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Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate
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Why Choose Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies?
The women, gender, and sexuality studies program offers a 15-credit graduate certificate that can be pursued as a complement to any graduate or professional degree program, or by non-degree graduate students who have completed an undergraduate degree. As an interdisciplinary program of designated graduate courses across much of the curriculum, the graduate certificate enables students to develop a specialty or subspecialty in the field of women, gender, and sexuality studies. Students interested in pursuing the graduate certificate as a concentration within their graduate degree program should make an appointment to see the program director at some point by the end of their first semester.
No more than one 5000-level course may count toward the certificate, and all courses for the certificate must be completed with a grade of B or higher. Students may substitute WGS 7200 with three credit hours of a 7000-level seminar in their graduate program, provided the focus of the seminar is women, gender and/or sexuality studies oriented. Graduate students who are required to complete an internship as part of their degree program may apply this toward the “Any Elective” course category, as long as the focus or field work is WGS-related.
Careers
The Market Value of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
When speaking at Smith College in 1949, Eleanor Roosevelt predicted the needs of today’s global workforce: “How well prepared are we to live in a world that has constantly grown smaller and where we must rub shoulders with people of different cultures, of completely different customs and habits and religions, who live under different legal systems, whose languages are different?”
Women and other historically marginalized groups are now a significant part of today's workforce and a training in issues related to women, gender, and sexuality increases your marketability and range of career opportunities. More employers are recognizing the benefits, and often the necessity, of hiring employees with knowledge of and sensitivity to the needs of a diverse workplace.
While many graduates work in related occupations and/or choose to obtain advanced degrees, others find opportunities in different directions. Many careers do not require a specific major, but rather a wide range of demonstrated skills and accomplishments. Graduates from WGSS programs have demonstrated high achievement in social intelligence, synthesizing information, critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving, effective verbal and written communication, knowledge of cross-cultural and international perspectives, organization, and collaborative teamwork – all transferable skills and strengths welcomed by today’s employers.
Good grades, internship opportunities, involvement in college activities and responsible work experience gained through the women, gender, and sexuality studies program will enhance your marketability in today’s competitive, global, and rapidly-changing job market.
What can I do with a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies degree?
Women, gender, and sexuality studies emphasizes critical and creative thinking, communication skills, active problem solving and civic engagement, and prepares students to work from multiple perspectives and with respect to different cultures, identities, and experiences.
As documented in national studies, flexibility, innovation, and integrated knowledge of diverse peoples and practices are skills valued by employers, while many graduates can expect to work in a variety of professions over the course of their lives. A degree in women, gender, and sexuality studies increases your ability to enter an array of graduate and professional programs as well as a broad range of careers in such areas as teaching, public policy, law, business, research, journalism, communications, social and health services, and nonprofit organizations at local, national, and international levels.
Academics and Curriculum
View Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate program information and requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate Checksheet (PDF)
Admission
Apply to The Graduate School at Wright State.
