Overview
The graduate certificate in Women’s Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary curriculum that highlights the unique contributions and challenges faced by women in history and contemporary society. Students who pursue the certificate familiarize themselves with feminist theory and deepen their understanding of how women’s studies resonates widely across disciplines. They acquire the language, scholarly frameworks, and research skills necessary to explore issues of gender, sexuality, and identity more broadly conceived.
Students who earn the certificate develop their self-awareness, empathy, and curiosity. They hone the communication skills necessary to engage in dialogue about complex and sometimes contentious topics. Consequently, our graduates are well-prepared for further academic study, professional careers, and civic engagement.
Most students who pursue the certificate concurrently earn masters’ degrees in humanities, history, English, sociology, or other related fields. However, the certificate is flexible open to graduate students in any field. It may be tailored to individual interests and needs.
The Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies is appropriate for students interested in careers in
- Social services, non-profits, NGOs, and community organizations
- Museum, library, and archival work
- Journalism, publishing, and media
- HR, corporate training, and consulting
- Government work on policy research, advocacy, equity, and human rights
Additionally, the certificate may serve as a springboard to further graduate studies. It is especially useful to students who hope to pursue
- Doctoral degrees in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies or related academic fields
- Professional degrees in law, library science, social work, counseling, or public health
The graduate certificate in Women’s Studies is managed by Marshall University’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Program, even though the certificate is officially housed within the Graduate Humanities Program. Most inquiries about the certificate should be sent to the director of WGSS (wgss@marshall.edu).
Admission Requirements
Students may pursue the graduate certificate in Women’s Studies while enrolled in any master’s program at Marshall or as a certificate-only student.
Students already enrolled in a master’s degree program should submit to the academic dean a Secondary Program Request form at https://www.marshall.edu/graduate/current-students/forms-and-information/.
Applicants interested in the certificate-only program should apply for admission to Marshall University as a Certificate/Professional Development student and select on the application form the Certificate in Women’s Studies. Certificate-only students must hold a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited undergraduate institution and have earned an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4, documented on their bachelor’s degree transcript.
Please note: most of the classes that count toward the Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies are held in-person. At present, it is impossible to complete all necessary coursework remotely.
Program Requirements
A graduate certificate in Women’s Studies requires a minimum of 16 credit hours (four electives and a capstone experience).
Students complete four courses from a list of pre-approved, interdisciplinary offerings (12 credit hours). For upcoming course visit this page. Graduate-level courses not included on the pre-approved list may at times be substituted to count toward the certificate. For approval of course substitutions, please contact the WGSS director (wgss@marshall.edu).
Many of the courses that count toward the graduate certificate in Women’s Studies are offered as 400/500, undergrad/grad classes. Students who took at the 400-level versions of courses as undergraduates may not repeat them at the 500-level. Repeated courses will not count toward the graduate certificate.
The certificate culminates in an independent research project (4 credit hours). Students enroll in HUMN 680 to earn this credit. Students develop their projects under the guidance of faculty mentors. Topics must be approved in advance by the WGSS director. Students should select topics that are interdisciplinary in nature and complement their primary fields of study (e.g. analyzing a work of literature through a feminist lens; applying queer theory to a historical problem; examining how gender identity influences health outcomes in medicine; etc.). Moreover, projects with a strong sense of commitment to women in the Appalachian region and/or a community service element are encouraged. The research project will result in a substantive written thesis and an oral presentation.
Plan of Study
Electives (12 hours)
- ANT 572 Language Gender Body
- ART 504 Iconography of Mary
- CJ 505 Women and the CJS
- CJ 506 Race, Ethnicity, Class,& Crime
- CJ 540 CJ Response to Dom Violence
- COUN 616 Domestic Violence
- CULS 620 Women/Men & Cultural Change
- ENG 648 Feminist Rhetorics
- HST 506 Tudor & Stuart England
- HST 507 History of Sexuality
- HST 508 History of LGBT Peoples
- HST 543 20th Century US Women’s Hist
- HST 636 Seminar in Women’s Hst
- PSY 565 Love/Intimacy and Attachment
- PSY 692: Psychology of Women and Gender
- SOC 508 The Family
- SOC 530 Women In Sports
- SOC 555 Sociology of Sex and Gender
- SOC 655 Feminist Social Theory
Capstone Experience (4 hours)
- HUMN 680 Independent Research Symposium
This research colloquium affords students the opportunity to complete independent research or field work under the guidance of faculty mentors teaching in the certificate program. Seminar meetings allow students to share research and examine issues arising from the research.
The research project will result in a substantive written thesis and an oral presentation. The oral presentation will be organized through the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program.