Sex Education

[caligirl94]

Hello!

I have read your post about how to be a sex educator numerous times but I'm still feeling kind of confused. I know for sure that I want to go down the path of being a sex educator. I just don't know how to go about it. I'm a senior in college on track to get my bachelor's in psychology next semester. I'm also preparing to take my GRE. Once all of that is done, I need to be figuring out grad schools and what program to apply for. This is where I'm stuck at. I have absolutely no idea what program to apply for! My original plan was to go for a masters of education in school counseling and then get a certificate as a sex educator but I don't know if that's the best way to go. Do you have any suggestions? Anything would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[Sam W]

Hi Caligirl,

This is a tricky question because the paths into sex ed, even the academic ones, are super variable. I once asked a person at Planned Parenthood who I'd interviewed with how she got into the field and the answer was something not at all related (I can't remember what, exactly). I chose to get an MSW (Masters of Social Work) because that's a common one for people in the field to have, plus it's a fairly employable degree (in the event that sex ed alone is not enough to pay the bills). I also know a lot of people who came in through a Masters of Public Health.

One thing I've done in the past is take a look at job postings that are close to what I'd want in a sex ed job and then see if there are certain degrees of experiences they tend to look for. That can help you narrow down the field of possibilities, at least a little bit.

[Ashleah]

Hi Caligirl,

I have a MSW as well and I individualized my degree to focus on sexuality & health. I choose an MSW for the same reasons that Sam mentioned but I don't think there is a specific degree that is better than the others.

Sometimes it is hard to find a job that is specifically sex education, so I looked for positions where I could squeeze it in or the position was related. So I have done a lot of youth development work which involves leading groups, creating curriculum, etc. and would use those as opportunities to incorporate sex ed.

I've looked at job postings like Sam. I also looked at people who have jobs that I would love and checked out their CVs.