Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
Effective Fall 2009
OVERVIEW
Coursework: A total of 72 credits beyond the B.A., of which at least 40 are beyond the M.A., and at least 36 credits taken from the Department of Global Gender Studies. Required courses include: one theory course such as Readings in Feminist Theory, one quantitative method such as Quantitative Research Methods or one qualitative methods such as Ethnographic Methods course. Each graduate student is required to take at least three graduate courses in each area of concentration (Feminist Studies or Global Gender Studies) in the Department of Global Gender Studies. Coursework includes requirements and, subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, may also include elective courses from ancillary departments. A minimum of nine intensive seminars, several electives, maximum of two directed readings (optional), a supervised research (if conducting field research), and thesis supervision courses comprise the required course work.
Major concentration: The Ph.D. program requires a student to design, in consultation with his/her academic advisor(s), a coherent interdisciplinary program of study of 27 credits in one of the two concentrations.
Informal Credits (a maximum of 15 credits is allowed): While, the department encourages each graduate student to fulfill his/her credit requirement primarily through taking formal graduate seminars, the purpose of informal credits are to aid in the investigation of individualized research topics where such topics are not covered in-depth enough in any of the department’s formal course offerings. Informal credits in the department consist of Supervised Research (WS 620, 1-6 credits), Directed Reading (WS 520, 3 credits), and Dissertation Supervision (WS 710, 1 credit per semester, no more than 6 credits).
Supervised Research (WS 620, 1-6 credits): Students may enroll for up to a maximum of 6 credits of WS 620 Supervised Research only after successful completion of the comprehensive exam.
Directed Reading (WS 520, 3 credits): As a Ph.D. student approaches the completion of his/her degree, in consultation with his/her major advisor, it may be appropriate for him/her to register for a maximum of two directed reading courses with the student’s major professor or another professor with expertise in the student’s area(s) of interest. To register for such a course, a student must complete a Directed Reading form, which is a contract between a student and the professor in which a student establishes a reading list, a list of written assignments, a method of evaluation, and deadlines. This form must be signed by both the student and the professor.
Supervised Teaching (WS 630, 3 credits): After the first year of the student’s Ph.D. program, a student is required to take WS 630. While enrolled, a student is mentored by a Department of Global Gender Studies faculty member on methods of instruction while receiving hands-on training by teaching one undergraduate Department of Global Gender Studies course. Although a student’s preference of what course to teach will be taken into consideration, the final selection of the course will be made by his/her major advisor in consultation with the department chair. The exception to this requirement is that all department teaching assistants will automatically be enrolled in WS 630 in their first semester of teaching.
Dissertation Supervision (WS 710, 1 credit per semester, no more than 6 credits): A student signs up for this course after passing the comprehensive exam, during the dissertation writing, and research phase of the Ph.D. program.
GRE Codes:
UB = 2925
Dept. = 2201
TOEFL = 27
Please click here to review the process for completion of the Ph.D. Degree.