加州州立大学萨克拉门托分校

The Master’s of Arts in Education, Behavioral Science Gender Equity Studies, offers a special study area in Women’s Studies and Education Issues. The training offers the opportunity to develop an understanding of the many political and social issues affecting women in schools.

The purpose of the training is to offer graduate students an opportunity to be change agents in educational systems and make a difference in the lives of students. Many of the graduate students who enter the program are K–12 teachers. Other students have backgrounds in various disciplines, including liberal studies, child development, communications studies, vocational education, political science and business administration.

Offering electives in other disciplines helps broaden the graduate student’s knowledge of gender equity issues and assists with the development of the student’s thesis research. Students graduate qualified to educate the academic community on numerous issues in relation to gender equity. One major factor which makes this training significantly unique from other Master’s is that it is the only Masters of Education within the entire 23 campuses in the California State University system that offers a Master’s Degree incorporating gender equity issues and Education.

Graduates are exceptionally qualified to train K–12 teachers, to practice gender equity techniques that can be used in the classroom. The training also prepares graduates to educate preservice teachers in the area of societal gender constructs within society and gender-fair teaching practices which as of 2001 is a California Teaching Standard requirement.

Career Options

Currently, over half of the graduates are Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. As social agents for change in the area of gender equity, these students apply directly the gender equitable teaching techniques in the classroom. These students also educate others in the area of education by being active in policy decision and role modeling gender fair teaching philosophies. Several graduates from the program have continued on to become Title IX compliance coordinators for their school districts. Other graduates have used their gender equity training by choosing nonbiased, gender inclusive textbooks and curriculum choices for their school districts.