Women and Gender Studies

Women and Gender Studies: Introduction

Faculty Affiliation

Arts and Science

Degree Programs

Women and Gender Studies

MA and PhD

Collaborative Specializations

The following collaborative specializations are available to students in participating degree programs as listed below:

Overview

The overall graduate program is cutting edge for its focus on transnational feminist studies. Graduate students and faculty investigate how gender and sexuality are informed, lived, and reinvented amidst entwined yet discrepant narratives, geographies, and histories.

Graduate work at the Women and Gender Studies Institute (WGSI) encourages an engagement with an interdisciplinary range of theories and methods that grapple with how gender and sexuality are entangled with questions of race, citizenship, embodiment, colonialism, nation, global capitalism, violence, political economy, cultural formations, aesthetics, and other pressing concerns.

The core faculty brings transnational feminist commitments to the study of diverse sites and their interconnection with particular focus on Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the United States. In doing so, the institute seeks to ask feminist questions as well as put feminism into question.

Areas of focus within the transnational feminist approach include:

  • gender, sexuality and queer studies

  • political economy and critical development studies

  • feminist studies of technology, science, environment and biomedicine

  • feminist cultural studies.

The MA and PhD degree programs also feature the option of a practicum that aspires to strengthen students’ ability to interrogate the application of theories and methods to lived practice.

Contact and Address

Web: www.wgsi.utoronto.ca/graduate
Email: wgsi.programs@utoronto.ca
Telephone: (416) 978-3668
Fax: (416) 946-5561

Graduate Program in Women and Gender Studies
Women and Gender Studies Institute, University of Toronto
Wilson Hall, New College, 40 Willcocks Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1C6 Canada

Women and Gender Studies: Graduate Faculty

Full Members

Bamford, Sandra - BA, MA, MPA, PhD
Bhuyan, Rupaleem - BA, MA, PhD
Boddy, Janice - BA, MA, PhD
Boler, Megan - BA, PhD
Brown, Elspeth - MA, PhD
Charles, Nicole - BA, MA, PhD
Cobb, Michael - BA, AM, MA, PhD
Columpar, Corinn - BA, PhD
Cossman, Brenda - LLB, LLM, Goodman/Schipper Chair
Cowen, Deborah - BA, MCP, PhD
Dave, Naisargi N. - BA, MA, PhD
Diaz, Robert - PhD
Georgis, Dina - PhD (Graduate Coordinator)
Keith, Alison - BA, MA, PhD, FRSC
Klassen, Pamela - BA, MA, PhD
Larson, Katie - BMus, AB, MPH, PhD
Lo, Marieme - BA, MA, MSc, PhD
Magnusson, Jamie-Lynn - BA, MA, PhD
McElhinny, Bonnie - BA, MA, MA, PhD, PhD
Mirchandani, Kiran - BA, MPH, PhD
Mojab, Shahrzad - BA, MEd, EdD
Morgenstern, Naomi - BA, MA, PhD
Murphy, M. - BA, PhD
Murray, Heather - BA, MA, PhD
Newton, Melanie - BA, PhD
Rankin, Katharine - BA, MA, PhD
Rittich, Kerry - BAMus, LLB, SJD
Salih, Sara - BA, DPhil
Silvey, Rachel - BA, MA, PhD
Song, Jesook - BA, PhD
Tahmasebi-Birgani, Victoria - MA, PhD
Taylor, Judith - BA, PhD
Titchkosky, Tanya - BA, MA, PhD
Trotz, Alissa - AB, MPH, PhD (Director)
Tuck, Eve - BA, PhD
Valverde, Mariana - BA, MA, PhD, FRSC
Walcott, Rinaldo - BA, MA, PhD
Wane, Njoki - BE, MEd, MSc, PhD
Yoneyama, Lisa - BA, MA, PhD

Members Emeriti

Larkin, June - PhD
Ruddick, Susan - PhD
Sykes, Heather - BSc, PhD

Associate Members

Bos, Kristen - BA, MA, PhD
Desai, Chandni - PhD
Goldstein, Tara - BA, PhD
Kulak, Avron - PhD

Women and Gender Studies: Women and Gender Studies MA

The Master of Arts (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.

MA 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.

  • 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.

Completion Requirements

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

    • 0.5 core FCEs in women and gender studies WGS5000H Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements I.

    • 1.0 elective FCE in women and gender studies; either a special topics seminar or an independent research/reading course WGS1007H Directed Research/Reading.

    • 1.0 FCE WGS1005Y MA Research Paper.

    • 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 WGS Research Seminar, 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.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: FWS)
Time Limit: 3 years full-time

 

Women and Gender Studies: Women and Gender Studies PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy (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.

Completion 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 successfully complete a total of 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • 1.0 FCE in Women and Gender Studies (WGS5000H Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements I and WGS5001H Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements II). 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 WGS Research Seminar 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 WGS Research Seminar — Presentation. Students will enrol in WGS2001H WGS Research Seminar — Presentation 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 thesis 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 doctoral thesis 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.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 4 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time

 

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.

Completion 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 successfully complete a total of 5.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • 1.0 FCE in Women and Gender Studies (WGS5000H Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements I and WGS5001H Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements II).

    • 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 WGS Research Seminar 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 WGS Research Seminar — Presentation. Students will enrol in WGS2001H WGS Research Seminar — Presentation 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 thesis 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 doctoral thesis 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.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time

 

Women and Gender Studies: Women and Gender Studies MA, PhD Courses

Course CodeCourse Title
Special Topics in Feminist Theory
MA Research Paper
Directed Research/Reading
Special Topics in Feminist Studies 1
Special Topics in Feminist Studies 2
Special Topics in Feminist Studies 3
Special Topics in Feminist Theory 1
Migration, Mobility, and Displacement in Contemporary Africa
Special Topics in Feminist Studies
Special Topics in Feminist Studies
Special Topics in Feminist Studies
Gender and Globalization: Transnational Perspectives
Black Diasporic Feminisms: Modernity, Freedom, Belonging
Special Topics in Feminist Studies
Aesthetics of Radical Hope
Special Topics in Feminist Studies
Futurities: World-Making within a Series of World Endings
Special Topics in Queer Studies and Feminism
Queer of Colour Critique
WGS1029HBlack Feminist Histories: Movements, Method, and the Archive
WGS1030HIndigenous Feminism
WGS1031HGendering Racial Capitalism
WGS2000HWGS Research Seminar (Credit/No Credit)
WGS2001HWGS Research Seminar — Presentation (Credit/No Credit)
Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements I
Feminist Theories, Histories, Movements II