Program Overview

Gender and Women's Studies

Program Overview

Gender and Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary certificate in which students gain knowledge about women and gender through the varied lenses of art, literature, history, psychology, political science, and sociology. Students explore the diverse realities of gender and the lives of women in historical, cultural, social, and global contexts. While examining identity, power, representation, inequality, and social change, particular attention is given to the ways in which gender intersects with other dimensions of inequality such as sexuality, race, class, nationality, religion, age, and disability. By understanding diverse life experiences, students gain perspectives relevant to their personal lives and develop critical, employer-sought skills they can utilize in the 21st century workforce.

Program Details

• Program Number: CERT
• Degree: Certificate
• Area of Study: Law, Protective and Human Services
• Delivery Method: 100% Online, Some Online/Some In Person
• Estimated Time to Complete: 12 Credits | Finish in 1 semester
• Estimated Program Cost: $2,537.34

Curriculum and Experience

• Required Courses:
  • Introduction to Women's Studies (3 credits)
• Additional Course List: Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits from the following:
  • Gay & Lesbian Literature (3 credits)
  • Women In Literature (3 credits)
  • Gender and Women's History in Cultural Representations (3 credits)
  • Human Sexuality (3 credits)
  • Sociology of Relationships and Families (3 credits)
  • Psychology of Men (3 credits)
  • Gender and Politics (3 credits)
  • Sociology of Gender (3 credits)
  • Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies (3 credits)
  • Gender and Women’s Studies-Study Abroad Experience (1 credit)
  • Couple Relationships (1 credit)
  • Art History: Women In Art (3 credits)

Admission

• Admission Requirements: There are no admission requirements for this certificate.
• Application Dates:
  • Fall 2025: Application open, deadline October 15, 2025
  • Spring 2026: Application available September 15, 2025, deadline March 15, 2026
• Additional Notes:
  • Certificate programs are not eligible for financial aid.
  • Class capacity is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Students who have already completed the certificate coursework at the time of application will receive the certificate diploma at the end of the term of application.

Career Outcomes

• Transfer Pathways: Many courses offer a direct one-to-one transfer to University of Wisconsin schools. Direct transferability varies according to major and college of choice.
• Academic and Professional Development: Interested students may choose to pursue opportunities for service learning, internships, conference presentations, and undergraduate publishing.
• Honors Program Participation: Interested students may choose to participate in the Honors Program, working one-on-one on an Honors Project in Gender and Women’s Studies with a supervising faculty member who teaches one of the certificate courses.
• Earn Credits toward an Associate Degree: Credits may be used as electives for a University Transfer associate degree.
• Address six of the eight Madison College Core Abilities: Core abilities are identified by Madison College as the critical skills graduates gain during the course of their studies and use as lifelong learners on the job, at home, and in the community. The Gender and Women’s Studies Certificate curriculum contributes to the following core abilities: communication, critical thinking, ethics, global and cultural perspectives, self-management, and social interaction.

Related Programs

• Race and Ethnic Studies
• University Transfer - Social Sciences
• Interdisciplinary Global Studies