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Women and Gender Studies

Program Overview

The Women and Gender Studies Institute (WGSI) offers a program leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Women and Gender Studies.

The Master’s Program in Women and Gender Studies (MWGS) focuses on feminist colonial, postcolonial, indigenous, diasporic, and transnational studies as rubrics for studying gender, sex, and feminism. This perspective explores the temporal and geographic processes through which human lives, sexed relations, gendered subjectivities, and sexualities are situated.

The PhD has four emphases:

  • gender, sexuality, and queer studies;
  • feminist cultural studies;
  • feminist studies of technology, science, environment, and biomedicine;
  • transnational political economy and development studies.

The program offerings bring feminist scholarship to the tasks of challenging and investigating colonial, postcolonial, and transnational contexts. Central themes of the program include global capitalism, nation and state formation, empire, citizenship, indigeneity, diaspora, and cultural flows, all of which are examined through the lenses of diverse feminist scholarship.

The program welcomes applications from international students.

See also: Collaborative Specialization in Women and Gender Studies.​ Applicants to the Collaborative Specialization in Women and Gender Studies are now required to submit a tailored Letter of Intent separate from the home graduate/degree program. The application deadline for this program is 30-May-2022.


Quick Facts

Domestic International
Application deadline MA, PhD:

Fall 2024 entry

13-Dec-2023

MA, PhD:

Fall 2024 entry

13-Dec-2023

Direct entry option from bachelor's to PhD? PhD:

Yes

PhD:

Yes

Is a supervisor identified before or after admission? MA, PhD:

After

MA, PhD:

After

Is a supervisor assigned by the graduate unit or secured by the applicant? MA, PhD:

Graduate Unit

MA, PhD:

Graduate Unit

Are any standardized tests required/recommended? MA, PhD:

N/A

MA, PhD:

N/A


Master of Arts

Program Description

The MA program in Women and Gender Studies focuses on feminist colonial, post-colonialism, diasporic, and transnational studies as rubrics for studying gender, sex, and feminism. This perspective explores the temporal and geographic processes through which women’s and men’s lives, sexed relations, gendered subjectivities, and sexualities are situated.

The MA program is a full-time program and cannot be taken on a part-time basis.

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Women and Gender Studies Institute’s additional admission requirements stated below.

  • An appropriate bachelor's degree in women's studies and gender studies or a related area at an approved university. Applicants must have obtained an average equivalent to a University of Toronto B+ or better in their final year of undergraduate study.

  • Letter of intent outlining the academic goals the applicant wishes to pursue in the program, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts from all post-secondary institutions.

Program Requirements

  • The student's program of study must be approved by the Women and Gender Studies Institute. Students must complete a total of 3.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • 0.5 core FCEs in women and gender studies (WGS5000H).

    • 1.0 elective FCE in women and gender studies; either a special topics seminar (please see course list of special topics seminars) or an independent research/reading course (WGS1007H).

    • 1.0 FCE MA Research Paper (WGS1005Y).

    • 1.0 FCE (one year-long or two half-year courses) offered by other departments and chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor.

    • Completion of WGS2000H (0.0 FCE; Credit/No Credit), requiring participation in the WGS Research Seminar Series. To complete this requirement, students must attend at least 80% of the seminars during the Fall/Winter academic session.

  • The MA degree program is not offered on a part-time basis.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S)

Time Limit

3 years full-time

Doctor of Philosophy

Program Description

The PhD program in Women and Gender Studies has four areas of focus:

  • gender, sexuality, and queer studies

  • feminist cultural studies

  • feminist studies of technology, science, environment, and biomedicine

  • transnational political economy and development studies.

The offerings bring feminist scholarship to the tasks of challenging and investigating colonial, postcolonial, and transnational contexts. Central themes of the program include global capitalism, nation and state formation, empire, citizenship, diaspora, and cultural flows, all of which are examined through the lenses of diverse feminist scholarship. The program welcomes applications from international students.

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of two routes:

  • following completion of an appropriate MA

  • direct entry after completing a bachelor’s degree.

 

PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Women and Gender Studies Institute’s additional admission requirements stated below.

  • A master’s degree in women and gender studies, or a master’s degree in a related discipline from a recognized university. Applicants must have obtained an average of A– or better in the master’s program.

  • Letter of intent outlining the academic goals the applicant wishes to pursue in the program, two letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and transcripts from all post-secondary institutions.

Program Requirements

  • The student’s program of study must be approved by the Women and Gender Studies Institute.

  • All coursework should normally be completed by the end of Year 1 of PhD study. Students must complete 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • 1.0 FCE in Women and Gender Studies (WGS5000H and WGS5001H). Students who have already taken these courses, or their equivalent, will be required to enrol in alternate course selections, with institute approval.

    • 0.5 elective FCE in Women and Gender Studies.

    • 1.5 FCEs offered in Women and Gender Studies or by other graduate units and chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.

  • WGS Research Seminar Series. Normally, students enrol in WGS2000H (0.0 FCE, Credit/No Credit) in Year 1 of their PhD program. Attendance at 80% of the seminars is required in Year 1. After completion of this course, students are recommended to attend this seminar regularly, as a crucial part of their graduate education. In addition, students must present their research in the seminar series once before graduation after they have achieved candidacy, a milestone captured by WGS2001H (0.0 FCE, Credit/No Credit). Students will enrol in WGS2001H during the session in which they plan to present.

  • Comprehensive examinations:

    • Completion of two comprehensive exams, one in a primary (major) and one in a secondary (minor) area of study, defined in consultation with the advisor and other committee members.

    • The dissertation proposal, an integral part of the comprehensive exams, should be defended and accepted no later than August 31 of Year 2.

    • Examinations are marked on a pass/fail basis. Candidates are allowed two attempts to pass a comprehensive examination. A failure to pass on the second attempt results either in the student’s voluntary withdrawal from the program, or a recommendation by the institute for termination of the student’s registration in the program.

    • The major comprehensive examination should be completed by January 31 of Year 2. The minor comprehensive examination should be completed by May 31 of Year 2.

  • Completion of a PhD dissertation based on original research conducted by the candidate on an approved topic in women and gender studies, and successful defence at the SGS Final Oral Examination.

  • Each student will meet at least annually with their supervisor and other doctoral committee members to review academic progress and to consult about future directions.

Program Length

4 years

Time Limit

6 years

 

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Women and Gender Studies Institute’s additional admission requirements stated below.

  • In exceptional cases, direct-entry admission is offered to outstanding students with a bachelor’s degree in women and gender studies or a related area, from a recognized university. Direct-entry students must have a cumulative average of A or better. Applicants must also have obtained an average equivalent to an A– or better in their final year of undergraduate study.

  • Letter of intent outlining the academic goals the applicant wishes to pursue in the program, two letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and transcripts from all post-secondary institutions.

Program Requirements

  • The student’s program of study must be approved by the Women and Gender Studies Institute.

  • All coursework should normally be completed by the end of Year 2 of PhD study. Students must complete 5.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • 1.0 FCE in Women and Gender Studies (WGS5000H and WGS5001H).

    • 2.0 elective FCEs in Women and Gender Studies.

    • 2.0 FCEs offered in Women and Gender Studies or by other graduate units and chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.

  • WGS Research Seminar Series. Normally, students will enrol in WGS2000H (0.0 FCE, Credit/No Credit) in Year 1 of their PhD program. Attendance at 80% of the seminars is required in Year 1. After completion of this course, students are recommended to attend this seminar regularly, as a crucial part of their graduate education. In addition, students must present their research in the seminar series once before graduation after they have achieved candidacy, a milestone captured by WGS2001H (0.0 FCE, Credit/No Credit). Students will enrol in WGS2001H during the session in which they plan to present.

  • Comprehensive examinations:

    • Completion of two comprehensive exams, one in a primary (major) and one in a secondary (minor) area of study, defined in consultation with the advisor and other committee members.

    • The dissertation proposal, an integral part of the comprehensive exams, should be defended and accepted no later than December 31 of Year 3.

    • Examinations are marked on a pass/fail basis. Candidates are allowed two attempts to pass a comprehensive examination. A failure to pass on the second attempt results either in the student’s voluntary withdrawal from the program or a recommendation by the institute for termination of the student’s registration in the program.

    • The major comprehensive examination should be completed by May 31 of Year 2. The minor comprehensive examination should be completed by September 30 of Year 3.

  • Completion of a PhD dissertation based on original research conducted by the candidate on an approved topic in women and gender studies, and successful defence at the SGS Final Oral Examination.

  • Each student will meet at least annually with their supervisor and other doctoral committee members to review academic progress and to consult about future directions.

Program Length

5 years

Time Limit

7 years

Nora Tataryan

“I have always incorporated activist engagement into my field of study. ”

Nora Tataryan
PhD Student, Women & Gender Studies
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