Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies | College of Liberal Arts
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Portfolio Program

Text at top: WGS Graduate Portfolio Certificate. A checklist below with the following: 1. Apply Online; 2. Join the List Servs; 3. Take 3-4 WGS Classes; 4. Present at the WGS Grad Conference; 5. Let WGS know when you Graduate. Read more for more info.

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What is the WGS Portfolio?

The Graduate Portfolio Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies is an additional credential available to current graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin, along with their Masters or Doctoral degree.   After completing requirements for the portfolio and graduation, the student's official university transcript will read, "Portfolio in Women's & Gender Studies." A printed certificate from the Center is also available upon request.

The Graduate Portfolio Certificate Program in Women's and Gender Studies builds upon the Center’s rich and broad-based expertise across disciplines and schools/colleges. The program brings together graduate students and faculty from all over campus, and fosters cross-disciplinary dialogue, research and study. Portfolio students develop a specialization unique to their own program of work through WGS courses, scholarly papers, and presentations.

WGS 393 course topics include, but are not limited to: gender and health, feminist literary and cultural studies, race/ethnicity and gender, LGBTQ/sexualities studies, gender and representational issues, women and public policy, feminist theory and research methods, and gender and development.

  • What are the WGS Portfolio Certificate requirements?
    • Complete the online application. 
    • Subscribe to the WGS Graduate Listserv. 
    • For Masters Students: 3 courses for 9 hours of credit in graduate-level WGS classes, with at least 2 classes originating from two different fields of study outside your home department.
    • For Doctoral Students: 4 courses for 12 hours of credit in graduate-level WGS classes, with at least 2 classes originating from two different fields of study outside your home department.
    • Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and a 3.0 GPA in their courses for the Portfolio.  Classes may not be taken for Credit/No Credit.  Undergraduate classes cannot count towards the Graduate Portfolio.
    • Present at the Annual WGS Graduate Student Conference held during the spring semester, at least once while at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • When should I join/apply for the Portfolio?

    ASAP.  Fill out the online application and join our list serve as early as possible so we can count you as part of our Portfolio Program, and you receive all our email announcements.  We have an open application.

  • What are benefits of the WGS Portfolio Program?

    Students enrolled in the WGS Portfolio program may be nominated for annual WGS graduate awards and may apply for $100.00 in CWGS travel funds, if presenting a paper at an academic conference.

    The Annual WGS Dissertation Award is available exclusively to WGS Portfolio Students.  WGS Portfolio Students are also eligible to apply to the Romero Award. 

    The applications for these awards can be found here: liberalarts.utexas.edu/wgss/scholarships-and-awards/graduate/

  • When do I find out if I was accepted into your Portfolio Program?

    We do not send out formal admissions notices. Our online application will show a confirmation message after you submit your information.  As long as you filled out the online application and join the list serve, you are considered part of the program!  You should keep in touch via the list serve with the WGS Graduate Coordinator, and let us know when you are graduating.

  • When do I find out if I was accepted into your Portfolio Program?
    I am required.
Text on Top: WGS Portfolio Course Requirements. Below is a checklist: 1. WGS 393/outside home dept 1; 2. WGS 393/ outside home dept 2; 3. WGS___ (any grad-level class); 4. PhD students: additional WGS Grad-level class; 5. Let WGS know when you graduate!

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What happens when I am finished with requirements and ready to graduate?

  • Upon completion of requirements and pending graduation from the University of Texas at Austin, students should notify the WGS graduate coordinator.
  • Certificates are processed during the same semester that graduate degrees are awarded.
  • After completing requirements for the portfolio and graduation, the student's official university transcript will read, "Portfolio in Women's & Gender Studies."
  • A printed certificate from the Center for Women’s & Gender Studies can be mailed to graduates upon request.
  • What do you mean by outside my home department?

    Most WGS courses originate in other departments.  Since this is an interdisciplinary program, we want two of the courses you take to originate in departments outside your home department.  A WGS course that is cross-listed with your home department does not count as "out of department." 

    You can check cross-listing or home department information by clicking on the WGS course unique number from the course schedule.  This will open a window with more information about the class, including its field of study.  You will see the home department listed as “Same As”.

    (Example: Click to see a screenshot of the course schedule. This WGS course originates in the English department.)

  • I was in a graduate class that was cross-listed with WGS, but not enrolled in the WGS section. Can I count it for the Portfolio?

    As long as the class is cross-listed with WGS, then yes - we can count any of the sections for the Portfolio.

  • Will you count classes I took before I joined the Portfolio?

    As long as they were WGS graduate classes and you have not had a break in enrollment, then yes, we can count them.

  • I took all my WGS classes in my home department? Can I count them?

    This is an interdisciplinary program, and it requires students to take at least 2 courses in 2 different fields of study outside their home.  We can count some of the WGS courses from your home department, but not all of them. 

  • Can I count Undergraduate classes for my Graduate Portfolio?

    This is a Graduate Portfolio program and your classes must be for Graduate Credit.  Portfolio Students may not count undergraduate courses towards their Graduate Portfolio coursework.  The WGS 394 Conference Course is available as alternative for enrollment in relevant topic courses.  If there is an undergraduate course that interests you, you should contact the professor and ask if you can take it as a graduate conference course (WGS 394) with them.  Unfortunately, there is no WGS 394 retro-credit awarded for undergraduate courses, so make sure to enroll in the WGS 394 Conference Course instead of a WGS undergraduate section.  The WGS 394 Conference Course may only be taken once.

"WGS Portfolio Program with LGBTQ Studies Track" also available.

Requirements for Master's students: 

Completion of 3 courses that fall within the LGBTQ Studies subject area, with 2 of the 3 courses from outside student's home department. Courses should be listed in the Recommended Course List (Pink Book), taught by LGBTQ Studies Faculty Affiliates, or the approved by the LGBTQ Studies Program Director.  For more information visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/lgbtq/

Requirements for Doctoral students: 

Completion of 4 courses that fall within the LGBTQ Studies subject area, 2 of the 4 courses from outside student's home department. Courses should be listed in the Recommended Course List (Pink Book), taught by LGBTQ Studies Faculty Affiliates, or the approved by the LGBTQ Studies Program Director.  For more information visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/lgbtq/

Additional LGBTQ Studies Track Portfolio Requirements:

  • Students must participate in LGBTQ/Sexualities Research Cluster Events each semester.
  • Students must present at the Annual WGS Graduate Student Conference held during the spring semester, at least once while at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Students must notify the WGS Graduate Coordinator on their progress.
  • After completing requirements for the portfolio and graduation, the student's official university transcript will read, "Portfolio in Women's & Gender Studies." A printed certificate from the Center is also available upon request.  An in-house certificate will be awarded for the "WGS Portfolio Program with LGBTQ Studies Track."
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