Women’s and Gender Studies, B.A./M.A.

Mission Statement

The combined bachelor’s/master’s in Women’s and Gender Studies is designed to reflect and enhance T.U.’s core values: excellence in scholarship, dedication to free inquiry, integrity of character, and commitment to humanity. The WGS graduate program educates women and men of diverse backgrounds and cultures to achieve a high degree of literacy in the humanities and social sciences; to think critically, and to write and speak articulately; to succeed in their professions and careers; to learn and practice ethical behavior in their lives; to take on responsibility for service and citizenship in this changing world; and to develop an interest in and the abilities needed for lifelong learning.

Learning Objectives

• Learn advanced research skills in intersectional analysis of gender and related classifications.
• Make a contribution to WGS scholarship that combines two or three fields within the interdisciplinary structure of Women’s and Gender Studies.
• Demonstrate a high standard of professionalism in accordance with academic guidelines from both within and without the women’s and gender studies program.

Admission

Applicants must satisfy the general admission requirements of the Graduate School, be approved by the Graduate School and the WGS admissions committee, and must satisfy the following requirements:

• A TU undergraduate GPA of 3.7 or higher in their major, 3.3 or higher cumulative GPA.
• 3 letters of recommendation, offering better-than-average or sterling recommendations
• SAT scores in the 80 percentile or above
• General GRE scores
• Writing sample

Curriculum

The degree program aims for flexibility in the student’s curriculum. Only students majoring in WGS at the undergraduate level at TU will be admitted to the combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Once students in the combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program have completed their requirements for the BA degree, the graduate program administrator will serve as their advisor, with the research supervisor supplementing this role in the spring semester (upon mutual agreement between faculty member and student). Course enrollments will be approved by the graduate program administrator.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of graduate coursework for the M.A. degree. Up to 9 credits of 5000-level courses may be taken before completion of the bachelor’s degree program and double counted toward both degrees. The undergraduate student may also take six credits at the 6000 or 7000 level under special student status within the Graduate School, but this coursework will only be applied to the MA degree program. Enrollment in these courses may not occur until the student is a junior or senior. Upon completion of the BA degree, the student will then have approximately an additional year of enrollment in the core curriculum and any remaining credits for elective coursework to complete the MA degree portion.