WGS Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program offers a program of study leading to a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in women’s and gender studies that prepares graduates for interdisciplinary teaching; careers in nonprofit, governmental, and corporate venues; and entry into professional degree programs in such fields as law, child development, and public health. The program combines core courses, elective courses, independent study, and/or internship integrating theory and practice.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a statement of goals describing how their previous study and experience have prepared them for the certificate program and specifically how their academic/professional goals may be advanced through study in WGS. No test scores (GRE, MAT) are required; however, if applying for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate along with another degree program, please refer to the degree granting department for admission test requirements. Candidates may present a baccalaureate degree in any field.

Application Procedures

Program Requirements

Fifteen (15) hours must be successfully completed during five academic years to earn the certificate. At least 9 hours of course work must be at the 600 level or above. Courses fulfilling the certificate program may be used to meet the requirements in a degree program in accordance with the policies of The Graduate School. .

Curriculum

Curriculum requirements consist of a core course (3 hours), either an internship (3 hours) or independent study (3 hours), and a minimum of 9 hours of electives. Students enrolled in a graduate degree program must take at least 3 hours of course work (exclusive of the internship) outside the degree-granting department.

Required Core Courses (3 hours)

WGS 650 Feminist Theory: Intersections of Gender, Race, and Class (3)

The courses below may be taken in substitution for WGS 650 with permission of the advisor. These may also serve as electives.

WGS 651 Feminist Research Analysis (3) (with permission of instructor)
CST 659 Communication and Gendered Communities (3)
ELC 678 Feminist Theories and Education (3)
ELC 680 Transnational and Postcolonial Feminist Perspectives (3)
ENG 531 Feminist Theory and Women Writers (3)
ENG 688 Women’s Rhetoric and Feminist Pedagogy (3)
HDF 624 Feminist Theory and Research Methodologies (3)

Internship or Independent Study (3 hours)

Students must take either:

WGS 600 Independent Study (3)
WGS 601 Women’s and Gender Studies Internship (3)

Electives (9 hours)

Minimum of 9 hours chosen from among the following or other courses as approved by the advisor and the chair of the Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Program Committee:

WGS 600 Independent Study (3) (if not taken as requirement)
WGS 601 Women’s and Gender Studies Internship (3) (if not taken as requirement)
WGS 698 Culminating Project (3) (with permission of the Director of Graduate Study)
CED 574a Contemporary Topics in Counseling: Counseling Women (3)
CST 659 Communication and Gendered Communities (3) (if not taken to meet core requirement)
ELC 609 Epistemology and Education (3)
ELC 664 Foundations of Interpretive Inquiry (3)
ELC 698 Gender, Art, Politics, and Pedagogy (3)
ESS 532 Women in Sport and Physical Activity (3)
ESS 630 Sport and Society: Social Inequalities (3)
HDF 673 The Family in Comparative Perspective (3)
HEA 662 Gender and Health (3)
HEA 665 Violence and Public Health (3)
HIS 530 History of Sexuality: Selected Topics (3)
HIS 551 Gender and History: Selected Topics (3)
MLS 610 Culture and Ideas (3) (when focus is on gender)
MLS 620 Human Nature and Society (3) (when focus is on gender)
TED 555 Multicultural Education (3)

Many graduate courses focusing on gender are offered under special topics numbers. Each semester the Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Program will designate courses that meet WGS certificate requirements. Students should check the Women’s and Gender Studies Program web site or the Schedule of Courses for a current listing.

Internship (3 hours)

WGS 601: Women's Studies Internship
Required of students taking the certificate who are not enrolled in a degree program at UNCG.

Obtaining your Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies

The semester prior to completing your certificate and/or graduating from your program, you should submit a completed Plan of Study listing the coursework taken that meets the program requirements. 

You must formally apply for graduation at the Graduate School by the end of the first week of classes during the term in which they plan to graduate.

Information on applying for graduation:  http://www.uncg.edu/grs/current/graduation_application.html

 There is no graduation charge for Certificate candidates.

WGS Certificate students who are in degree programs may choose to obtain their certificate with their degree, or at the time of completion.

Plan of Study

Graduation Procedures