The Interdisciplinary Graduate Specializations in Women’s Studies are designed to enhance the masters and doctoral programs at the University which prepare students for careers in education at all levels, social service work, health services, business, public policy, government and nongovernmental organizations, and research.
Students will gain a more complete understanding of how the social construction of gender has influenced the roles, contributions, and experience of women in many different cultures, now and in the past. Such awareness can help them better understand our contemporary world with its changing roles for women and men alike.
To the gender analysis of any situation, they will bring knowledge of the complex ways in which gender interacts with race, social class, sexual orientation, and other forms of diversity. They will understand the connection between Women’s Studies scholarship and the scholarship of other disciplines.
Graduate work in Women’s Studies is offered through the Women in the Curriculum and Women’s Studies Program. Students can use the interdisciplinary graduate specializations to enhance masters and doctoral degrees offered by other departments. (Cooperating units include Communication and Journalism, Education and Human Development, English, History, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work.)
It can also provide a focus for the interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree program or for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. A Women’s Studies advisor, who is a member of the graduate faculty, will assist each student in designing a program of study appropriate to her or his goals and will be part of the evaluation process. Students and advisors will be matched according to the students’ areas of interest.
Requirements
1. Candidates for any masters degree and the certificate of advanced study in Education are required to take at least 9 credits including WST 510 and another WST course. The additional course(s) can be chosen, with the approval of the student’s Women’s Studies advisor, from WST courses or departmental Women’s Studies electives at the 400-level or above. At least 2 courses must be at the 500-level or above. If the student’s degree program has no thesis or comprehensive exam, there will be some type of written evaluation of the work in Women’s Studies.
2. Candidates for the Ph.D. or Ed.D. are required to take at least 12 credits, including WST 510 and WST 520. WST 580 is highly recommended. The additional course(s) can be chosen, with the approval of the student’s Women’s Studies advisor, from WST courses or Women’s Studies departmental electives at the 400-level or above.
Students who are taking thesis credits in their departments and writing Women’s Studies theses or dissertations can use up to 2 thesis credits toward their Women’s Studies specializations if they take WST 610 to make up 3 credits.
Questions can be answered by the WST graduate faculty or by contacting the program director, Ann Schonberger, at 207-581-1229 or e-mail Ann.Schonberger@umit.maine.edu.
You can also apply to the Graduate School Online