Women’s Studies Certificate

Program Description

Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field that investigates the evolving experiences and contributions of women and girls within various historical, social, political, personal, and cultural contexts. Drawing upon resources from the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, our department offers a wide range of thought-provoking courses.  Students can expect to study topics like gender, feminism, race, age, class, religion, sexual identity, health and wellness, and reproduction through readings, videos, collaborative projects, and independent research. Women’s Studies provides a supportive environment that encourages women and men to think reflectively and critically, envision constructive new realities, respect human dignity and celebrate diversity, earn a developed understanding of the relationship between personal experience and social conditions, have a sense of humor, and take time for fun.

Program Outcomes

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Gain insight into diverse cultures and understand how culture impacts perspectives.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the individual and institutional dynamics of unequal power relations between groups in contemporary society.
• Develop a foundation of knowledge about women’s roles in and contributions to the economy, politics, the arts, cultures, and society in the United States and around the world.
• Examine the diversity of women’s experiences, past and present, using the concept of gender to identify progress and problems.
• Identify major feminist movements and explain how they shape policies and perspectives in the United States.

Career Opportunities

The Women’s Studies Certificate compliments a wide variety of fields such as human resources, social work, psychology, English, criminal Justice, health, and political science. Students who graduate with this certificate develop skills that are highly valued by employers.  These skills include problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, research analysis, and communication.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must meet the following conditions in order to graduate:

1. College Cumulative GPA Requirement: Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of credits attempted and completed at CLC must be at least 2.0;
2. Residency Requirement: students must complete 25% of their credits at Central Lakes College.

Employment Statistics

For more information regarding employment statistics, career salary information and estimated job growth, follow the resource links below:

https://apps.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/ces/
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm
Salary information from indeed.com