The graduate concentration in women's and gender studies provides graduate students the opportunity to study women, men, and gender--historically and in the contemporary world--in conjunction with their study toward a master's or doctoral degree. Women's and gender studies programs are interdisciplinary, and the scholarship of women's and gender studies has transformed teaching and learning in many disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and sciences. Women's and gender studies courses emphasize active learning and critical thinking, and primarily address the diversity of women's experiences based on race, ethnicity, class, religion, nationality, and sexual orientation. The option to concentrate a portion of their graduate work in women's and gender studies offers students outstanding instruction, mentoring, and opportunities to develop research skills with highly qualified instructors.
The graduate concentration in women's and gender studies is offered to students in the following programs: master of arts (M.A.) in American studies, English, history, liberal studies, or political science; master of science (M.S.) in the Division of Global Affairs; and a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in American studies and the Division of Global Affairs. The graduate concentration consists of a total of 12 credits. Students will take two courses crosslisted with women's and gender studies from their own department and two core courses offered by the women's and gender studies program.
The two core courses are:
26:988:532 History and Theory of Women's/Gender Studies (fall semester)
26:988:570 Feminist Research and Methods (spring semester)
Because each program is unique, and the way that the graduate concentration in women's and gender studies fits with each program is slightly different, students should seek advisement from the director of the graduate program in their own department as well as from the director of the women's and gender studies program at the beginning of their graduate studies. Full-time students should be able to complete the course of study for the graduate concentration in women's and gender studies and for their master's or doctoral degree within their program's normal time frame.
Students interested in pursuing the graduate concentration in women's and gender studies should contact the director of the women's and gender studies program after they have been accepted into the graduate program in their discipline.
