Certificate
Part-Time or Full-Time
Fall, Spring
Online
About the Women's and Gender Studies Certificate at Loyola
Women's studies and gender studies play a critical role in advancing social justice. By examining intersections of race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and other aspects of identity, those who dedicate their careers to these disciplines help create a more inclusive and equitable world.
If this is the work you are passionate about doing, Loyola University Chicago's Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate can help you build a strong foundation without committing to a graduate degree. You will learn about various schools of feminist thought, the construction of gender roles, how to challenge gender-based structures and discrimination, and much more.
Program Structure
The Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate is a 12-credit program for students who hold a bachelor's degree that can be completed full- or part-time. Classes are offered online with both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities.
Why Choose Loyola for Your Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies?
At Loyola, you will gain a thorough introduction to topics within women's and gender studies, learning from international scholars in the intersection of migration, social justice, and gender issues. Customizable to your interests and goals, Loyola's WSGS certificate program allows you to prepare for jobs in gender studies or to easily transition into a graduate program.
- A flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum
- A convenient format
- Small class sizes
- Prioritizing decolonial feminism
- Leading WSGS faculty
- Networking opportunities
Take foundational courses in feminist history and methodologies, then choose from courses in global feminisms, queer theory, migration, and other areas of women's and gender studies. You can also take cross-listed courses from another discipline, such as history, law, social work, sociology, and Spanish.
Earn your women's studies and gender studies certificate fully online. With both live and asynchronous sessions, our courses balance convenience with connection.
Create meaningful relationships with peers and your professors. Loyola's small class sizes allow for individualized mentorship, student-led projects, and rich discussions.
Use leading theoretical tools for studying feminism, gender, and sexuality and approach gender studies from global, social justice-oriented perspectives. Loyola's gender studies certificate focuses on decolonial feminism, which seeks to deconstruct normalized Western gender concepts and reintroduce indigenous and post-colonial worldviews of gender into feminist and queer discourses.
Learn from WSGS experts who bring both academic research and lived experiences in international education to the classroom. Our faculty are international scholars who conduct research on a wide range of topics and are native or near-native speakers of several languages, including Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, and Russian.
Meet and work with other professionals using women's and gender studies in their careers. Our program affords you the opportunity to work with faculty, leading agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that advance migration and human rights for all people. Local Chicago students may also participate in fieldwork or internships.
Women's Studies and Gender Studies Department
The Department of Women's Studies and Gender Studies has a four-part mission. To promote deeper understandings of feminist scholarship and gender theory across the humanities, social sciences, and applied professions. To provide innovative, challenging, and thoughtful approaches to teaching and learning for both students and faculty. To acknowledge and honor the diversity of our human community - especially regarding gender, race, class, and sexuality - while working toward social justice. To build and cultivate a community of scholars who are supportive of one another and who carry out our mission in daily practice. Find stories showcasing current students and graduates from the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate program and learn more about why Loyola is right for you.
Department WebsiteDepartment News and StoriesMeet the Faculty
Loyola is proud to have talented and nationally-recognized scholar-teachers as part of our diverse community of exceptional faculty, students and staff. Loyola faculty are known for their commitment to teaching, the dissemination of knowledge through innovative and interdisciplinary scholarly research, and a commitment to social justice and cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Visit the department faculty and staff directory to learn more about the teachers and mentors involved with the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate program.
FacultyWomen's Studies and Gender Studies: Career Connections
You can apply what you learn in Loyola's certificate program to a variety of contexts and fields, including work in law, nonprofit, government, public policy, social work, nursing, and activism. Many of our graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees in women's studies or gender studies to prepare for roles in academia, research, and other settings.
Specific jobs in women's studies and gender studies include:
- Social justice advocate
- Researcher
- Diversity and inclusion specialist
- Policy analyst
- Community organizer
- Lawyer
- Social worker
- Nonprofit program coordinator
- Policy advocate
Because Loyola is a member of the Jesuit network of 27 colleges and universities nationwide, our graduates can access career advising services, resume and interviewing assistance, career fairs and events, and employment listings in our Career Services center, as well as at career centers at other U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook is a good place to start exploring careers in women's studies and gender studies and the pay potential for specific careers and fields that interest you.
Curriculum and Program Outcomes
While courses for the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate program may vary from semester to semester, Loyola’s extensive Academic Catalog will always house the official listing of courses, programs of study, academic policies, degree requirements, and specialization or concentration options.
Additionally, this resource will provide Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate learning outcomes, showcasing the commitment to specific skills and growth graduates can expect to achieve following completion of the program.
Women's Studies and Gender Studies Results and Skills
Loyola's certificate provides you with knowledge and skills you can apply immediately to your current role or future career in gender studies or related fields.
- Cultural competence
- Intersectional analysis
- Advocacy
- Leadership
- Research
- Problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Community engagement
Costs, Scholarships, and Aid
Loyola University Chicago is committed to making your graduate and professional studies a reality. Our Cost & Financial Aid page can help better inform you about the costs and potential funding opportunities through scholarships, loans, and aid for graduate and professional education.
If you are a current Loyola undergraduate or recent alum, you may be eligible for a Returning Rambler discount. Learn more and see if you qualify on our Returning Rambler Scholarship page.
Tuition and Costs
The estimated tuition and fees for the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate totals $13980.00, or 12 credit hours at a cost of $1,165.00 per credit hour. Please note that tuition and fees for all of Loyola's academic programs are subject to change.
For more detailed information about tuition and fees, and a breakdown of how these costs are calculated on a yearly basis, please visit Tuition and Fees from the Office of the Bursar.
The Graduate School Scholarships
Information about funding opportunities within The Graduate School can be found on The Graduate School website.
Appointments and Events
Whether you’re just beginning your search, in the midst of the application process, or eager to explore our graduate and professional programs, our admissions staff is here to assist you every step of the way.
Schedule an AppointmentThe Graduate School offers graduate open houses, information sessions, individual appointments, open Zoom and text sessions, and a multitude of other ways to get to know us better.
View all EventsVisit and Connect With Us
With our visit opportunities, you can tour our beautiful Chicago campuses and learn more about Loyola's ties to one of the most prestigious cities in the world.
Application Process
Application Deadlines
The available start terms and corresponding application deadlines for the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate are listed below. Please keep in mind that both the application and the required materials must be submitted by the specified deadline.
Rolling admissions
Application Requirements
Application requirements for the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate include:
Official Transcripts
1 Letter of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
Writing Sample
Statement of Purpose Details
Please write a brief statement describing your academic and research interests as well as your professional goals. Why does the study of women, gender, and sexuality matter to you? Please note that there is a writing sample requirement that needs to be completed in addition to this section.
Official Documents
Official transcripts are those that are sent directly by the college/university to Loyola University Chicago. Transcripts sent by the student to Loyola are considered unofficial documents, and while they may be utilized for initial review of your application, official transcripts are still required. Official documents should be sent by the institution to gradapp@luc.edu.
International Applicant Requirements
An official English language proficiency exam is required for international applicants whose native language is not English. If you have non-U.S. educational credentials, you are required to submit an official transcript evaluation. The transcript evaluation cannot be waived.
Please visit our International Applicant Requirements page for specific information regarding the application process for international students.
Start Your Application
Applying online to the Women's Studies and Gender Studies Certificate program is a swift, uncomplicated, and cost-free process. After submission, you can proceed to send and upload any additional requirements.
APPLY TODAY