Women’s Studies, Graduate Certificate

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 and 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. The certificate by itself is not eligible for Financial Aid. 

All interested applicants should submit a graduate admission application and select "Certificate (PB): Women's Studies" as their program of choice.

Applicants must hold a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accepted, accredited undergraduate institution and have earned an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4 from 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. 

Graduation 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). 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.

Course Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Select four electives from the following list. 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).		12
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
SOC 508	The Family
SOC 530	Women In Sports
SOC 555	Sociology of Sex and Gender
SOC 655	Feminist Social Theory
HUMN 680	Independent Research Symposium 1	4
Total Credit Hours		16

¹

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 HUMN 680 Independent Research Symposium 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.