The Graduate Option in Gender and Women's Studies (GWS) provides graduate students, obtaining degrees in a variety of participating departments and faculties, with a cross-disciplinary specialization in feminist, women's and gender studies. This program is open to graduate students at McGill University enrolled in a department that has approved the Option. Students who pursue this option obtain a graduate degree in their own department as well as an “Option / Concentration” in Gender and Women’s Studies (GWS), if the Option has been approved by the given department. Thus, the Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies (GWS) will appear on a student’s transcript along with the designated graduate degree (MA or PhD).
The Option was developed by the Women's Studies Program in response to needs expressed by the Graduate Group for Feminist Scholarship (GGFS) and to the range of inquiries the Women's Studies Program regularly receives from potential students interested in graduate-level work with a feminist focus at McGill University.
For doctoral students, the Graduate Option is comprised of 9 credits consisting of two required courses, WMST 601 Feminist Theories and Methods (3 credits), WMST 602 Feminist Research Symposium (3 credits) and one other course chosen from a list of interdisciplinary complementary courses (3 credits).
For masters levels students, the Graduate Option is comprised of 6 credits consisting of one required course, WMST 601 Feminist Theories and Methods (3 credits) and either one other course chosen from a list of interdisciplinary complementary courses or WMST 602 Feminist Research Symposium (3 credits).
Student supervision in the Option is undertaken by one's departmental supervisor who oversees student work, including choice of thesis, dissertation or project topic. However, students in the Graduate Option may approach the Women's Studies Advisory Committee (WSAC) to help identify other faculty support. A student's PhD dissertation, MA thesis, MA research paper or project must be on a topic that significantly engages with issues of gender and/or women and/or feminism.
There are no prerequisites to enter into the Option. However, undergraduate or graduate courses in gender or women’s studies provide an ideal foundation for more in-depth study of and research in feminist scholarship.