Graduate Curriculum

Women's Studies M.A. students receive an interdisciplinary education that integrates the arts and humanities with the social sciences, bridges theory and practice, and focuses on the intersections of gender, race, class, sexuality, and nationality in all areas of research.

Course Work>>
Combined M.A./Ph.D. Program>>
Certificate in Women and Public Policy>>
Transfer Credits >>

Course Work

Students must complete 32 credits of graduate-level courses in order to fulfill M.A. degree requirements. The following courses are core requirements:

• WSS 510 Graduate Orientation in Women's Studies (1-2 credits)
• WSS 565 Feminist Theory (4 credits)
• WSS 590 Research Seminar in Women's Studies (4 credits)
• Graduate course that has as its primary focus the intersection of race, class, and sexuality with sex/gender (3-4 credits). Such courses may include:
  • WSS 501 Sexuality, Race, and Class in Science and Health (4 credits)
  • WSS 512 Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics in Asian Diaspora (4 credits)
  • WSS 545 Black Diasporas, Feminisms, and Sexual Politics (4 credits)
  • WSS 551 Gender and Class in Latin American Development (4 credits)
  • WSS 599 Topics in Women's Studies - if applicable to intersectionality (4 credits).
• WSS 690 Final Project (3-4 credits)

The remaining credits should include at least three courses that form a coherent field of study and that are chosen in consultation with the Graduate Director. Students find faculty strengths to cluster in three general areas in which many of the graduate courses are based:

• Global and Historical Perspectives
• Women, Society, and Public Policy
• Feminist Writing and Creative Practice

Note: These areas are not required fields of study, only recognized areas that best describe the courses taught by faculty.

Students also have opportunities to engage in feminist praxis (theory integrated with practice) by enrolling in WSS 520 (Advanced Feminist Pedagogy and Theory), which provides them the opportunity to serve as Instructors of Record for the peer-teaching undergraduate course, WSS 101 (Introduction to Feminism), and WSS 592 (Graduate Internship), which gives M.A. students either professional experience in non-profit or local government sector or hands-on participation in an ongoing Institutional Review Board-approved action research project in the community outside the University.

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Combined M.A./Ph.D. Program

The combined M.A Women's Studies /PhD Sociology program is the outcome of longstanding cooperation and overlapping strengths between the Departments of Sociology and Women's Studies. It allows Sociology PhD students with interests in Gender Studies and Women's Studies students with sociological interests to combine their work in these two programs. This is facilitated by the number of joint and affiliated faculty shared between the two departments, as well as by graduate-level cross-listed coursework. It is also facilitated by the willingness of both departments to allow requirements for one program to be included as a portion of the coursework for the other program.

Students in the Joint program will fulfill requirements for both degrees. The Women's Studies M.A. requires a total of 32 credits, including several core courses, a Master's project, and elective courses forming a cohesive cluster. The Sociology PhD program requires a total of 60 credits (plus the dissertation), including several core courses, a Teaching Tool, a Research Tool, and two comprehensive area exams. Cooperative agreements between the Departments allow the Sociology comprehensive exam in Gender to meet the Women's Studies Master's project requirement. The Women's Studies core courses are allowed to count as credit toward the Sociology PhD, and the Women's Studies Research Seminar (a core course) may count as the Research Tool for the PhD. Electives, including courses that are cross-listed, listed in either department, or in other departments, may count toward both degrees as approved by the Graduate Directors.

Applicants will be reviewed by the Graduate Directors and Committees of both departments. In order to be considered for financial assistance, applications must be received by January 15. Applications for the joint program can also be considered after entry into either program.

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The Certificate in Women and Public Policy

The Certificate in Women and Public Policy, designed to provide students with the tools and skills necessary to enhance the status of women in our society through the public policy process, is a graduate-level program in conjunction with the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society and existing degree programs, such as Women's Studies, Sociology, or any of the professional programs on the downtown campus, including Political Science, Public Policy, Social Welfare, Education, and Criminal Justice.

The Certificate Program requires a minimum of 18 credit hours. There are two required courses for all Certificate students:

• A WSS/EAPS 525/R PUB 525Q /R POS 525Q - Feminist Thought and Public Policy
• R PAD 675Q - Gender, Race, Class and Public Policy

The remaining ten credit hours (minimum) may be taken in a particular policy field or a combination of policy fields. Students in a specific graduate program are encouraged to take the remaining Certificate courses from the courses offered in their graduate program.

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Transfer Credit

With the approval of the Department and the Office of Graduate Studies (University-level), students may be able to apply up to 8 credits of graduate work from another institution toward our program.

For more information, please contact Dr. Janell Hobson, Graduate Director. E-mail or phone: 518-442-5575.

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