Despite more than two decades of university education in Women’s Studies in Iran, the field has yet to translate its academic capacities into professional agency and effective roles for graduates in policymaking, planning, and social interventions. This study aimed to identify the neglected capacities and structural barriers to graduates’ professional agency and provide evidence for curriculum redesign and strengthening the link between university education and professional practice. This applied study adopted a qualitative, exploratory approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 31 faculty members, policymakers, and experts in women’s issues, higher education, and the labor market, and analyzed using thematic network analysis. The findings revealed three overarching themes: “neglected capacities of Women’s Studies,” “structural barriers to professional agency,” and “educational and policy requirements.” Neglected capacities were organized into three dimensions: strategic-identity, skills-executive, and cultural-persuasive capabilities. Structural barriers comprised four dimensions: institutional-legal, discursive-cultural, economic-structural, and internal-epistemic barriers. Educational and policy requirements were formulated around four areas: intra-disciplinary redesign, professional empowerment, institution-building and networking, and strategic engagement with power institutions. The findings emphasize a shift from a “knowledge-transfer” model toward “capability development and cultivation of professional agents.”