A 8-month online program preparing participants to better support trans-spectrum children, youth, and adults — providing the groundwork needed to act as an agent of change within educational systems and youth serving organizations.
Gender Diversity in Children and Youth: History, Science, Society, and the Implementation of Inclusive and Affirming Policy and Practice
This certificate provides comprehensive graduate continuing education coursework specific to understanding the scope of gender diversity, intersectional challenges and considerations, and the need for educators and other professionals working in youth serving roles to be both allies and advocates for the elimination of arbitrary and destructive gender role stereotypes.
The first of its kind in the country, this program prepares participants to actively engage within classrooms, school boards, and communities regarding curriculum review/development, policies and practice, and social justice advocacy related to gender diversity in children and youth.Participants will gain an increased awareness and understanding of how natural human gender diversity impacts their lives, and the lives of those around them, and be better prepared to act as an advocates for change.
This certificate program is beneficial for: School teachers, administrators, counselors, and board members; support service providers, nonprofit employees, attorneys, early-childhood providers, state and county professionals. Participants in the certificate series do not need to be enrolled at Lewis & Clark Graduate School.
Cost and Credits: 8 graduate-level continuing education credit hours, $2,800 Program length: 8 months, October 2024-June 2025 Application Deadlines: Early (March 31) Priority (June 30)
Course Descriptions, Dates and Details:
Fall 2024: October 17-November 16, 2024 Thursdays: October 17, 24, 31, November 7, 14, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays: October 19, 26, November 2, 9, 16, 9 a.m.-noon
Course Description:It wasn’t until the very end of the 19th century that the building blocks of biology (chromosomes) were discovered, followed by identification of hormones in the 1920’s and the structure of DNA in the 1950’s.
This course will examine how patriarchal early socio-cultural interpretation of sex and gender roles were established and then institutionalized by both Abrahamic religious text dating back more than three millenia, the teachings of Aristotle and the Peripatetic school of philosophical thought and early Roman Catholic doctrinal modification of the ‘Sins of Sodom’. The subsequent enforcement of these patriarchal structures during European colonization of the Americas decimated pre-Columbian Two-Spirit populations and forms the foundation of gender constructs under which we raise and educate children today.
We will also focus on the science that influences and impacts prenatal physiologic sex differentiation and brain development related to establishment of individual identity. Multiple studies show that by age 7, transgender and otherwise gender diverse children (approx. 7% of all children) are aware of the ways in which their identity and expression is different from that of their cisgender peers. Prior to that, parents, caregivers, family and friends may (or may not) have observed gender nonconforming behaviors or interests in a child and wondered ‘how’ and ‘why’ their child was different from other children.
Spring 2025: January 11- February 10, 2025 Thursdays: January 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 15, 9 a.m.-noon
Course Description: A deeper dive into gender identity development, providing a framework for discussion on how gender identity and expression develop over the child/adolescent lifecycle, how it differs from biological and sexual orientation development, and the impact gender roles and societal attributions have on an individual’s sense of their own gender identity.
This course will explore the ways in which child-rearing based on gender stereotypical expectations has evolved as a result of the socio-political, and medical visibility of gender diverse and transgender people in the 20th and 21st centuries.
It will include interaction with panels of gender diverse/transgender adolescents, teens and adults, and coursework involving individual engagement with the same population.
This course will address evidence-based factors that impact that development and expose existing myths and disinformation about ‘why’ visible gender diversity exists (and persists/desists) in a growing number of children, adolescents, and young adults.
Spring 2025: March 14-April 20, 2025 Thursdays: March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays: March 15, 22, 29, April 5, 12, 9 a.m.-noon
Course Description: The establishment of patriarchal institutions and intentional misrepresentation of Abrahamic religious texts as discussed in the Summer session of this program provides the foundation for this more in-depth course on contemporary anti-trans bias and hate. It will include examination of the ways in which intersections of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship and economic/educational disparity exponentially marginalize and oppress those who are transgender, nonbinary or otherwise gender diverse.
We will look at how public awareness and perception of gender diverse and transgender people has evolved in the 20th and 21st centuries—from that of disbelief and indifference, to psycho-medical curiosity and eventually, intersectional intolerance, discrimination, oppression, condemnation and political opportunism.
This course will expose myths and disinformation about ‘why’ visible gender diversity exists in a growing number of children and adolescents, and enable students to discern evidence-based information from subjectively interpreted disinformation and opinion.
Summer 2025: May 9 - June 8, 2025 Thursdays: May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays: May 17, 24, 31, June 7, 14, 9 a.m.-noon.
Course Description: Transgender students exist in every school district, county, city and town in the United States. Recent school surveys and other research tells us that 3% of students identify as a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. Educators may be aware of general guidelines when it comes to transgender students’ rights and resources, but the guidelines themselves may not be consistent with existing laws or best practices. Furthermore, the rights of transgender, queer, nonbinary and gender diverse adults working within schools and districts are often overlooked in policy and procedure development, discussion and implementation.
We will discuss (in detail) federal, state and local laws such as Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments Act regarding transgender student and adult rights, and provide tools and techniques to enable those attending and their organizations to embrace the full inclusion of transgender individuals in schools, workplaces and communities.
This course will provide school district staff and educators with a step-by-step roadmap to achieving these inclusivity and compliance goals. Implementation support emphasizing community engagement will also be provided to ensure that the unique needs of urban and rural communities are also addressed and that supportive networks can be formed and/or strengthened for ongoing success.
By the end of this course, students will be better prepared to: demonstrate inclusive language, support gender diverse students and address gender-based bullying, engage parents & caregivers in discussion about their child’s gender diversity, analyze curriculum for gender inclusivity and content, and create lesson plans/classroom activities that promote inclusivity.
Please Note: Content in these courses will address issues of social justice and equity, and the conditions, both historical and current, that create and perpetuate interpersonal and systemic violence, marginalization, oppression, and inequity—some of which can be emotionally difficult subjects to confront. Read more of our emotional content statement
Certificate Format
Course dates and descriptions can be found above. Courses are offered synchronously online with live instruction. Each cohort begins in the fall and is limited to 20 participants to allow for small class size and personalized instruction. Admitted participants must take all four courses to complete the certificate. Information about required textbooks and/or course reader pack will be provided upon notification of admission to the program.
Credits and Cost
Students (who hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher) will earn 8 semester hours of graduate continuing education credit (800 level). Those who do not have a Bachelor’s degree will receive a certificate of completion. Each course is two credits, at a rate of $350 a credit hour. Tuition for each course ($700) is due prior to the start date of each course. For questions, please contact transactive@lclark.edu.
Supportive Environment and Community
With small cohort sizes of 20 students or less, participants can expect personalized instruction and support from certificate faculty members and peers. Courses are offered in a live instruction onlineformat, taking place on evenings and weekends.
Social Justice Focused
Certificate material will critically examine existing institutional oppressions related to misogyny, patriarchy, socio-cultural bias (both implicit and explicit) and reliance on biological determinism as a defining characteristic of child and youth development and education.
This is a cohort based program beginning in October, with a limit of 20 participants each year.
Rolling Admissions: Applications will be reviewed and acceptance offers made on a rolling basis. Early application is encouraged.
Application Materials:Two personal essays, resume, official transcript (if applicable), and application fee are required. Please email cce@lclark.edu with any questions.
2024-2025 Application Deadlines: Early (March 31) Priority (June 30) Final (September 16) Applicants can expect to receive an admission decision communication within approximately two weeks of each respective deadline
Please Note: Applicants with higher education degrees must apply using the correct link above, including the submission of transcripts. Failure to do so will result in your application not being processed.
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TransActive Gender Project is located in South Chapel Annex on the Graduate Campus. MSC: 85
