Gender Studies, Certificate


At a Glance: program details

Are you a graduate student with plans to teach or conduct research in a career related to gender studies? Through this program's interdisciplinary training, you'll be equipped to tackle important contemporary issues with extensive knowledge about gender research, gender theory, and the ways that gender is structured into our society and culture.

Program Description

Certificate Awarded: Gender Studies (certificate)

The graduate certificate program in gender studies offers graduate students the opportunity to enhance their advanced degrees with demonstrated proficiency in and knowledge about gender research and theories that they may apply in their own fields.

The certificate is pursued in tandem with any graduate degree program at ASU.


Degree Requirements

Curriculum Plan Options

  • 15 credit hours

Required Core (6 credit hours)
WST 601 Critical Concepts of Gender (3)
WST 602 Mapping the Intersections of Gender (3)

Electives (9 credit hours)

Additional Curriculum Information
Elective courses may be chosen from other WST graduate courses or from more than 30 approved courses from other departments throughout the university. Other courses may also be used with the graduate director's approval.

Up to six credit hours not used for another ASU degree or certificate can be transferred from another university, with the graduate director's approval. Courses should be recorded on the transfer section of the student's interactive program of study.


Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

International students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa need to apply to and be accepted to a graduate degree program before being considered for the certificate program. International students residing in the U.S. on other types of visas must adhere to all Graduate College policies and procedures regarding admission to be considered for this certificate program.

The certificate is not offered as a stand-alone, certificate-only program. It is open only to degree-seeking students. However, up to nine credit hours of ASU nondegree credit can be transferred to the program for those who eventually gain admission to an ASU graduate degree program.

Students should see the program website for more information about the certificate and to design coursework.


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Learning Outcomes

  • Will gain an understanding of the key concepts, theoretical frameworks, interdisciplinary approaches and critical debates that have shaped the field of gender studies
  • Will gain an understanding of theoretical concepts, metaphors and frameworks employed by feminist scholars to understand the way gender articulates with other categories of difference

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program have gone on to careers at universities, research and policy institutes, government organizations and nonprofit organizations.

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.