Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (MA)
Admission Requirements
Master of Arts in Women's Gender Sexuality Studies
Students wishing to be admitted to the MA in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies must meet the following requirements for admission:
- Students must meet the admission criteria established by the Graduate School. Submit a complete graduate application, submit official transcripts verifying the receipt of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, and pay application fee.
- Students must have a 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work. Provisional admission is possible for students who do not meet this requirement.
- Students must submit two letters of recommendation (submitted to the Graduate School). Letters of recommendation must be current (written within the last year), and letter writers must be familiar with the applicant's academic preparation for graduate study. Members of the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies Graduate Admissions Committee may not be letter writers.
- Students must submit one academic writing sample of at least five pages (a paper written as part of the requirements of a university or college course). The Graduate Admissions Committee will determine whether the student has the necessary level of competence in written communication to enter the MA program.
- Students must submit a personal statement of one-two pages discussing how the MA in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies relates to the student's professional or personal goals.
Any undergraduate major is acceptable for admission; however, students without Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies background may be required to take preparatory courses before beginning the MA curriculum or in addition to the MA curriculum. This will be determined by the Graduate Admissions Committee.
Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate level coursework (receiving a minimum grade of B- or above) completed in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at another institution may be applied toward the student's University of Louisville degree, upon approval of the director.
Students enrolled in the University of Kentucky or Western Kentucky University graduate certificate programs may transfer up to twelve (12) credit hours of graduate-level work (graded a minimum of B- or above), upon approval of the director, Unit Dean and Vice Provost of Graduate Affairs.
Students must maintain a 3.0 average in order to be in good standing.
Admission Requirements: Dual MSSW/MA
Students must apply and be admitted to both programs in order to pursue the dual MSSW/MA degree program. WGST admission requirements for the dual degree are the same as for the standalone MA. Admission requirements for the Kent School of Social Work & Family Science can be found on the MSSW page.
Program Requirements for MA
The Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies M.A. curriculum includes:
- Nine (9) core credit hours, including three (3) credit hours in Community Engaged Research Methods, plus three (3) credit hours of approved Theory and three (3) credit hours of Approved History courses
- a thesis, non-thesis project, practicum, creative/applied project or exam option
At least 18 of the 36 credit hours must be in courses at the 600 level.
Total 36 hours
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE Courses Methods, Theory, History | 9 | |
| Community Engaged Research Methods | ||
| Select 1 approved THEORY Course from the list below | ||
| Queer Performance | ||
| Transnational Feminism | ||
| The Body in Popular Media | ||
| Feminism and Science Fiction | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Or theory course approved by DGS and Chair | ||
| Select 1 approved HISTORY Course | 3 | |
| U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century | ||
| History of American Sexualities | ||
| African American Women and the History of Reproductive Justice | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences (recent example: Postcolonial Bodies) 2 | ||
| Or a history course approved by DGS and Chair | ||
| WGST ELECTIVES | 21 | |
Select electives, not chosen in another category (21-27 credit hours based on thesis, project, practicum or exam option) | ||
| Women in Developing Countries - WR | ||
| Francophone Women Writers - WR | ||
| Women in East Asian History | ||
| Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Social Sciences (recent example: Postcolonial Bodies) 2 | ||
| Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Humanities 2 | ||
| History of U.S. Feminisms | ||
| Queer Performance | ||
| Women and Medicine | ||
| Transnational Feminism | ||
| Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare | ||
| U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century | ||
| Seminar in the Sociology of Disabilities | ||
| Women's Personal Narratives | ||
| The Body in Popular Media | ||
| Art and Trauma | ||
| Feminism in Western Civilization | ||
| Women in the Twentieth Century in Europe and the U.S. | ||
| History of American Sexualities | ||
| Women's Health in Africa | ||
| African American Women and the History of Reproductive Justice | ||
| Black Women's Voices | ||
| Black Lesbian Lives | ||
| Southern Women: Black and White | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Health and Social Justice | ||
| Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities | ||
| Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities 2 | ||
| Thesis, Project, Practicum, or Exam Option 1 | 6 | |
| Select the thesis, non-thesis project, applied/creative project, practicum or exam option | ||
| Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Practicum (or elective, which need not be in WGS) | ||
| Master's Degree Project | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Exam Option (requires completion of 37 credit hours, plus an exam) 1 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 39 | |
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Credit hours in each category may vary depending on whether thesis, project, or exam option is selected. Students who select the thesis, project, or practicum option will typically take 18-21 elective hours. Students who select the exam option will typically take 24 elective hours. Please see your advisor to discuss the path to completion of 37 minimum hours required for the degree that will best fit your individual needs.
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As approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate level coursework (graded a minimum of B- or above) completed in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at another institution may be applied toward the student's University of Louisville degree, upon approval of the director.
Students enrolled in the University of Kentucky or Western Kentucky University graduate certificate programs may request a variance to transfer up to twelve (12) credit hours of graduate level coursework (graded a minimum of B- or above), approval is required from the Director of Graduate Studies(DGS), Unit Dean and Vice Provost of Graduate Affairs.
Students must maintain a 3.0 average in order to be in good standing.
Program Requirements for Dual MSSW/MA
The Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies MSSW/MA curriculum includes:
- Nine (9) credit hours of core courses (three (3) credit hours of Community Engaged Research Methods, plus three (3) credit hours approved History and three (3) credit hours of Approved Theory courses)
- 18 credit hours of WGST electives at the graduate level;
- 51 credit hours of courses at the Kent School
Total 27 credit hours in WGST graduate-level courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE Courses Methods, Theory, History | 9 | |
| Community Engaged Research Methods | ||
| Select 1 approved THEORY Course from the list below | ||
| Queer Performance | ||
| Transnational Feminism | ||
| The Body in Popular Media | ||
| History of American Sexualities | ||
| Feminism and Science Fiction | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Or theory course approved by DGS and Chair | ||
| Select 1 approved HISTORY Course | ||
| U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century | ||
| History of American Sexualities | ||
| African American Women and the History of Reproductive Justice | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences | ||
| Or a history course approved by DGS and Chair | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 6 electives, not chosen in another category: | 18 | |
| See Kent School for requirements | ||
| History of U.S. Feminisms | ||
| Black Feminism in Action | ||
| Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare | ||
| Seminar in the Sociology of Disabilities | ||
| Women's Personal Narratives | ||
| Feminism in Western Civilization | ||
| Women in the Twentieth Century in Europe and the U.S. | ||
| Women in 19th-Century America | ||
| Women's Health in Africa | ||
| Black Women's Voices | ||
| Black Lesbian Lives | ||
| Health and Social Justice | ||
| Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities | ||
| Independent Study: Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Social Sciences (recent example: Postcolonial Bodies) 1 | ||
| Advanced Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies-Humanities 1 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 27 | |
Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate level coursework (graded a minimum of B- and above), complted in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at another institution may be applied toward the student's University of Louisville degree, upon approval of the director.
Students enrolled in the University of Kentucky or Western Kentucky University graduate certificate programs may request a variance to transfer up to twelve (12) credit hours of graduate level coursework (graded a minimum of B- or above), approval is required from the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), Unit Dean and Vice Provost of Graduate Affairs.
Students must maintain a 3.0 average in order to be in good standing.
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As approved by the director of graduate studies.
