M.A. in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
MISSION
In keeping with the mission of Florida Atlantic University, our goal is to provide students with both academic and personal development, discovery, lifelong learning, and public engagement. Our program prepares students to think critically about the ways that gender and sexuality interact with politics, culture, ideologies, social structures, and economics—both historically and globally—to shape the lives of women and men, both cisgender and transgender, as well as nonbinary people. Our courses explore gender and sexuality through experiences and standpoints rooted in a diversity of intersecting factors, including class, race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, religion, and age.
The academic discipline of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) examines issues and topics that include sex and sexuality from a feminist viewpoint, although students are not expected or required to share this viewpoint. In this class, course material will include discussions of LGBTQ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer). Students are expected to engage with all course material and become comfortable discussing course material respectfully across differences and disagreements. Class contributions should always engage with the course material, and every student’s views will be heard and respected.
BASICS
The MA degree program provides three options for students: completion of a thesis and 24 hours of coursework, completion of an internship and 24 hours of coursework, or completion of a comprehensive exam and 27 hours of coursework. The thesis is a formal written work that advances an original point of view through extensive, in-depth research under the guidance of the advisory committee. The internship involves an extensive apprenticeship at an approved organization, and this option is designed to integrate professional work experience with scholarly research. The comprehensive exam is useful for students who are seeking a broad education in the field and enables them to demonstrate their areas of expertise within WGSS.
FUNDING
Full-time graduate students in good standing are eligible for Graduate Teaching Assistantships that offset the cost of graduate education through tuition remission and a stipend. Applicants have the option to indicate their interest in a Graduate Teaching Assistantship when applying to the program.
PART-TIME STUDY
The WGSS welcomes part-time graduate students to apply to the program. Like full-time students, part-time students receive individual advising to support successful degree completion.