Contact Information:

Banu Subramaniam
Graduate Certificate Program Director

Nancy Patteson
Graduate Certificate Program Coordinator and Advisor

OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE

As a nationally recognized undergraduate major and minor program, the Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been in operation for over 30 years. We have developed an undergraduate curriculum that has become a model for many across the country. The program is grounded in a sequential series of historical and theoretical courses developed by our faculty and recently revised to reflect an integrative approach to the interconnection between gender, race, class, sexuality and transnational issues. The program has also encouraged and supported courses offered by some traditional departments that have, in turn, restructured their own undergraduate curricula in response to feminist scholarship. The success of the undergraduate major and minor, coupled with the dramatic achievements in feminist research itself, has created a demand for more advanced curricular and research-oriented interdisciplinary work.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

Admission to the Certificate Program is contingent upon, (1) prior admission to the Graduate School of the University into a graduate degree-granting department, or (2) after prior completion of a graduate degree and acceptance as a non-degree student.

The candidate should demonstrate a commitment to, and evidence of, research or organizational experience in feminist concerns. A general knowledge of feminist scholarship is expected, and a background in feminist theory and/or activism with women's issues is preferred, but an undergraduate major in Women's studies is not required as prerequisite for admission to the program.

Students interested in admission to the Certificate Program should meet with Nancy Patteson, Graduate Program Coordinator and Advisor in the Women's Studies Office, 208 Bartlett Hall or call (413) 545-1922. There is an internal applicaton form that must be completed. Students will also be asked for a partial copy of their graduate school application which they can get from their primary degree granting program. Non-degree students must apply first to the Graduate School. Contact Graduate Admissions, Goodell Building for a non-degree student application.

Upon admission to the certificate program each student will meet with both the graduate program coordinator and the graduate certificate program director to plan their program of study. A list of affiliate faculty mentors is available for student's committee support. Successful completion of the required course work will constitute a certificate in Advanced Feminist Studies.

CURRICULUM

The curriculum is designed to ground students in the evolving tradition of feminist scholarship while supporting them as they utilize feminist perspectives within their own fields of study. The certificate emphasizes the development of theoretical perspectives, research and analytical skills from an integrative perspective, meaning by this the interaction of race, class, gender and sexuality in a national and/or global perspective. Specifically the certificate seeks to enable its students to acquire skills and competencies in four general areas:

1. feminist theory
2. women’s history, literature and the social and natural sciences
3. intercultural research with a focus on women of color
4. feminist research and methods

REQUIREMENTS

The program consists of the following requirements to fulfill the minimum 15 credits.

Five Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies graduate courses:

• Two core approved graduate courses:
  • Feminist Theory: A background in theory is required for admission and, in addition, this course is both a foundational core requirement and prerequisite for the Issues in Feminist Research Seminar. Course content explores an integrative perspective* and may examine selected paradigms in feminist theories.
  • Issues in Feminist Research Seminar: A three credit methods seminar with course content that explores an integrative analysis and may examine selected paradigms in feminist theory.

• Two interdisciplinary approved electives from the following categories:
  • Feminist Approaches to History, Literature and the Social and Natural Sciences: Students will choose an approved elective that focuses largely on women's roles, issues and concerns, and is guided by feminist analysis.
  • Intercultural Perspectives: Students will choose an approved course that examines the lives of populations of women of color.

• A final research project - WOMENSST 793A:
  

A Committee of two must be named and a research prospectus submitted to the Graduate Certificate Coordinator before starting the final research project.  Once approved Certificate students work with the GCPD, who may supervise the project or assign and work with one of the associated faculty to serve in this capacity.  Students working on their final research projects are expected to work closely with both committee members and the Graduate Certificate Program Director and will participate in a public oral presentation of their research.

Research project options include but are not limited to a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation; a publishable research paper or project of outstanding quality; a book chapter; a performance or multimedia presentation. Whatever the field of study, the research paper must focus on the intersection of race, class, gender, sexuality and, if relevant, transnational issues.  It can be developed from 1) a paper submitted to meet one of the core requirements; 2) prior research; 3) a practicum or other project.  The disciplinary advisor and the Graduate Certificate Program Director will evaluate the project for final approval.  A final copy of the research project is to be left with the program office.  Students completing the Certificate are eligible to apply for the Glennie L. Jones Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate Feminist Scholarship, an award sponsored by one of the alumna.

Courses will be offered and coordinated by core, adjunct and associated graduate faculty of the Women’s Studies Program.  A program coordinator is available for advising and the Graduate Program Director provides supervision of research.  For further information, contact the Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies Program, 208 Bartlett Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. 01003.  Telephone (413)545-1922.

*By integrative we mean the intersection of race, class, gender and sexuality in a national and/or global perspective.