The focus of the graduate certificate in Studies in Equity and Social Diversity in the U.S. is to (1) increase understanding of the meaning of social diversity and equity (DE) in the United States and (2) consider the application of this knowledge to real world situations such as workplace bias and fairness, teaching environments, youth sports and recreation activities, work with and for community nonprofit agencies, and more. Through interdisciplinary coursework, the main objective is to offer graduate students and working professionals the necessary tools to supplement their degrees and professional positions with a stronger understanding and historical background of core domains relevant to social differences and their meanings. These domains include but are not limited to intersectional identities of race, ethnicity, gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, disabilities, religion, regional background, veteran status, citizenship status and nationality. Select courses will be offered with multiple partners across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Education.
Admission to Graduate Studies
An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Graduate Admission
Any applicant seeking to pursue a graduate certificate in Studies in Equity and Social Diversity in the U.S. must submit the application for graduate study. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
New Applicants
Applicants who are not already enrolled in a KU graduate program must have completed a bachelor’s degree. Applicants should include the following materials in their application to the certificate program.
- A statement of purpose outlining their interest in the Studies in Equity and Social Diversity in the U.S. graduate certificate
- Copy of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
Non-native speakers of English must meet English proficiency requirements.
Current KU Graduate Students
Applicants already in a KU graduate program must be in good standing with their home department to be eligible for admission the certificate program. Current KU graduate students should include the following materials in their online application:
- A statement of purpose outlining their interest in the Studies in Equity and Social Diversity in the U.S. graduate certificate
- A letter of support from their faculty advisor or the Director of Graduate Studies in their home academic unit
Contact
Visit the Institute for Leadership Studies website for more detailed information about the application process.
Graduate certificate coursework focuses on the experiences of U.S. racial/ethnic minorities (e.g. African American/Black, Native American/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Latinx) and on U.S. marginalized populations (e.g. gender, gender expression, sexuality, disabilities). Students must take a total of 12 graduate credit hours of coursework. Courses for this certificate are categorized into three pathways.
Pathway 1: US Race and Ethnicity
Pathway 2: Women, Gender and Sexuality
Pathway 3: US Social Differences
Students must develop a plan of study in consultation with and approved by a faculty advisor. This plan of study must include a concentration consisting of at least 6 credit hours of coursework in one of the three pathways. At least one course (3 credit hours) must be taken in a pathway other than the concentration. At least two courses (6 credit hours) must be taken at the 700 level or above.
A current list of approved courses for each pathway can be found here.
