving care that meets their unique needs. Nursing professionals’ sensitive to their concerns are needed make the field more inclusive and ultimately more effective.

Possible career settings: hospitals, physician offices, health clinics, schools or nonprofit agencies

Functioning as a hybrid degree of public policy and health care, this program addresses disparities and shortcomings of healthcare provision to the LGBTQ community. Through interdisciplinary coursework, students learn how to create inclusive healthcare initiatives, advocate for more holistic service and bring awareness to LGBTQ health issues.

The disparity between health care and policy all too often means that LGBTQ individuals don’t receive the best care since policies weren’t created with them in mind. Professionals who understand both sides of the coin are needed to pioneer this emerging area.

Possible career areas: social work, advocacy, education initiatives, medicine or health care

Social work attracts individuals with a passion for improving their client’s lives, helping them understand and tackle problems and treating a range of mental, behavioral and emotional issues. Within an MSW program, students learn about social environments, human behavior, social welfare, working with varied communities and social service policy.

Ranging from discrimination or hate crimes to lack of healthcare or housing, LGBTQ individuals often face challenges that require trained social workers who understand their unique needs.

Possible areas of practice: mental health agencies, schools, international organizations, hospitals or nonprofit agencies

These programs prepare graduates to serve individuals through a variety of platforms, ranging from mental health services to alcohol and drug treatment centers. Students receive theoretical and practical knowledge to help them navigate myriad cases and provide tailored care. Coursework covered includes human behavior, multiculturalism and diversity, ethics, policy and social change, and group dynamics.

Research has shown that LGBTQ individuals can be at a higher risk for mental health issues and substance abuse given the oppression and misunderstanding they encounter on a daily basis. Professionals are needed to shed light on their needs and create specialized services and programs.

Possible career areas: research, direct care, advocacy, counseling or consulting

Science, technology, engineering and math, collectively known as STEM, comprise a group of disciplines related to scientific inquiry and the progression of concrete and applied studies. Although coursework specific to LGBT interests does not exist, recent years have seen a movement to make the arena less ethnically and culturally homogenized.

All the fields encompassed within STEM are areas where minorities, including the LGBTQ community, have traditionally been underrepresented, highlighting the need for a diversified and socially educated workforce.

Possible careers: researcher, technician, teacher, engineer, mathematician, biologist, physicist, chemist, software developer, computer programmer and countless more