打算专注于性别研究的研究生必须被南加州大学的研究生或专业课程录取。在满足部门研究生学位的要求的同时，他们可能会获得性别研究方面的能力证书。要获得证书，学生必须修读SWMS 560和其他课程（从SWMS的研究生级别课程列表中，至少为500个），总共至少12个单元。最多只能采用四个方向的研究单元，并且必须将其作为SWMS590。每个学术部门将确定可以应用于该部门的学生学位课程的完成单元数。
Graduate students intending to concentrate in gender studies must be admitted to a USC graduate or professional program. While meeting the requirements for a departmental graduate degree, they may earn a certificate of competency in gender studies. To earn a certificate, students must take SWMS 560 and other courses from the SWMS list of graduate level courses, 500 and above, to a total of at least 12 units. No more than four units of directed research may be taken and those units must be taken as SWMS 590. Each academic department will determine the number of units completed which may be applied to the student's graduate degree in that department.