The Gender, Peace, and Security Certificate provides Georgetown graduate students with a rigorous academic treatment of critically important but often overlooked issues. As the international community increasingly recognizes the value of gender-sensitive peace and security efforts, the certificate focuses on topics related to gender dynamics and gendered experiences in conflict and peacebuilding. It is not designed solely for those seeking careers in women’s issues, but also for those whose careers will demand an intersectional and comprehensive understanding of defense, development, and diplomacy theory and practice.
The certificate is available to current Georgetown University graduate students.
Objectives
- Provide essential analysis, expertise, and practical skills on issues in Gender, Peace and Security.
- Develop theoretical and substantive background necessary to understand, explain, and respond to complex global issues with a gender lens.
Course Requirements
To earn the certificate, students must complete 15 credit hours of coursework, including:
- FOUNDATION (3 Credits): MSFS 571/GOVT 570: Gender, International Security and Development (offered each spring).
- SPECIALIZATION (3 Credits): Two advanced modules (1.5 credit) or one advanced course (3 credit) offered by GIWPS. The topic and focus of the modules/course will vary annually in order to appeal to various students, build skills, and prepare students for a range of careers. View our Graduate Course list.
- FLEX (9 Credits): Additional coursework that applies a gender lens to security, diplomacy, development, or International Affairs more broadly. To fulfill this requirement, students can select from a pre-approved list of courses or can adapt a course, capstone project, or thesis to integrate a gender perspective into course assignments and readings. A list of courses that have been successfully adapted can be found here.
Relevant coursework completed during the 2019/20 academic year may be submitted for consideration with a detailed explanation by the student outlining how they see the course counting towards this requirement. Students who have successfully had past course work count toward the Certificate have been able to show a robust engagement with a gender perspective in their assignments. Prior coursework that does not have an obvious and thorough engagement with a gender perspective will not be considered.
In addition, students must achieve an overall GPA of 3.2 and a cumulative GPA of 3.5 for Certificate courses.
Application
If you are interested in pursuing the Gender, Peace and Security certificate, please complete the GIWPS GPS Certificate Application. In the application form, students must outline a tentative plan for completing the certificate requirements. See an Example Student Plan for reference. If your plan includes adapting courses (elective or core) to integrate a gender lens, please indicate which courses you anticipate counting toward the Certificate. Once students enroll in a proposed FLEX course, they will be required to detail how they will adapt course assignments/requirements to integrate a gender perspective and get sign-off from the professor and GIWPS, as needed. Students should return completed applications to Dr. Jessica Smith at Jessica.Smith@georgetown.edu.
More Information
Students interested in the GPS Certificate can contact Dr. Jessica Smith at Jessica.Smith@georgetown.edu for more information.