Graduate Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

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Program Link:
https://wgss.wsu.edu/
Priority Deadlines:

Program Deadlines:

  • Fall July

Campus:

  • Pullman
  • Spokane
  • Tri-Cities
  • Vancouver

International Student English Proficiency Exams

International students may need to surpass the Graduate School’s minimum English language proficiency exam scores for this program. If the graduate program has unique score requirements, they will be detailed below. Otherwise, please refer to the Graduate School’s minimum score guidelines.

Degree Description:

Washington State University offers a Graduate Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), designed to provide students with a critical understanding of gender equity and justice as theorized and practiced in the field of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies nationally and transnationally. The program incorporates an interdisciplinary approach, equipping future academic and non-academic professionals with fundamental theoretical background, practical research knowledge, and an intersectional analytical framework to address challenges in gender justice and broader social justice struggles. WSU is committed to providing comprehensive training in feminist and queer studies, focusing on social, political, and cultural theory, research approaches, and new topics of scholarly inquiry and debate. Our emphasis is on preparing graduates to be thoughtful leaders capable of addressing equity and justice challenges of today and tomorrow.

Course Highlights

  • WGSS 541: Feminist and Queer Approaches to Research (3 credits) — Gain an understanding of interdisciplinary qualitative research approaches in the field of WGSS.
  • WGSS 581: Feminist and Queer Theories and Frameworks (3 credits) — Study intersectional frameworks, theories, and analytical approaches to gender and sexuality in complex interconnection with race, social class, dis/ability, ethnicity, and religion.
  • Topics Elective Coursework (3 credits) — Choose from a range of courses in areas such as Cultural Politics of the Body, Gender & Sexuality in Buddhist Culture, Gender and Justice, Bioethics, and more.

The program is offered through WSU’s various graduate programs on the Pullman, Vancouver, Spokane, and Tri-Cities campuses.

Program Requirements

The WGSS graduate certificate requires the completion of 9 credits of interdisciplinary coursework (6 credits of required courses, 3 credits of elective). Attending at least one WGSS seminar series is required.

Admission Requirements:

The certificate program is open to current WSU graduate students of any discipline who have goals and interests that align with the certificate program. Non-degree seeking students who meet the requirements for graduate study at WSU may also be admitted to the WGSS certificate program. Students are required to have/maintain a graduate GPA of 3.0 or better to participate. The certificate can be pursued during any phase of training as long as there is sufficient time to complete the requirements, which typically takes two-three semesters.

Career Opportunities:

The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate provides several opportunities for students to grow academically and professionally:

  • Academic Careers: Enhance qualifications for academic positions in higher education, especially in combination with a PhD in a traditional discipline.
  • Professional Careers: Strengthen expertise for careers in public policy, health equity, social justice, and other fields, particularly when paired with professional degrees like public administration, public health, law, etc.
  • Intellectual Growth: Develop a critical understanding of gender equity and justice issues, intersectional analytical frameworks, and qualitative research approaches to address complex real-world problems.

Contact Information: