M.A. Degree Requirements
The M.A. program requires 50 hours of course work, including 5 core courses and 5 electives. Students take a comprehensive exam to conclude the program.Required Core Theory Courses: 25 credit hours
- Women's Studies 700: Introduction to Graduate Studies (5 credit hours)
- Women's Studies 702: Teaching Women's Studies (5 credit hours)
- Women's Studies 710: Theorizing Difference (5 credit hours)
- Women's Studies 720: Theorizing Gender, Power, and Change (5 credit hours)
- Women's Studies 740: Theorizing Gender Representation (5 credit hours)
Elective Courses: 25 Credit Hours
Students choose 25 elective credit hours (usually 5 courses). Choices should reflect a coherent program of study that will provide a broad grounding in Women's Studies and feminist theory as well as familiarity with a specific focus area of the student's choice.Focus areas have included:
- Advanced Feminist Theory with a Special Focus
- Political Economy
- Film, Visual, and Popular Culture
- Women's Health
- Women's Literature and Feminist Literary Theory
- Political and Social Movements
- Sexuality
- Social and Public Policy
- Global Gender Issues
- Women of Color in the US
Most students in the M.A. program will accumulate more than the 50 credit hours required for the degree. Students may take courses outside the department that will not be counted towards their degree.
Master's Exam
The M.A. examination is taken at the end of the student's program of study. It covers two areas: feminist theory and the student's focus area. The theory portion of the exam requires a synthesis of information and comprehension of themes from WS 700 and the three-sequence theory core: WS 710, 720, and 740. The focus area portion is individualized for each student but will reflect the broader structure of the graduate program.Thesis
Students do not write theses for the M.A. in Women's Studies. In a few cases, students enrolled in a dual-degree program are required to complete a thesis for the other department. Other students may be required to complete a thesis as part of a government-mandated program. In either case, the student will need to petition the Graduate Studies Committee for approval outlining the circumstances.Dual Masters Degree
Students wishing to do a dual Master's degree must be accepted in both programs. Applicants considering a dual degree program should consult with the Graduate Studies Chair in both programs during the application process. Dual master's degrees generally take three years to complete.Graduate Progression Policy
The Women's Studies Graduate Program supports and strongly adheres to the University's Graduate School Handbook rule that states, "a student must maintain a graduate cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR) of 3.0 or better in all graduate credit courses and must maintain reasonable progress" to be considered in "good standing" (II.4.1).Graduate students in the Department of Women's Studies must also earn no less than a B- in any course for the course to be counted toward the 50 credits required to complete the M.A. degree in Women's Studies.
