Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Programs Guide

This guide is intended to provide general information on the options for graduate programs if you are interested in pursuing further education in women, gender, and sexuality studies or sexuality studies.

On this page:

• Master's Degrees
• Doctoral Degrees

Master's Degrees

Loyola University Chicago—Women’s Studies and Gender Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Not required
• Funding: The M.A. program does not offer scholarships to new applicants. There are one to two administrative graduate assistantships available on a competitive basis to continuing students. Graduate assistantships in other programs and organizations are also available on a competitive basis to continuing Loyola graduate students.
• Program Options
  • Dual degree opportunities with Theology or Social Work
  • Graduate certificates and concentrations available
• Application Deadline: June 1 for Fall entry, November 1 for Spring entry

Minnesota State University Mankato—Gender and Women’s Studies, M.A./M.S.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Not required
• Funding: Assistantships available
• Program Options: Graduate certificates available
• Application Deadline: March 30 for Fall entry

Ohio State University—Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • BA or certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies or a closely-related discipline are strongly suggested, but not required.
  • GPA: generally, a 3.4 or higher. 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score requirement
  • Acceptance rate: 10-20% or 3-6 new M.A. students a year
• Funding: With rare exceptions, the department offers full funding for all admitted Ph.D. students through a Graduate Associateship (GA) or a fellowship. Most GAs will serve as Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) in exchange for tuition and fee waivers (~$12,000/year for residents of Ohio and ~$32,000/year for non-residents), a health insurance subsidy ($~2,300/year), and a nine-month stipend (currently at $1,878/month or $16,911/year). Ph.D. students generally receive five years of funding while direct-to-Ph.D. students receive six.
• Program Options: Dual degree opportunities, M.A., M.A. to Ph.D./“direct-to-Ph.D.,” or Ph.D.
• Application Deadline: December 1 for Fall entry

Oregon State University—Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Not required, but GRE scores are sometimes used by the Graduate School to determine funding. Strongly recommended for applicants with a GPA below the 3.0 minimum.
• Funding: Teaching and research assistantships available, as well as fellowship and scholarship opportunities
• Program Options: Queer Studies graduate minor
• Application Deadline: December 1 for Fall entry

Rutgers University—Women’s and Gender Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding
  • M.A.: Extremely limited financial support is available to M.A. students, in general, at Rutgers University. Financial support through the University, in the form of loans, grants, and work-study, may be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid office directly. Various jobs are available on campus, including jobs and assistantships in other departments and centers.
  • Ph.D.: 4-6 admissions per year are funded. Most students admitted to the Ph.D. Program are funded through fellowships and teaching assistantships in the Department of Women’s & Gender Studies. Additional work and research opportunities are available in the units of the Institute for Women’s Leadership.
• Program Options: Graduate certificates available
• Application Deadlines
  • M.A.: February 15 for Fall entry
  • Ph.D.: December 21 for Fall entry

San Diego State University—Women’s Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
  • Background in Women’s Studies recommended
• Funding: Some competitive fellowships and scholarships available. The majority of first-year students receive a graduate assistantship.
• Program Options
  • Graduate certificates available
  • Opportunities to enroll part-time
• Application Deadline: February 15 for Fall entry

Southern Connecticut State University—Women’s Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 2.5 minimum
  • GRE: Not required
• Funding: Financial aid available
• Application Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis for Fall and Spring entry

State University of New York at Albany—Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Not required
• Funding
  • Ranked by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance “Best Values in Public Colleges, 2015” as one of the nation’s top colleges for excellence in academics and affordability. Ranks in the 2017 top 100 “America’s Best Public Colleges” list in Forbes magazine. Fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships available.
  • First-year assistantship appointment ($5,000 stipend, no tuition), second-year appointment to full assistantship (including tuition) subject to performance review by the supervisor.
• Program Options
  • Dual degree opportunities—J.D./M.A. articulated between Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Albany Law School
  • Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies M.A. to Sociology Ph.D. (*GRE required)
  • Graduate certificate in Women and Public Policy
• Application Deadlines
  • February 15 for Fall entry with graduate assistantship consideration
  • June 15 for Fall entry without graduate assistantship
  • November 1 for Spring entry without graduate assistantship

University of California Santa Barbara—Feminist Studies, dual M.A./Ph.D., and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • Preference for applicants with a strong background in women’s, gender, or feminist studies
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding
  • Teaching Assistantship provides the student health coverage and significant fee remission.
  • Fellowships are available.
• Program Options
  • Independent M.A. in Feminist Studies on temporary hold
  • Available emphasis in Global and International Studies, Writing Studies, Environmental Studies, and Black Studies for Feminist Studies Ph.D. students
  • Feminist Studies emphasis for UC Santa Barbara graduate students in other programs
• Application Deadline: December 18 for Fall entry

University of Cincinnati—Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 with some exceptions
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding: Assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships available. Teaching and research assistants receive stipends, discount at UC bookstore, and possible eligibility for health insurance.
• Program Options: J.D./M.A. joint degree with Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Law Graduate certificate
• Application Deadlines
  • January 15 for Fall entry with consideration for funding and assistantships
  • March 31 for Fall entry without consideration for funding and assistantships

University of Florida—Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.2 minimum (Junior and Senior average)
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding: Assistantships with full tuition remission available. Fellowships and scholarships are also available.
• Program Options
  • J.D./M.A. joint degree with Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Law
  • Graduate certificate
  • Ability to earn a dual title
• Application Deadline: February 1 for Fall entry

University of Louisville—Women’s and Gender Studies, M.A.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 or higher preferred
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding: Scholarships and assistantships available
• Program Options
  • M.A./M.S.W. dual degree option, M.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies, M.S.W. in Social Work
  • Graduate certificate
• Application Deadline: May 1 for Fall entry

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Doctoral Degrees

Indiana University Bloomington—Gender Studies, Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Required, prefer applicants score 160 in either Quantitative or Verbal sections of the GRE and a 5.0 on the Analytical Writing assessment. They expect a minimum total score (Quantitative and Verbal combined) of 308.
• Funding: Fellowship and assistantship packages offered on a competitive basis. Accepted students receive packages consisting of five years of funding through teaching assistantships and/or fellowship stipends, along with fee remission and health insurance.
• Career Preparation: 100% placement rate for Ph.D. graduates
• Program Options
  • Terminal Master’s Degree? No. Only students intending to pursue the Ph.D. will be admitted to the program. However, a Master's degree may be obtained upon satisfactory completion of its requirements.
  • Graduate certificates available
• Application Deadline: December 1^st for Fall entry

Ohio State University—Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • BA or certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies or a closely-related discipline are strongly suggested, but not required.
  • GPA: generally, a 3.4 or higher. 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score requirement
  • Acceptance rate: 10-20% or 3-6 new M.A. students a year
• Funding: With rare exceptions, the department offers full funding for all admitted Ph.D. students through a Graduate Associateship (GA) or a fellowship. Most GAs will serve as Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) in exchange for tuition and fee waivers (~$12,000/year for residents of Ohio and ~$32,000/year for non-residents), a health insurance subsidy ($~2,300/year), and a nine-month stipend (currently at $1,878/month or $16,911/year). Ph.D. students generally receive five years of funding while direct-to-Ph.D. students receive six.
• Program Options: Dual degree opportunities, M.A., M.A. to Ph.D./“direct-to-Ph.D.,” or Ph.D.
• Application Deadline: December 1 for Fall entry

Oregon State University—Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Not required, but GRE scores are sometimes used by the Graduate School to determine funding. Strongly recommended for applicants with a GPA below the 3.0 minimum.
• Funding: Teaching and research assistantships available, as well as fellowship and scholarship opportunities
• Program Options: Queer Studies graduate minor
• Application Deadline: December 1 for Fall entry

Rutgers University—Women’s and Gender Studies, M.A. and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding
  • M.A.: Extremely limited financial support is available to M.A. students, in general, at Rutgers University. Financial support through the University, in the form of loans, grants, and work-study, may be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid office directly. Various jobs are available on campus, including jobs and assistantships in other departments and centers.
  • Ph.D.: 4-6 admissions per year are funded. Most students admitted to the Ph.D. Program are funded through fellowships and teaching assistantships in the Department of Women’s & Gender Studies. Additional work and research opportunities are available in the units of the Institute for Women’s Leadership.
• Program Options: Graduate certificates available
• Application Deadlines
  • M.A.: February 15 for Fall entry
  • Ph.D.: December 21 for Fall entry

Stony Brook University—Cultural Analysis and Theory- Women’s and Gender Studies Track, Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements: GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding
  • Ph.D. students tend to be supported with teaching assistantships, which carry a stipend and a full-tuition scholarship. The TA stipend is currently $19,360 per year.
  • A limited number of fellowships for outstanding applicants are also offered. The Graduate Council Fellowship is designed for exceptionally qualified incoming doctoral students (available to US citizens and permanent residents only). The GCF carries an additional stipend of $24,000 ($6,000 per year) for four years. The fellowship also provides a fifth year of $26,000 funding with no teaching responsibilities.
  • Additionally, a program for underrepresented applicants is offered. The Turner Fellowship provides five years of funding for qualified applicants. 
  • The department is currently unable to fund M.A. students. 
• Program Options: Graduate certificates available
• Application Deadline: January 15 for Fall entry

University of California Los Angeles—Gender Studies, Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.5 minimum (Junior and Senior average)
  • GRE: Required, expect scores of 160 Verbal and 148 Quantitative or better
• Funding: Grants and fellowships available. UCLA’s Department of Gender Studies has consistently been able to provide a minimum floor of funding for tuition and living expenses for all of its incoming graduate students for four years. This bare minimum guarantee to all incoming graduate students ensures that no one in the Department is “paying to play” while others are fully supported. Graduate education, however, is expensive and the cost of living associated with being in an international metropolitan center like Los Angeles can be overwhelming. This means that some students take out loans while they attend UCLA.
• Program Options: Gender Studies Concentration
• Application Deadline: December 12 for Fall entry

University of California Santa Barbara—Feminist Studies, dual M.A./Ph.D., and Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • Preference for applicants with strong background in women’s, gender, or feminist studies
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding
  • Teaching Assistantship provides the student health coverage and a significant fee remission.
  • Fellowships are available.
• Program Options
  • Independent M.A. in Feminist Studies on temporary hold
  • Available emphasis in Global and International Studies, Writing Studies, Environmental Studies, and Black Studies for Feminist Studies Ph.D. students
  • Feminist Studies emphasis for UC Santa Barbara graduate students in other programs
• Application Deadline: December 18 for Fall entry

University of Kentucky—Gender and Women’s Studies, Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • GRE: Required, no minimum score
• Funding: Competitive research and teaching assistantships available, which include a bi-weekly stipend, tuition remission, and health care. Fellowships are also available, many of which include tuition remission, a monthly stipend, and health insurance.
• Program Options: Graduate certificate
• Application Deadline
  • December 1 for Fall entry with graduate assistantship consideration
  • March 1 for Fall entry without graduate assistantship consideration

University of Arizona—Gender and Women’s Studies, Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GPA: 3.0 or higher, recommended
  • GRE: Required, recommended scores of 153 verbal, 144 quantitative, and 4.5 analytic writing, or better
• Funding: Highly competitive funding packages are offered, which include healthcare and tuition waivers.  Students in good academic standing can expect to be funded for at least four years. The department is able to provide some fellowship funding, especially to incoming students. In addition, during their first four years, students are eligible for Teaching and Research Assistantships. Students can earn additional money by teaching online courses in summer and winter sessions. Travel and research grants are also available.
• Program Options
  • M.A./J.D. dual degree with Gender and Women’s Studies and the College of Law
  • Graduate certificate
  • Ph.D. minor
• Application Deadline: December 15 for Fall entry

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor—Women’s Studies, joint Ph.D.

• Admission Requirements
  • GRE: Required, no score minimum
  • GPA: No minimum, but preference for “a distinguished undergraduate record”
• Funding: All joint Ph.D. students are fully funded via a combination of fellowships and teaching or research assistantships for at least five years. All first-year students will receive a fellowship.
• Program Options
  • Joint Ph.D. programs in Women’s Studies and English, Women’s Studies and History, and Women’s Studies and Psychology
  • Graduate certificates in Women’s Studies and LGBTQ Studies
• Application Deadline: December 1 for Fall entry