Graduate Degree Programs

Why Women's Studies?

Through their engagement with interdisciplinary coursework and faculty from 18 different departments in five colleges, our students learn to ask cutting-edge questions and to conduct high quality research.

Students who have completed the dual-title degree or the graduate minor will have a competitive edge as more academic and professional positions require knowledge of feminist theory, women, and gender.

Women's Studies students are a part of a supportive community for discourse that connects personal and larger cultural and political issues.

The Women's Studies Department gives graduate students unique opportunities for teaching and mentoring in a program that is committed to critical and engaged pedagogy. Graduate teaching assistantships are available in addition to opportunities to co-teach upper-level and cross-listed courses with faculty recognized for outstanding teaching.

Admission Requirements

We're delighted that you're interested in applying to the dual degree program in Women's Studies! Everything that you need to know for applying should be listed below but feel free to contact us with further questions.

Requirements for Applicants who are New to Penn State University

Students may apply to the dual degree program when they apply for admission to graduate school at Penn State. Please follow the guidelines for applying established by the co-operating department (click here for a list of co-operating departments) and indicate clearly on your application that you are applying to the dual degree program in Women's Studies. Send all materials to the co-operating department but be sure your personal statement reflects your interest in this interdisciplinary degree. The co-operating department is responsible for the first years of funding and assistantships.

Requirements for Students Currently Enrolled in a Co-operating Graduate Program at Penn State University

Students already enrolled in a co-operating program at Penn State may apply by submitting the following to the Women's Studies Department in 133 Willard Building.There is no set deadline; the admissions committee meets each semester to consider applications. Students are encouraged to discuss their application in advance with either their advisor or the Women's Studies Graduate Officer.

A copy of your Graduate School Application which was originally submitted to your home department

  • Official Transcripts from all previous coursework (Photocopies of transcripts sent from the home department are acceptable)
  • Official GRE scores (Photocopies of GRE scores sent from the home department are acceptable)
  • A writing sample
  • A personal statement that describes how the dual degree program fits with your scholarly interests
  • 1 letter of recommendation from a Women's Studies faculty member at Penn State

 

Click here to view participating program requirements
Graduate Staff Assistant
133 Willard Building
814-867-2760
alr9@psu.edu

 

Lori Ginzberg
Professor of History and Women's Studies
Graduate Program Officer
410 Weaver Building
814-863-8947
ldg1@psu.edu

PhD Dual Degree Program

Dual Degree doctoral students are required to take 9 credits of course work in Women's Studies: WMNST 501: Feminist Perspectives in Research and Teaching (3 credits); WMNST 507: Feminist Theory (3 credits); and WMNST 597: Special Topics in Women's Studies, not cross listed (3 credits). Students also must complete 9 additional credits of Women's Studies course work (at least 6 of which should be at the 500 level) chosen in consultation with the Women's Studies Graduate Officer.

The student’s doctoral committee must include at least two members who are Women's Studies-affiliated faculty. The Women's Studies affiliated faculty members on the student's committee will administer a portion of the student's comprehensive exams focusing on feminist theory, feminist methodology, global feminism and feminist studies in the student's discipline.

A dissertation on a women's studies topic is required of students in the dual-title degree program. The student's committee must approve the topic of the dissertation.

MA Dual Degree Program

Dual Degree master's students are required to take 9 credits of course work in Women's Studies: WMNST 501: Feminist Perspectives in Research and Teaching (3 credits); WMNST 507: Feminist Theory (3 credits); and WMNST 597: Special Topics in Women's Studies, not cross listed (3 credits). Students also must complete 3 additional credits of Women's Studies course work chosen in consultation with the Women's Studies Graduate Officer.

One faculty member from Women's Studies should be included on the master's committee. In addition, students should select a thesis topic that reflects their inquiry in women's studies. In the case of dual-title programs in which a master's thesis is not required, students need to take three additional credits of Women's Studies course work and complete a master's paper on a topic approved by the student's committee

Graduate Minor

The Women's Studies Department at Penn State offers students enrolled in the graduate minor the opportunity to include women's studies work in their graduate study in any discipline at the masters' and doctoral level. Students who have completed the graduate minor will have a competitive edge as more academic and professional positions require study of feminist theory, women, or gender. In addition, Women's Studies students are a part of a supportive community for discourse that connects personal and larger cultural and political issues.

Graduate students in the graduate minor develop the skills to conduct both disciplinary research and interdisciplinary research in women's studies. Through their participation in interdisciplinary course work and interaction with faculty across disciplinary boundaries, we expect students to ask cutting-edge questions and to conduct high quality research. Students are encouraged to present their research and publish in both disciplinary and interdisciplinary women's studies outlets. Such an approach to graduate study acknowledges and fosters scholarly work across disciplines while increasing the intellectual rigor and breadth of graduate work through the students' immersion in Women's Studies and their discipline.

The Women's Studies Department is comprised of a strong group of approximately 40 faculty engaged in interdisciplinary work from various departments across the university. The faculty represent a wide variety of disciplines, resulting in a rich interdisciplinary environment, Our faculty represent 18 different departments in five different colleges. The Women's Studies faculty has extensive experience working within graduate programs and with graduate students. Currently, 34 Women's Studies affiliated faculty members are members of the graduate faculty, and many of our faculty direct doctoral dissertations and mentor graduate students.

For more information about the Graduate Minor in Women's Studies, please contact Lori Ginzberg, our Graduate Advisor.

To apply, complete the Graduate Minor Application and submit with all signatures to:

Graduate Staff Assistant
133 Willard Building
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802-2800