The Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies is an exciting educational opportunity offered by the Graduate School for promising students and other individuals to think and to speak critically; to plan quality research; and to contribute to policy discussions on topics concerning women.

Housed at Howard University, the program has the advantage of highlighting the lives and contributions of women of color and of diverse cultures. Women's Studies is not simply a study of women; it also involves critical reflection on the process of knowing and on the established understandings of history, literature, society, the arts, and the sciences. Reflecting the Mission of the University, the emphasis is on gathering and using information to enhance the quality of women's lives and to solve the social problems facing women, particularly women of color, in the United States and throughout the world.

• Focused course work and guided research
  • One introductory course
  • Four women's studies courses
• 15-hour academic degree program, excluding internship
  • Courses currently available within such departments as psychology, art, sociology and anthropology, political science, history, modern languages and literature and African studies
• Internship of 100 hours
• Interdisciplinary studies
• National and international issues
• Focus on women of color
• Diverse and unique array of courses from different departments
• A mentoring relationship with faculty
• Opportunities to present work at symposia
• Involvement in a range of lectures and presentations
• Individualized help of the Graduate Program Director or faculty advisors
• Internships in a variety of agencies and organizations

The Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies will enhance the graduate degree by providing

• A professional credential to supplement other training
• Interdisciplinary breadth to the master's or Ph.D. degree
• Expertise in Women's Studies theory and research
• In-depth knowledge of the role of gender in the past, present, and future
• Unique strengths in teaching and research
• Opportunities to engage in problem-solving on a wide range of issues critical to women