The Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies (WGST) is designed to complement a CU graduate disciplinary degree program—providing graduate students the opportunity to engage a variety of scholarly and methodological approaches to the study of gender and sexuality. Students are encouraged to apply for the WGST Graduate Certificate early in their course of graduate studies; students enrolled in the program will get priority if placed on a waitlist for a graduate-level WGST course.

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Requirements:

Twelve (12) total credit hours, to include:

• Nine semester hours of required course work in Women and Gender Studies.

At least three of the following four courses:
WGST 6090: Feminist Theories
WGST 6190: Feminist Methodologies
WGST 6796: Queer Theories
WGST 6290: Topics in Women and Gender Studies
(WGST 6290 topic varies by semester; only 3 credit hours will count towards this 3 credit certificate requirement.)
Note: None of the three required WGST courses may be taken as independent study.

• One additional course approved by the WGST Graduate Director (of at least three credit hours).

This course should focus on issues related to women, gender, and/or sexuality, and it should take an interdisciplinary approach. It is advisable that the course be taken either outside the student’s home department or as an additional course in WGST. However, students may—with approval of the WGST Graduate Director—take it within their home departments. Independent study courses taken with faculty not affiliated with WGST will not count for the Graduate Certificate. Independent study courses taken with WGST faculty members may count only in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Graduate Committee.

Note:
The minimum acceptable grade for courses submitted for the WGST Graduate Certificate is a B.
Minimum GPA for all courses submitted for the WGST Graduate Certificate is a cumulative 3.5.

Procedures:

To be accepted into the Certificate program a student must:

1. Complete the Graduate Certificate Application.
2. Once approved, the student should meet with the WGST Graduate Director who will be responsible for approving courses and ensuring that the student completes their course work and submits an updated transcript. The student will receive the Graduate Certificate when the Graduate Director has signed the final approval form, confirming that all requirements have been met. Graduate Certificates are typically awarded during the spring graduation ceremony.

For more information on the Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies please call 303-492-8923.

Graduate Certificate Forms

Graduate Certificate Application