MA in Gender and Social Justice Studies [Graduate]

Program requirements

The MA in Gender and Social Justice Studies can be completed as a thesis-based degree, or as a course-based degree.

Thesis-based MA

Students are required to complete a minimum of ★18 in coursework and a thesis

Coursework:

GSJ 501 (★3) - Praxis Workshop, which includes a mandatory Community Service-Learning component and
GSJ 502 (★3) - Research Workshop
Four ★3 graduate-level courses
Additional coursework may be required
- Students who have not already taken a course in Feminist Research Methodologies (or the equivalent) will normally be required to audit WGS 302 in addition to their other courses.
- Students also may be required to take a theory course, if adequate coverage was not obtained in the student’s first degree.
Students must complete minimum of ★12 courses in GSJ
Graduate courses offered by other departments may be taken with the consent of the Graduate Coordinator; thesis-based students may only take ★6 in courses outside of GSJ.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES

Course-based MA

The course based MA can be taken in Gender and Social Justice Studies or with a specialization in Digital Humanities.

Students are required to complete a minimum of ★24 in coursework, including a ★3 capping project.

Coursework

GSJ 501 (★3 ) - Praxis Workshop, which includes a mandatory Community Service-Learning component and
GSJ 502 (★3 ) - Research Workshop
Five ★3 graduate-level courses
Additional coursework may be required
- Students who have not already taken a course in Feminist Research Methodologies (or the equivalent) will normally be required to audit WGS 302 in addition to their other courses.
- Students also may be required to take a theory course, if adequate coverage was not obtained in the student’s first degree.
Students must complete minimum of ★12 courses in GSJ
Graduate courses offered by other departments may be taken with the consent of the Graduate Coordinator; course-based students may only take ★9 in courses outside of GSJ.
Students admitted to the course-based MA with a specialization in Digital Humanities are required to complete ★9 courses in DH.

Capping Project

GSJ 900 (★3) – Directed Research Project. The required capping project is a portfolio – a synthesizing document that highlights students’ learning in the program and that will include a major research paper, a field statement, a creative project or a policy/program/legal analysis.

Ethics and Professional Development Requirements

All students must complete a mandatory ethics training requirement (see Academic Integrity and Ethics Training Requirement) and a mandatory Professional Development requirement.

Residence Requirement

There is no residence requirement.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the MA will vary with the program (thesis- or course-based) and the candidate. Full-time students in the course-based MA program will normally complete the program within 12 months, while those enrolled in the thesis-based program will normally complete within 24 months. However, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies recognizes that many of its students are non-traditional and that part-time registration may be their preferred option.

The maximum time to complete the thesis-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is four years.

The maximum time to complete the course-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.