Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Graduate Certificate

To earn a graduate certificate at Washington University, a student must be currently enrolled in an applicable Washington University PhD program; apply and be accepted to the graduate certificate program; complete all courses required by the academic unit offering the certificate; maintain satisfactory academic progress; fulfill all academic and residence requirements; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student. Graduate certificates are not standalone programs and are only available to current students in applicable Arts & Sciences doctoral programs. Thus, graduate certificates are conferred at the same time as the student’s PhD. 

Program Requirements

• Total Units Required: 12
• Certificate Length: Three or four semesters. Earning the certificate should not increase a student's expected time to degree.
  • Note: Students must be enrolled in 9 graduate credits each semester to retain full-time status. As students complete their coursework, if enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate credits, they must enroll in a specific Arts & Sciences graduate course that will show 0 units but does count as full-time status. Students should connect with their department to ensure proper enrollment prior to Add/Drop.
• Grade Requirement: The minimum grade for coursework to count toward the certificate is a B.

Graduate students interested in the graduate certificate in WGSS should first apply for admission to the Washington University department in which they wish to obtain an advanced degree. After being admitted, each student should notify their department advisor and the WGSS program director of their plans to obtain the WGSS certificate. Students must apply for the certificate by the end of their first year, unless granted an exception by the DGS. Each student should submit an "Application for Admission to Certificate Program" form to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, with a copy also given to the WGSS office. The earlier that the WGSS department knows who these students are, the earlier these students can be included in mailings about program activities, lectures, conferences, and other events. Certificate application forms are available from the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Required Courses

The graduate certificate in WGSS requires the completion of four courses, at least two of which must be drawn from 5000-level WGSS courses. The additional two required courses must be drawn from 5000-level WGSS courses or from gender-themed courses in other departments approved by the WGSS Director of Graduate Studies. Only 6 credits (two courses) can count for both the student's PhD program and the WGSS certificate. Students should first consult the WGSS Director of Graduate Studies for approval.