Program Admission

Graduate School Application

After reviewing the admission requirements below, please select the appropriate application. The University is transitioning application platforms; pay close attention when selecting the application below.

• 2021-2022 Application (Winter 22)
• 2022-2023 Application (Summer 22, Fall 22, or Winter 23)  

The program you are applying to may not accept applicants every semester.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

Admission Requirements

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

A four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. In addition, a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program, is required for full admission. Applicants who do not meet minimum admission requirements may be considered for conditional admission. See International Admissions for international applicant requirements.

• Prior completion of at least 2 courses with substantial content on women and/or gender (with a grade of B or better), or completion of at least 1 course with substantial content on women and/or gender (with a grade of B or better) and concurrent registration in either WGST 200  or WGST 202 .
• A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, with 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program, or a minimum 3.0 in graduate coursework previously taken.
• A written statement of 2-3 pages (double-spaced) that demonstrates graduate-level writing and proficiency and includes:
  • An explanation of the student’s academic goal–specifically areas in the field of WGST that they find particularly appealing, professors at EMU with whom they would like to work with and why, and ideas related to the field of WGST and the role of women in society, that they hope to pursue in the course of graduate study.
  • An explanation of the student’s professional goals and the ways in which their WGST certificate will help to attain those goals.
  • A discussion of any prior professional and/or community-based experience related to women and/or gender, and how that informs the student’s understanding of the field of women’s and gender studies.
  • An explanation of how previous coursework related to women and/or gender shaped that student’s desire to pursue further study; e.g. the particular courses and writers that have influenced him or her.
• Two letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or others addressing the student’s professional or academic preparation and ability to successfully complete the graduate certificate.
• For students whose first language is not English, demonstrated English language proficiency as shown by official test scores of 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a 91 on iBT.

Department Information

Women’s and Gender Studies | Peter Higgins, Ph.D., Department Head | 701 Pray-Harrold, 734.487.1018, phiggin1@emich.edu

Advisor Information

Mary Elizabeth Murphy​, Ph.D., Professor, 714S Pray-Harrold, 734.487.3183, mmurph54@emich.edu

Degree Requirements: 12 hours