Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (CERT)

Admission Requirements

Admission to the graduate certificate in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies is open to any student who has completed a BA or BS degree with a 3.0 overall GPA. Students may pursue the certificate outside the framework of a graduate degree program or in conjunction with a graduate degree program in another University of Louisville department.

Students wishing to pursue the certificate must apply for admission to the Graduate School by:

  1. Completing the online graduate application and submitting the application fee, and
  2. Submitting an official transcript reflecting previous degrees earned.
  3. At least two letters of recommendation.

Students must also send directly to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies a one-to-two page letter of intent, describing how the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies graduate certificate will further their personal or professional goals.

Students wishing to pursue the graduate certificate in conjunction with a graduate degree program in another University of Louisville department should first apply and be admitted to the degree program before applying for admission to the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies graduate certificate program.

Program Requirements

  1. Students must complete a total of 15 credit hours in courses approved for graduate credit in accordance with the policies of the Graduate School, approved by the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies director of graduate studies.
  2. One course among the 15 credit hours must be selected from the list of approved Foundation Courses; 12 hours must be WGST electives. Foundation courses may also be used to satisfy electives.
  3. At least two courses must be at the 600-level.
  4. Coursework toward the graduate certificate in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies may also count toward the student's graduate degree.
Required Coursework for the Graduate Certificate in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Choose one of the following Foundation Courses:3
WGST 556Feminist Theory - WR3
WGST 604Community Engaged Research Methods3
WGST 608Queer Performance3
WGST 611Transnational Feminism3
WGST 613U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century3
WGST 642African American Women and the History of Reproductive Justice3
WGST 644Black Lesbian Lives3
Electives in Humanities
Gender and Popular Music - WR
Language, Race, Class, and Gender
Feminist Philosophical Literature
Francophone Women Writers - WR
Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Humanities
Women's Personal Narratives
The Body in Popular Media
Feminism and Science Fiction
Health and Social Justice
Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities
Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities
Electives in Social Sciences
Woman and Sport
African American Women and the History of Reproductive Justice
Women in Developing Countries - WR
Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Social Sciences - WR
Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare
Seminar in the Sociology of Disabilities
Feminism in Western Civilization
Women in the Twentieth Century in Europe and the U.S.
History of American Sexualities
Women in 19th-Century America
Women's Health in Africa
Black Women's Voices
Southern Women: Black and White
Feminist Theory
Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences
Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences
Minimum Total Hours24