The degree of Master of Women's Studies is designed for
students from any discipline who have an appropriate background in Women's
Studies. The objectives of the program are:
to provide students with advanced courses in a broad range of Women's Studies
specialties and particularly in Women's Studies theories and methods;
to equip students with the practical, theoretical and methodological skills
to carry out independent research at the master's level; and to foster interdisciplinary
approaches to the study of women.
The program is administered by the Women's Studies Graduate Committee,
the members of which are appointed by the Dean of Arts on the advice of
the Women's Studies Council. The members of the Graduate Committee are drawn
from faculty teaching in the Women's Studies Program.
The Graduate Coordinator, on behalf of the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee,
makes recommendations to the Dean of Graduate Studies concerning admission,
and financial support for students, and administers all other matters pertaining
to the graduate program.
MASTER OF WOMEN'S STUDIES DEGREE
The degree of Master of Women's Studies is offered by full- or part-time
study. Candidates may choose a thesis or non-thesis (project or internship)
program. The program draws scholarly participation from faculty members
in a range of academic disciplines within the School of Graduate Studies.
A) QUALIFICATIONS FOR
ADMISSION
1) Admission is limited and competitive. To be considered for admission,
an applicant will normally hold an honours degree or equivalent, and will
have a breadth of knowledge in Women's Studies satisfactory to the Women's
Studies Graduate Committee.
2) Applicants who do not have an adequate background in Women’s Studies
may be required to complete Women’s Studies 4000 or equivalent normally with
a grade of 75% or higher.
B) PROGRAM OF STUDY
1. Upon admission each graduate student on the thesis program will be
assigned two supervisors from different disciplinary units. For students
selecting the non-thesis option, one supervisor will be assigned.
2. All candidates are required to complete Women's Studies 6000, 6100,
6200, and 6300.
3. Three to 9 additional elective credit hours approved by the Women’s
Studies Graduate Committee and the student’s supervisor(s) will be required.
These elective credit hours will comprise courses selected from graduate
courses in cognate academic units, and/or Women’s Studies 6380, 6500, and/or
from the block of special topics courses in Women’s Studies WSTD 6400-6409.
4. Each student will be required to give a public seminar on her/his thesis
research, project, or internship before submission of her/his work.
C) THESIS
1. Candidates for the degree of Master of Women’s Studies (thesis option)
will be required to complete a minimum of 15 credit hours. Candidates will
also be required to complete a thesis.
2. A thesis proposal, approved by the student’s supervisors, will be presented
to the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee for its approval. The thesis proposal
must normally be approved by the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee no later
than the end of the candidate’s third semester in the program.
3. The thesis will be evaluated in accordance with the procedures outlined
in General Regulation J. of the
School of Graduate Studies.
D) PROJECT
1. Candidates for the degree of Master of Women’s Studies (project option)
will be required to complete a minimum of 18 credit hours. Candidates will
also be required to complete a project.
2. The Master’s project, must be interdisciplinary in nature and aimed
at linking theoretical and practical knowledge: by recognizing and articulating
a problem to which Women’s Studies knowledge can be applied; by developing
and justifying practical approaches which seek to resolve the problem; and
by creating a product that could be implemented in the community. The project
report should consist of the project (e.g., a CD-ROM; a computer project;
a manual or guidebook; a kit of learning resources; photographs; audio or
videotape, etc.) as well as a literature-based rationale, theoretical basis
and justification for its use. The length of the written portion of the
project should be 50-70 pages. Regardless of the form that the project takes
(e.g., a CD-ROM; a computer program; a manual or guidebook; a kit of learning
resources; photographs; audio or videotape, etc.), there must be a written
project report.
3. A project proposal, approved by the student’s supervisor, will be presented
to the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee for its approval. The project
proposal must normally be approved by the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee
no later than the end of the candidate’s third semester in the program.
4. The project will be evaluated in accordance with procedures outlined
in General Regulation J. of the
School of Graduate Studies.
E) INTERNSHIP
1. Candidates for the degree of Master of Women’s Studies (internship
option) will complete a minimum of 18 credit hours. Candidates will also
be required to complete an internship.
2. Internship placements shall be for one semester. Part-time internships
of two semesters will require approval from the proposed agency or institution
and the Women’s Studies Graduate Studies Committee.
3. Students, in consultation with their supervisor and the Women’s Studies
Graduate Coordinator, will explore internship options and locate an eligible
person to provide field instruction during their internship. Although consideration
will be given to all factors affecting the location and type of all Women’s
Studies internships, the final decision regarding internship rests with
the Women’s Studies Program and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Factors affecting the type and location of the internship include: the
number of immersion hours per week; the extent to which the intern takes
up a trainee, supervisory and/or research role and whether the intern would
be working directly or indirectly with clients of the agency or institution.
Each internship shall be supervised by a Supervisory Committee of at least
three members, including the candidate’s supervisor, the field supervisor,
and Women’s Studies Graduate Coordinator or her/his delegate.
The Supervisory Committee will meet with the intern and field instructor
at least once during the internship period to make an assessment of the
nature and quality of the intern’s progress, and to approve any modifications
to the internship.
4. The internship proposal, approved by the student’s supervisors, will
be presented to the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee for its approval. The
proposal must normally be approved by the Women’s Studies Graduate Committee
no later than the end of the candidate’s third semester in the program.
5. Regardless of the form that the internship takes, there must be a written
internship report (35-50 pages). When the candidate completes the internship
report, the Supervisory Committee will recommend to the Dean of Graduate
Studies a grade of pass or fail. A candidate will be permitted to submit
an internship report only after the Committee has determined that the internship
placement has been fully completed.
Should the Women’s Studies Coordinator, on the recommendation of the Supervisory
Committee, terminate the internship prior to its completion, it may recommend
to the Dean of Graduate Studies one of the following:
a) submission of a new internship proposal for a different field setting
(once only);
b) selection of the thesis or project option;
c) termination of the student’s program.
COURSES
6000. Feminist Theory
6100. Epistemological and Methodological Approaches to Women’s Studies
6200. Graduate Seminar in Women’s Studies
6300. Feminism as Community
6380. Women, Nature, Science and Technology (Cross listed as Sociology
6380)
6400-6409. Special Topics in Women’s Studies
6500. Women and Communication Studies
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