The Graduate Certificate in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is designed for students currently enrolled in a Northeastern University master’s or doctoral program. The certificate aims to provide enhanced competency by:
- Analyzing contemporary feminist theoretical frameworks, methodologies, issues, and topics and their relation to established disciplines
- Focusing on the intersection of gender with sexuality, race, class, and other vectors of power and identity
- Broadening and enriching analytical skills in one or more disciplines while drawing on the interdisciplinary perspectives of WGSS
- Challenging the traditional separation of academic theory from political and professional practice
Prospective certificate students are advised initially to consult with the WGSS program director and the advisor in their home department to develop a plan for completing the certificate.
In addition to the College of Social Sciences and Humanities certificate, there is a specialized pathway for students enrolled in the Master of Public Health program. These students are able to apply theories, concepts, and methods gained from the WGSS certificate to urban health issues. Students work closely with advisors in their home school and in WGSS to select a course of study to complete the certificate, including incorporating gender and sexuality studies into their MPH coursework as final projects/papers and naming a WGSS faculty member to their capstone committee, if using the capstone as an elective for the certificate. Students using the capstone toward their certificate must also enroll in a 1-credit directed study with the WGSS faculty who will sit on their committee. Note: Students pursuing the BS/MPH accelerated program and WGSS certificate should wait until they have matriculated into the MPH program to declare the certificate and to begin coursework toward the WGSS certificate.
Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.
Foundational Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All students, regardless of disciplinary background, must complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Theorizing Gender and Sexuality | ||
| Queer Theory: Sexualities, Genders, Politics | ||
or SOCL 7100 | Queer Theory: Sexualities, Genders, Politics | |
General Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Complete two courses according to the instructions from the electives list (below the MPH option). At least one should come from outside the student's home department. | 8 | |
MPH Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPH students should plan to take one foundational required course from the list above and to focus final projects in core MPH courses on gender/sexuality in public health. | ||
| Electives | ||
| Complete 8 semester hours according to the instructions from the electives list. One course may be the capstone, if the topic selected focuses on gender and/or sexuality in connection to the selected urban health issue and the student enrolls in a 1-semester-hour directed study with the WGSS faculty member who will sit on the capstone committee. | 8 | |
Electives List
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one course must come from outside the student's home discipline. Any foundational course not taken to complete the required foundational coursework may be taken as an elective but may not count as both the foundational requirement and an elective. Electives outside this list, particularly special topics courses not listed here, may be chosen in consultation with program director. Students may also consider courses at the Graduate Consortium for Studies of Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality (located at MIT). MPH students, in conversation with their advisors, may substitute PHTH 6910 for one elective. | ||
| Gender and Development Economics | ||
| Feminist Resistance | ||
| Public Health Capstone (with 1-SH directed study) | ||
| Feminist Resistance | ||
| Gender and Social Movements | ||
| Gender and Social Policy | ||
| Social Movements in Health | ||
| Queer Theory: Sexualities, Genders, Politics | ||
| Feminist Resistance | ||
| Theorizing Gender and Sexuality (if not taken as core course) | ||
| Queer Theory: Sexualities, Genders, Politics (if not taken as core course) | ||
| Feminist Inquiry (if not taken as core course) | ||
| Special Topics in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Directed Study | ||
Program Credit/GPA Requirements
12 total semester hours required
Minimum 3.000 GPA required