Graduate students wishing to participate in an interdisciplinary certificate program are expected to apply by the end of their first year at Washington University. Permission must first be granted by both the chair and the director of graduate studies before students may file an application. No more than one certificate program can be added to a regular course of graduate studies.
Data Science in the Humanities (DASH)
The curriculum for this certificate program addresses data management, statistics, text analysis, geospatial analysis, digital prosopography, data visualization, and information design. It will acquaint any PhD student with new methodologies and techniques and foster an awareness of the theoretical implications of using them. PhD students in good standing should apply before the end of their second year. Applicants should write a letter detailing their interest in data science or digital humanities and any relevant background; their letter should be supplemented by a letter of support from the DGS of the home doctoral program. Students interested in this certificate should contact the program director.
Early Modern Studies
This certificate enables students to develop interdisciplinary and transnational expertise outside of the home department: expertise that can generate innovative work at the dissertation level and beyond. Through courses, reading groups, summer seminars, conferences, and teaching opportunities, certificate students will come into a wider intellectual community of early modern faculty and graduate students from several departments. Interested students should contact the certificate director, Robert Henke, at rhenke@wustl.edu.
Film and Media Studies
This program is designed to provide PhD students with interest in the theories and history of “visual culture” an opportunity to extend their formal intellectual training into film and media studies. Students accepted into the certificate program in Film & Media Studies acquire appropriate graduate level knowledge in film and media studies approaches to criticism, history, and theory.
Higher Education Administration
This certificate provides an overview of historical and contemporary issues in higher education for students who wish to gain a greater understanding of higher education research, policy, assessment and/or administrative practices. Students interested in pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education must take a total of either four courses (12-credit hours) or three courses (9-credit hours) and engage in a three credit hour Mentored Professional Experience (MPE) through the Department of Education.
Language Instruction
The graduate certificate in Language Instruction is an interdisciplinary certificate related to the fields of applied linguistics, second language acquisition, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines that has important implications for the way we teach foreign languages. Students choosing to pursue this certificate explore how an understanding of second language acquisition processes both enriches our knowledge of how the mind works and serves to better inform the ways that foreign language teachers design and implement curricular approaches for different levels and skills.
Translation Studies
The certificate in Translation Studies provides graduate students with training in the theory and practice of translation that focuses on the nuances of culture and language. This certificate is offered through the Comparative Literature program.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
This program offers graduate students the opportunity to broaden their coursework to include the interdisciplinary study of gender and feminist theory. With the approval of the Chair and/or DGS, students who complete the certificate have the option to participate in a joint mentored teaching experience between the home department and WGSS.