LGBTQ Studies Certificate
The LGBTQ studies certificate will provide you with opportunities for focused, interdisciplinary study of the lives, experiences, identities, and representations of LGBTQ+ people.
About The LGBTQ Studies Undergraduate Certificate
The certificate in LGBTQ studies is a 21-credit interdisciplinary course of study comprised of 15 required and six elective credits designed to complement any student's major field of study.
Students may also the 15-credit minor.
The LGBTQ Studies Certificate Requirements
Students will earn a total of 21 credits, distributed as indicated below. At least 12 credits must be at or above the 300 level. No course with a grade less than “C-” may be used to satisfy the certificate and an overall GPA of 2.0 in the certificate is required for completion. No more than 9 credits can overlap with the student's major. Students will design their programs in consultation with a Women’s Studies advisor.
- The Introductory course – 3 credits – LGBT200: “Introduction to LGBT Studies”
- Capstone Course – 3 Credits
Choose from LGBT488: “Senior Seminar” or LGBT386: “Undergraduate LGBT Internship”
- Electives – 15 credits from across at least 3 different thematic areas
LGBTQ Thematic Areas
- Arts, Technology and Cultural Production
- Transnational Politics and Perspectives
- Institutions, Politics, and/or Social Movements
- Race, Ethnicity, and Class
- Transgender Studies
- Queer and/or Feminist Theory
Sample Four-Year Graduation Plan
21 total credits, minimum of 12 upper level credits
Year 1 (3 credits / 1 course)
- 3 credits, LGBT200: “Introduction to LGBT Studies”
Year 2 (9 credits / 3 courses)
- 9 credits of electives, ex. WMST302: “Feminist, Critical Race, and Queer Theories” (area 6); LGBT350: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and Communication” (area 3); WMST379E: “Caribbean Sexualities in a Global World: Querying/Queering Home” (areas 2 and 4)
Year 3 (3 credits / 1 course)
- 3 credits of elective ex. HIST429E: “Gender and Sexuality in Latin America” (areas 2 and 6)
Year 4 (6 credits / 2 courses)
- 3 credit capstone, ex. LGBT488: “Senior Seminar - Queer Theories: Canons and Counter Genealogies”
- 3 credits of elective, ex. LGBT448O: “Queer and Feminist Thought in Latina/o America” (areas 4 and 6)
Sample Three-Year Graduation Plan
(example of no courses taken freshman year)
21 total credits, minimum of 12 upper level credits
Year 1 (9 credits / 3 courses)
- 3 credits, LGBT200: “Introduction to LGBT Studies”
- 6 credits of electives, ex. WMST302: “Feminist, Critical Race, and Queer Theories” (area 6); LGBT350: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and Communication” (area 3);
Year 2 (6 credits / 2 courses)
- 6 credits of electives ex. HIST429E: “Gender and Sexuality in Latin America” (areas 2 and 6); LGBT350: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and Communication” (area 3)
Year 3 (6 credits /2 courses)
- 3 credit capstone, ex. LGBT488: “Senior Seminar - Queer Theories: Canons and Counter Genealogies”
- 3 credits of elective, LGBT448O: “Queer and Feminist Thought in Latina/o America” (areas 4 and 6)
Pre-2020 LGBTQ Studies Certificate Requirements
Note: Students admitted in or after 2020 should follow the requirements described above. These requirements are for students admitted prior to 2020.
21 Credits
- LGBT 200: ”Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies”
- One lower-level course focused on literature, art or culture by or about LGBT people, either LGBT265 (cross-listed with ENGL265) or LGBT291 (cross-listed with CMLT291)
- One of the following upper-division courses focused on the personal, social, political, and historical aspects of LGBT people: LGBT350, LGBT407 (cross-listed with PHIL407), or LGBT494 (cross-listed with WMST494);
- One of the following upper-division courses focused on literature, art or culture by or about LGBT people: LGBT359 (cross-listed with ENGL359), LGBT459 (cross-listed with ENGL459), LGBT465 (cross-listed with ENGL465); or LGBT327
- One of the following: a. LGBT488: “Seminar in LGBT Studies” b. LGBT386: “Supervised Internship – LGBT Community Organizations”
- Two Electives (one must be upper-division [a course numbered 300 or above]); Students choose elective credits in consultation with their advisor in LGBT Studies.*
Undergraduate Alumni
Learn more about the career and life paths of our alumni, who work in fields ranging from law to social work.
Alumni