When Bex Staneslow was applying to Ph.D. programs in philosophy, she was looking for intellectual rigor, but also community.

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UMass Amherst stood out immediately—the philosophy Ph.D. program was well ranked, located in a beautiful region of the country and close to her partner’s family in New Hampshire. But just as important to Staneslow was the opportunity to teach at a large public research university serving students from diverse backgrounds.

Staneslow earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Rochester, majoring in psychology and philosophy. Her honors thesis was in philosophy, and she knew she wanted to continue her studies at the doctoral level.

Now pursuing her doctorate in philosophy with research interests in feminist epistemology and ethics, Staneslow knew when she arrived that she would need to think creatively about how to fully support her goals.

During her first year, she enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies in the Department of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies (WGSS), housed in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. It quickly became an integral part of her doctoral experience.

The Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies is an independent, interdisciplinary 15-credit, five-course program that introduces graduate students to a wide range of theories, methodologies, debates and nuanced controversies shaping contemporary feminist scholarship. Courses engage the complex histories of feminisms, feminist movements and feminist theory, while supporting students in multidisciplinary critique, critical reflection and engaged political citizenship.

For Staneslow, the program offered a feminist-centered intellectual community.

“Especially in my first few semesters, I benefited enormously from having an interdisciplinary space that dedicated itself to feminist scholarship,” she said.

One early course, Critical Feminist Pedagogies, reshaped the way she approaches teaching. Through discussions with classmates about formative educational experiences, she began reflecting more intentionally on her own classroom practices.

Another course, Teaching and Learning in Carceral Spaces, combined academic study with hands-on tutoring in a local jail. The experience connected her with UMass Amherst’s Jail Education Initiative and opened doors to teaching in nontraditional learning environments.

“These classrooms gave me a deeper appreciation for the value of education and built resources of adaptability and patience that are invaluable,” she said.

Alongside methodological training, the program strengthened her interdisciplinary writing skills and sharpened her awareness of disciplinary differences—tools she now applies directly to her philosophy research. Additionally, she said, the program reinforced her motivation.

“The Feminist Studies program gave me something less tangible but incredibly important: a reason to keep going,” Staneslow said. “Engaging closely with scholarly work written by activists and being in community with empathetic, resilient scholars inspired me to keep working even when it felt impossible that I’d reach the next step.”

WGSS assistant professor Beaudelaine Pierre said Feminist Studies is the department’s signature program.

“What students are learning here doesn’t stay in the classroom,” Pierre said. “They bring feminist analysis into nursing, biology, architecture, physics and use it to think critically about what’s happening in society and in their own fields.”

With approximately 50 active students drawn from disciplines across campus—including economics, environmental science, labor studies, public health, education, English and philosophy—the certificate is intentionally interdisciplinary.

“That makes our classes especially vibrant,” Graduate Program Director Laura Ciolkowski said. “People are coming from very different disciplinary homes, and we are creating a space for them to be in conversation with each other.”

For many graduate students, the program also fills gaps in their home departments.

“Oftentimes there are students who don’t find opportunities to pursue gender and sexuality studies in their own disciplines,” Ciolkowski said. “Our program allows them to deepen their knowledge, challenge assumptions and move beyond the boundaries of their disciplinary training.”

In addition, the certificate provides professional benefits. Students are eligible to teach in WGSS, receive faculty mentorship, and compete for scholarships, research presentation awards and the Joyce A. Berkman Award.

Staneslow’s experience also reflects the range of options at UMass Amherst, where nearly 30 graduate certificate programs are offered in-person, online and hybrid to allow students to tailor their academic and professional trajectories. 

Graduate certificates provide a fast track to enhancing career marketability without committing to a full advanced degree program. Some learners pursue a certificate to gain a targeted credential aligned with their field; others use certificates as exploratory pathways that may later connect to master’s and doctoral degree programs.

Some of the most frequently awarded certificates in recent years include graduate certificates in in areas ranging from mental health nursing to offshore wind energy and higher education leadership and administration. 

Certificate learners represent a diverse range of backgrounds. Some are established professionals seeking to upskill or deepen expertise. In certain programs, employers even cover tuition costs to support professional development.

Within this landscape, Feminist Studies offers graduate students opportunity to critically examine their own disciplinary locations, strengthen interdisciplinary methodologies and opportunity to teach in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies programs and departments.

For Staneslow, it has already reshaped both her scholarship and her sense of belonging.

“I am so grateful to the UMass Amherst WGSS community,” she said. “I hope that in the next phase of my career, I will be able to find an intellectual community like this one.”

Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies applications are due March 5 for 2026-27 academic year enrollment. For more information about Feminist Studies and other certificate programs, visit the Graduate School programs website or the program host college or school website.