Graduate Certificate in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies in Charlotte United States | University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The Women's and Gender Studies Program at UNC Charlotte examines how gender shapes social systems and personal lives globally. Gender serves as an analytical framework encompassing women, men, transgender individuals, and those who don't conform to traditional gender norms. Through feminist lenses, the program investigates how cultural, political, and historical forces shape gender identities and societal structures. Our academic work—spanning research, courses, events, and community engagement—analyzes gender in relation to factors like race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, nationality, and sexual orientation. Acknowledging gender's fluidity across cultures and eras, we adopt comparative, interdisciplinary methods with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches. The program provides an undergraduate minor and graduate certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, along with the Triota honor society. Our curriculum helps students recognize gender's impact on personal experiences, knowledge systems, and social structures. Both undergraduate and graduate programs connect theory with real-world application through internships, community projects, and service learning. We cultivate gender-aware thinking to enhance students' academic growth, career paths, and personal lives—equipping them to ask transformative questions that foster more inclusive, just communities.