Inside the New Certificate in LGBTQ Studies

The CUNY Graduate Center has launched a timely new Advanced Certificate in LGBTQ Studies. Its director Laura Westengard, a professor of English at New York City College of Technology, joins The Thought Project to discuss the years-long effort to establish the 15-credit program, how it provides students with a formal credential in LGBTQ studies, and its role in bridging academic research with real-world impact. She also shares insights from her own scholarship on Gothic queer culture, exploring how the Gothic tradition — monsters, horror, and the macabre — has shaped queer identity and representation. Listen to this far-ranging conversation and hear how a carefully designed academic program is expanding opportunities for students and helping to shape the future of LGBTQ scholarship. The Thought Project is produced by CUNY TV and hosted by Tanya Domi.