WGSS: Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate Program in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is designed to provide students with a focused program of study of women and gender, and to provide certification of the completion of the program on a graduate transcript.  Students may enroll in the Program either as a stand alone program or in combination with a graduate degree program in another department.  A graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies may be particularly appealing to students in the humanities, social sciences, or science who seek academic employment in interdisciplinary women’s studies programs, perhaps in addition to a main appointment in their home discipline.  It would also be useful for those who currently work with or hope to work with women’s organizations or in supervisory capacities in business or government.

WS 801: Women and Gender Studies: Theory and methods (3 hours)
This course will be an intensive interdisciplinary overview of the major theories and research approaches in literature on women and gender.  The topics covered will include the following: 1. An overview of feminist theories; 2. An overview of how feminist theories can be integrated with research methods in various disciplines; 3. Examples of applications of feminist theories and methods to specific content areas.  The course will be taught every Fall semester beginning in 2002, and will be open only to graduate students.

WS 898: Research colloquium (3 hours)
This course is the capstone to the Graduate Certificate program.  In this colloquium the members of the seminar will produce a major paper and will share their research.  During the first part of the term a small number of visitors (Professors at KU and/or visiting speakers from other universities) will be invited to assign readings and subsequently present their work on women and gender.  This course will be coordinated by a member of the Women’s Studies faculty.  Students will be expected to attend the Gender Seminar of the Hall Center for the Humanities, and the instructor of WS 898 will coordinate with the Director of the Gender Seminar to make optimal use of the Gender Seminar.
Prerequisite: WS 801 and at least 3 hours of other graduate work in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies graduate certificate program, or by special permission.

Admissions Procedure
There are two ways to be admitted to the WGSS Graduate Certificate Program.

Students must be accepted into the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, whether as a student in a specific department (graduate program) or as a non-degree seeking student.

Students who are already enrolled in a graduate program at KU, or who have just been accepted into a graduate program at KU, and who wish to be admitted also to the WGSS Graduate Certificate Program should write a letter to the WGSS Graduate Director stating their interest in the WGSS Graduate Certificate Program; and with that letter they should submit a current ARTS form. A graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is required.

Students accepted into the Office of Research and Graduate Studies as a non-degree seeking student (i.e., not enrolled in a specific graduate program) should send a letter to the WGSS Graduate Director stating their interest in the WGSS Graduate Certificate Program, a copy of their current ARTS form, and two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with their academic work or potential for graduate school. Minimum requirements will be a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher is normally required for admission, but the GPA requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Graduate Director.

All letters to the WGSS Graduate Director should be addressed to:

Professor John G. Younger
Director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
213E Bailey Hall
1440 Jayhawk Blvd.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 864-2311
jyounger@ku.edu

Faculty contributing to Certificate Program

Currently there are seven 0.5 FTE permanent faculty, each with a joint appointment in another department of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a 1.0 FTE permanent faculty appointment. Their names, ranks, and other departments are as follows:

Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka, Associate Professor, Theatre and Film
Hannah Britton, Associate Professor, Political Science
Tanya Hart, Assistant Professor, American Studies
Charlene Muehlenhard, Professor, Psychology
Ayu Saraswati, Assistant Professor, WGSS
Ann Schofield, Professor, American Studies
Akiko Takeyama, Assistant Professor, Anthropology
Marta Vicente, Associate Professor, History
John Younger, Professor of Classics, Director of Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies

Additionally, there is a Graduate Faculty composed of faculty members from related disciplines. These faculty teach the courses that carry graduate credit toward the Graduate Certificate, and may serve as advisors to students in the Program.

Elective Courses, a selection (other courses may be approved by the Graduate Director)