The Certificate in Gender Studies and Migration for Social Justice is a fully online certificate offered in collaboration with the School of Social Work. This post-graduation opportunity is intended for new students not already enrolled in programs at Loyola University Chicago, particularly, individuals working in professional settings such as social work, nursing, education, public policy, and non-governmental organizations among other academic/professional fields.

In our increasingly global world, migration issues have assumed a front and center position. Gender influences reasons for migrating, who migrates and to where, how people migrate and the networks they use, opportunities and resources available at destinations, and relations with the country of origin. Risks, vulnerabilities and needs are also shaped in large part by one’s gender expression. Yet we believe that the emphasis should not be on biological sex or on women migrants alone. On the contrary, the awareness that sex and gender are not fixed categories or the product of biology should encourage the development of migration theories and social practices aimed at revealing and dismantling the relationships of power that have shaped such social constructions. The roles, expectations, relationships and power dynamics associated with being a man, woman, boy or girl, and whether one identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex (LGBTQI+), significantly affect all aspects of the migration process, and can also be affected in new ways by migration.

The certificate combines the expertise and practice of faculty in Women’s Studies and Gender Studies and the School of Social Work. Its goal is to make accessible theoretical tools of decolonial feminism, which seeks to deconstruct normalized Western gender concepts, with the goal of re-introducing indigenous and postcolonial worldviews of gender into feminist discourse, and contemporary gender studies for social justice from global perspectives.

The certificate program directly tackles the societal challenge of addressing the needs of immigrant populations, particularly with respect to issues of gendered agency, racial and sexual discrimination, and sexual identity. It also stands to have an impact on the promotion of global and community partnerships.

Curriculum

The Certificate in Gender Studies and Migration for Social Justice requires 12 credit hours and is offered online year-round.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
WSGS 401	History of Feminist Thought	3
WSGS 450	Global Feminisms	3
WSGS 497	Topics in Women's Studies and Gender Studies	3
SOWK 732	Migration, Social Justice, and Human Rights	3
Total Hours		12

These courses are intended to foster students’ recognition of how the struggle for gender justice is connected to larger social, economic, political, and cultural forces, local & global.

Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations

Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supercede school policies.

Learning Outcomes

Students completing the program will be able to implement key theoretical concepts in the study of “borders,” identity politics, trans-nationalism, and sexuality from an intersectional and de-colonial lens. They will be able to demonstrate cultural competency in critical theory and familiarity with key issues in different disciplinary realms, such as race theory, migration, diaspora, masculinity studies, transnational studies, Queer theory, film, and visual studies. They will also be able to advocate for humane policies regarding immigration grounded in an understanding of gender expression and social justice animated by Ignatian principles.