The University of Kentucky Department of Gender and Women's Studies offers a Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies. Students may take complete the certificate as a complement to a graduate disciplinary degree program or as a stand-alone curriculum. The aim of the Graduate Certificate curriculum is to provide a coherent, graduate-level interdisciplinary grounding in Gender and Women's Studies scholarship and to create an intellectual community among faculty and graduate students who share a scholarly interest in Gender and Women's Studies.

University of Kentucky offers the Graduate Certificate of Gender and Women's Studies as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Lexington, United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 1 year, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for gender and women's studies and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on August 21, 2027.
About Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies
Disciplines
Requirements and Admission Criteria for Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies at University of Kentucky
Entry Requirements
- Students seeking admission to the Graduate School must have obtained a baccalaureate degree, prior to the start of the term for which s/he is admitted, from a fully accredited U.S. institution of higher learning or from a recognized foreign institution. An accredited U.S. institution is one that is accredited by the appropriate regional agency (Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, Southern or Western Association of Colleges and Schools). A recognized foreign institution is an institution that is recognized by that nation's Ministry of Education or similar authority as a postsecondary, academic degree-granting institution.
- An overall grade point average of 2.75 on undergraduate work and 3.00 on all graduate work is required by the Graduate School. Individual departments may require higher grade point averages.
- Submission of scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) unless their chosen program indicates otherwise. The Graduate School has no minimum GRE score requirement; individual programs may set specific score requirements and in some cases may require the advanced portion of the GRE.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit either a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score. The University of Kentucky requires a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based). For IELTS, a minimum mean band score of 6.5 is required. Students may also use the Duolingo English Test (only tests taken after July 15, 2019 will be accepted. The minimum score will be 115, and students recommended for admission may also be interviewed by a CESL evaluator. TOEFL essentials may also be used and the minimum overall score is 9.
- Domestic applicants (U.S. citizens or resident aliens) must pay a $65 application fee; international applicants must pay a $75 fee. The application fee is non-refundable.
English Requirements
- IELTSMin 6.5
- TOEFLMin 79
Career Opportunities after Completing Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies
Application and Admission Information
Under ordinary conditions, admission to the Gender and Women's Studies Graduate Certificate curriculum requires the following, with all materials submitted online through Apply_Yourself. Once you have completed and submitted your application materials online, please notify GWS Department Manager, Michelle Del Toro ([email protected]).
- An undergraduate degree
- Admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 in all undergraduate work
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 in any graduate work
- A scholarly writing sample
- A 500-word personal statement, explaining why the applicant wishes to pursue the Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies
- Three letters of recommendation (applies only to students not matriculating in a UK graduate degree program)
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
- Completion of the online certificate application form
**Applicants who are not currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at the University of Kentucky must first secure admission to the Graduate School as post-baccalaureate students. For information on requirements for post-baccalaureate admission to the Graduate School, please contact the Graduate School directly or see the information online. Please send to the Graduate School all and only the materials they require for application. Please submit online through Apply_Yourself only the materials GWS requires for the certificate application (see above). Admission to the Graduate School must, in all cases, precede admission to the Gender and Women's Studies Graduate Certificate curriculum. Please notice that some requirements for the Gender and Women's Studies Graduate Certificate curriculum exceed minimum requirements of the Graduate School for Post- baccalaureate status. For this reason, as well as others, admission to the Graduate School does not guarantee admission to the Gender and Women's Studies Program Graduate Certificate curriculum.
Tuition and Fee Information for Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies at University of Kentucky
How to Apply for Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women's Studies at University of Kentucky
1. Complete UK Graduate Application
2. $75 Application processing fee (non-refundable)
3. Official transcripts in English
4. English proficiency directly from testing center:
- TOEFL: 79 iBT
- IELTS: 6.5
- Duolingo: 115
Deadline to Apply
- April 15 for Fall semester
- August 22 for Spring semester
- Some programs have earlier deadlines

United States of America, Lexington