The graduate Certificate in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies (GWSS) requires 16 s.h. of coursework. All students must maintain a Graduate College major program grade-point average of at least 3.00 in work for the certificate.
Certificate requirements include a 3 s.h. foundations course GWSS:5000 Foundations for Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies and a 1 s.h. capstone course GWSS:7400 Graduate Research Conference Presentation. In the capstone course, students revise an existing research-based project into a dynamic GWSS presentation, which they present at the annual Jakobsen Conference or, in some semesters, at a department-sponsored research celebration event.
Certificate students receive advising and research mentorship from the director of graduate studies, and also peer review as part of the scheduled capstone workshops.
The certificate program is open to University of Iowa graduate students working toward a degree; interested students should meet with the director of graduate studies to discuss the program's parameters and how the certificate might best support and enhance their course of study.
Students may not use the same course to satisfy more than one certificate requirement.
The Certificate in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies requires the following coursework.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GWSS:5000 | Foundations for Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| GWSS:7400 | Graduate Research Conference Presentation | 1 |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 16 | |
Electives
Certificate students complete four elective courses (12 s.h.). Elective options include any gender, women, and sexuality studies course (prefix GWSS) or those with a GWSS cross-reference numbered 3000 and above. Students must take at least one elective with GWSS as the course subject. Students are strongly encouraged to include at least one course with a transnational focus; one course with a focus on U.S. diversity; and one interdisciplinary course on theories of gender, women, feminism, and/or sexuality (or a course squarely outside of their area of specialization). Students are encouraged to take at least one GWSS certificate course outside their home department for the purpose of interdisciplinary breadth. The director of graduate studies can advise and discuss coursework options and parameters with students.