Certificate Program

The Graduate Program in Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies offers a Certificate in Feminist Studies for students enrolled in graduate Ph.D. programs at Duke. We do not currently offer a terminal graduate degree (Ph.D.).

The Certificate in Feminist Studies provides advanced training in feminist scholarship, particularly in queer and feminist analysis, and prepares students for academic careers and alt-academic, post-Ph.D. paths. The certificate program is a robust graduate program, offering students the following:

  • Rigorous training in the interdisciplinary conversations and theoretical currents that are central to gender, queer, intersectional, and feminist analysis;
  • Tailored guidance for topic-specific or disciplinary work on gender, sexuality, and feminist scholarship;
  • A community of scholars dedicated to feminist, queer, and critical-race analysis;
  • Resources and relevant experience—The GSF program is a source of travel grants, research awards, and a dissertation fellowship for scholarship relevant to the field. We also employ graduate students as TAs, RAs, and other positions;
  • Pedagogical training—The certificate program offers pedagogical training through coursework, teaching assistant (TA) roles, mentoring, and opportunities to teach undergraduate GSF courses;
  • Career preparation—In addition to the above, we offer targeted preparation for careers related to Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies and are available to mentor students in their job search.

Students in Duke's Divinity School are encouraged to look into the Certificate Program in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry.

Graduate Scholars Colloquium

In addition to the certificate, the program sponsors a year long, non-credit interdisciplinary research seminar for all graduate students. Known as the Graduate Scholars Colloquium, this seminar meets monthly for dinner and discussion, and is led by two student leaders. You do not need to be enrolled in the Certificate Program to participate in the Graduate Scholars Colloquium.

For additional information (including the application for the certificate program) please contact Director of Graduate Studies.

The Graduate School

Individuals interested in graduate work at Duke University for degree purposes must be formally admitted by The Graduate School. The Graduate School welcomes applications from students who have completed a bachelor's degree. For more information, visit the Graduate School's admissions site.