The Graduate Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies is a 15-hour graduate-level certificate designed to integrate knowledge about women, gender, and sexuality into the chosen field of study of SMU graduate students, while also promoting interdisciplinary study and exchange. It provides an additional credential for students seeking employment in fields where familiarity with feminist scholarship on women, gender and/or sexuality may be an asset.
Eligibility: The student must be enrolled in a graduate program in Dedman College, the Perkins School of Theology, or the Art History department of the Meadows School of the Arts, and must complete the enrollment form available here. Interested students in other programs should contact the Director of Women’s and Gender Studies.
Contact the Director of the WGS Program if you have questions about taking courses outside your department.
Academic Requirements
1. The advanced feminist theory course (WGST 6300/TC 8375), which includes “classic” literature from feminist, womanist and mujerista perspectives and addresses current theoretical issues across several disciplines. It is team-taught by faculty associated with Dedman College and the Perkins School of Theology.
2. Four additional courses relevant to the intent of the certificate. They may be chosen from the list of courses pre-approved by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. See list here. Students are permitted to take six hours of upper-level Dedman or Meadows undergraduate women’s and gender studies courses under the following circumstances:
• They arrange a separate syllabus and assignments in conjunction with the professor of record.
• The syllabus and assignments must be approved by the Graduate Certificate Committee of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.
• They register for such courses using the appropriate graduate-level number (WGST 5310 for 3000-level courses and 6310 for 4000-level courses). WGST 5310 can be taken only once.
Students are encouraged to petition the director of Women’s and Gender Studies for credit for graduate courses in their own departments, including independent studies courses, in which they engage in study appropriate to the intent of the certificate. Appropriate courses taken during matriculation at SMU, but prior to enrollment in the certificate program, may count toward program hours.
Most graduate programs at SMU permit students to take 6 hours outside their own departments. If you have concerns about exceeding that limit, or about incurring financial liability for these courses, please contact the Director of WGS.
3. A major research project or a supervised internship in a setting that addresses issues concerning women and/or gender. This project should be included in the program plan (see How to Enroll). For Ph.D students, the project normally involves an article-length research paper written for coursework; however, if relevant it could include a performance, internship, exhibit, or other project approved by the appropriate adviser. Supervised internship settings for Perkins Master of Divinity students will require a learning goal for women's studies and shall be done in consultation with the Perkins Internship Office.
How to enroll: Graduate students already enrolled in Dedman College but not yet enrolled in the WGS certificate program must file an official (on-line) application with the graduate office available here. To avoid paying a second application fee, they must check the box for McNair Scholars. Please direct questions about filing the on-line application to Barbara Phillips at 214-768-4202 or bphillip@mail.smu.edu.
The application also calls for a plan for completion of the program. Consult the director for sample plans at bnewman@smu.edu.
Students pursuing the M. Div., M. T. S., or C.M.M. degree from the Perkins School of Theology must develop and submit a proposed plan for completion of the certificate with Dr. Evelyn Parker, the program adviser in Perkins.