Why the SXGD Certificate?
Available to all undergraduate students regardless of their degree concentration, the Certificate in Sexual and Gender Diversity (SXGD) program offers you the opportunity to:
- Think through and engage with your scholarly interests – be it nursing, law, art history, religious studies, music, kinesiology, politics, medicine – from the vantage point of critical sexuality, gender, queer, and transgender studies
- Write about contemporary events and issues surrounding gender and race
- Explore human difference across a range of sexualities and gender identifications
"Participating in the SXGD certificate has been a highlight of my university experience as it both beautifully complimented my Arts and Science degree and solidified my desire to attend law school with a focus on human rights. As an English major, it allowed me to focalize my studies on representations of diverse gender and sexual identities throughout history, and I will carry the knowledge I have accumulated as I continue my studies."
Kayla O'Brien
English Major & SXGD Certificate student
Career Application
Organizations, employers, and graduate programs look for individuals who can critically engage in a wide range of conversations surrounding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Want to learn more?
Contact the Undergraduate Office (gndsug@queensu.ca, 613-533-6318)
How to Register
Register early in your studies to ensure you receive course credits towards the SXGD certificate:
- Contact us with any questions
- Email the Faculty of Arts and Science (asc.registration@queensu.ca), copying the Gender Studies Undergraduate Office (gndsug@queensu.ca), and state that you wish to enroll in the SXGD certificate. Please include your student number.
If at any time you wish to unenroll in the SXGD certificate, you can do so through the Faculty of Arts and Science office.
30 course units must be completed for this certificate.
Note: All units can be double counted for your Degree.
| Course | Notes |
|---|---|
| GNDS 215/3.0, Introduction to Sexual and Gender Diversity | Taken either in person or online |
| 3.0 units |
Any course in any department with a major paper* (or two minor written assignments) focusing on the intersection of race sexual and/or gender diversity. |
| 24.0 units |
Any course in any department where you can do a major assignment* (or two minor assignments) on sexual and/or gender diversity. |
*Your assignments should not simply address issues such as women’s rights or gay marriage, but should be invested in the exploration of gender difference: e.g. racialization and gendered bodies, the gender spectrum, sexuality studies, transgender studies, queer studies. The Program is not about feminism, though that can be an element, but about academic study attuned to the diversity and range of gender expression(s). A short abstract of each assignment must be submitted for review at the end of each term. The major assignment or two minor assignments must account for 40% of your final grade.
Certificate Completion
Students must pass all courses relating to the Certificate with an average GPA of at least 1.90, and must have completed their degree program requirements in order to receive the Certificate. The Certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of a degree program at Queen's University.
Please note that the SXGD Certificate is an exception to most certificates at Queen's in that units required for the SXGD certificate can also be counted towards your degree program.
Abstract Submission Requirements
At the end of each term you must submit a short abstract for each assignment you wish to have counted towards your certificate.
Your abstract submission must include the following information:
- Name and Student number
- For each course that you wish to be counted, include:
- Course title, number, and units (i.e., SOCY 403/3.0 Sociology of the Body)
- Assignment(s) title and % weighting
- Short abstract of your assignment (3 or 4 sentences), including why the assignment is relevant to critical sexuality and gender studies.
Submit your abstract document to gndsug@queensu.ca at the end of each term.
A reminder: At least one 3.0 course abstract must demonstrate a significant investment in the intersection of race and gender/sexuality.
SXGD Speaker Series
The Department of Gender Studies hosts an annual SXGD Speaker. Once you have registered, you will begin to receive notices about visiting speakers. All students, staff, and faculty are welcome to attend these events.