The University of St. Thomas, a Catholic university located in Houston, Texas, has announced it will offer two new graduate programs in women’s and gender studies. The programs will focus on the intersection of Catholicism and the field of gender studies.
In the fall 2024 semester, the university’s Nesti Center for Faith and Culture will launch a graduate certificate in sexuality and gender, as well as a master’s degree in Catholic women’s and gender studies. The certificate program will be conducted online and consist of four courses regarding human biology and historical Catholic teachings on humanity. The new master’s degree will build on these topics and allow students to further research the history and theology of women’s and gender studies.
The new graduate certificate and master’s degree will be overseen by Leah Jacobson, a former campus minister who will serve as program manager. Jacobson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in health and wellness from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati.