Women, Gender, and Leadership Certificate

Professors: Verna DeLauer, Melinda Jetté, Mary C. Kelly, Phyllis Zrzavy
Associate Professors: Leslie Buddington, Jean Dawson, Jessica Landis (Certificate Coordinator)

The mission of the interdisciplinary Women, Gender, and Leadership Certificate program is to develop students’ knowledge of women’s and gender issues, including the interconnections among gender, race, class, sexuality, power, and transnational issues. As critical terms of inquiry, gender and sexuality are examined as social constructs and analyzed for their impact on culture(s). The program includes courses that engage current scholarship in women’s and/or gender studies, including embracing intersectionality, welcoming the LGBTQIA+ community, and eschewing biological essentialism.

A Certificate is offered in Women, Gender, and Leadership for traditional students.

The Women, Gender, and Leadership Certificate that offers an integrative approach to learning about the interconnections among gender, race, class, sexuality, and transnational issues. The program aims to build a supportive environment for women, trans, and gender non-binary students to assist them in the development of leadership skills through a program that integrates theory and practice. To meet this goal, the program combines academic study with participation in internships both on and off campus.

The program and the resulting certificate will credential students as theoretically and materially knowledgeable in women’s and gender issues and thus qualify them for leadership positions requiring such expertise. The program complements the needs of professionals in fields including: education, law, social services, counseling, business, health services, public administration, public relations, media, sports and recreation, criminal justice, journalism, and politics. Goals and objectives are contracted prior to registration and designed to complement or directly relate to a student's major area of study. Internships require a minimum of 40 hours (per credit), which includes on-the-job word and documentation procedures.

To earn the Women, Gender, and Leadership certificate, you must successfully complete a 13-credit course of study.

Certificate Core Requirements

WL115 Introduction to Women, Gender and Leadership-3 credits
WL490 The Women, Gender, and Leadership Seminar-1 credit
WL491 Internship in Women in Leadership or in your major-3 credits

Total 7 credits

Choose two of the following courses 6 credits

CJ320 Inequality, Justice and Reform-3 credits
COMM230 Interpersonal Communication-3 credits
COMM231 Diversity & Media-3 credits
COMM336 Gender in Media Representation-3 credits
COMM337 Children and the Media-3 credits
EN270 Eve was Framed: Women Writers-3 credits
HS322American Gender History-3 credits
HS341 American Women’s History-3 credits
MU201 Women and Music-3 credits
PS405 Theories of Intimate Violence-3 credits
SO220 Families in Society-3 credits
SPME260 Gender, Sports & Media-3 credits
Total credits = 13