Master of Women's Studies at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville

University Rank:#212

University of Florida offers the Master of Women's Studies as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Gainesville , United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 2 years, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for women's studies and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on January 9, 2027.

About Master of Women's Studies

Program Information

The Women's Studies program is administered by the Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies Research. The program offers both a Thesis and a Non-Thesis M.A., as well as a two graduate certificates. The Center sponsors speakers and events, promotes interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary scholarship and community engagement, and distributes a newsletter each fall and spring.

Our MA program offers a vibrant and diverse faculty, flexible requirements, and excellent preparation for those wishing to go on for doctoral work or professional employment. Our areas of expertise include Black and Latinx feminisms; critical girlhood studies; critical health studies; feminist/ethnic studies; LGBTQ+ studies; feminist technoscience; gender, race, and sexualities; interdisciplinary history studies; Latinx, Afro-Latinx, Haitian, and Caribbean studies; media, cultural, and literary studies; migration studies; and transnational and postcolonial feminist analysis. We apply this expertise in the study of critical domains such as data science, health and medicine, history of women, crime and violence, sexual violence and exploitation, law and politics, leadership and business, literatures and cultures, media and art, work, migration, and social movement activism. In addition to our twelve core faculty members, we have over 100 affiliated faculty members who offer courses, serve on graduate committees, and collaborate in other ways with the Center.

We offer an excellent funding package to our MA students. This includes graduate assistantships with tuition remission, along with supplemental need-based scholarships. We also provide students with research and travel funds. We offer innovative teaching and research, both Thesis and Non-Thesis MAs, combination MA/JD option, and a wide range of specializations. Graduates of our program have gone on to a variety of PhD programs as well as employment in teaching and research, nongovernmental organizations, social services, advocacy, journalism and the media.

Gainesville, Florida is a great location for graduate studies. Gainesville is a medium-sized university town with a host of resources and welcoming climate. Our students come from around the country and internationally, and find UF and the wider community to provide a progressive, affordable, and culturally rich environment in which to live. Many of our students elect to carry out internships in local organizations that offer academic credit and valuable hands-on experience, preparing them for post-graduate employment and active participation as global citizens.

Master of Arts (thesis and non-thesis): The Center offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) thesis degree option, which requires the completion and defense of a thesis (30 credit hours), and the Master of Arts non-thesis degree option, which requires completion and defense of a project or paper (30 credit hours). All Master's students take a core curriculum of 12 graduate credits (4 courses). For the thesis M.A., the remaining 18 hours consist of 12 credits of approved electives and 6 thesis credits. It is strongly recommended that students take at least 3 additional credits in research methods or skills as an elective. For the non-thesis M.A., 18 credits of approved electives are required.

Required courses for all MA students (12 credits):

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
WST 5933	Proseminar in Women's Studies	3
WST 6004	Feminist Methods in Research and Scholarship	3
WST 6508	Advanced Feminist Theory (or other approved 6000-level WST theory-designated course*)	3
WST 6935	Special Topics in Women's Studies (or other approved 6000-level WST Feminist Praxis/Public Scholarship-designated course**)	1-3

*Theory-designated courses include:

WST 6935: Latinx Sexualities
WST 6935: Race, Sex, Representation
WST 6935: Global Women of Color
WST 6908: Advanced Feminist theory
WST 6348: Ecofeminism
Approved courses offered each semester will be posted on the program's website

** Feminist Praxis/Public Scholarship-designated courses include:

WST 6935: Social Justice Praxis
WST 6596: Intersectional Activisms
WST 6935: Critical Girlhood Studies
WST 6935: Queer & Trans Movements
WST 6935: Jobs, Gender & Justice
WST 6935: Reproductive Health and Justice
Approved courses offered each semester will be posted on the program's website

In addition to the required courses above, thesis and non-thesis options require the following:

Thesis

12 approved credits at 5000-level or higher
6 credits of WST 6971 Research for Master's Thesis (1-15 cr.) (3 of which must be taken in the final graduating term)
(12 required courses + 12 electives + 6 MA research hours = 30 credits total for MA Thesis)

Non-thesis

18 approved credits at 5000-level of higher
at least 9 of these credits must be WST classes
(12 required courses + 18 electives = 30 credits total for MA Non-thesis)

BA/ MA Program: UF offers a number of Bachelor's/Master's programs for superior students. The university created combination degree programs to provide academically talented students an opportunity to complete both a bachelor's and a master's degree in a shorter period of time. The program allows you to double-count graduate courses toward both degrees, thus reducing the time it would normally take to graduate by a semester or more. The combination-degree program reduces the cost of both degrees and enhances your marketability for career advancement.

M.A./J.D. Joint Degree: The faculties of the Levin College of Law and Women's Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have approved a joint degree program culminating in both a J.D. degree, awarded by the College of Law, and an M.A. degree (thesis or non-thesis), awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Under this joint degree program, a student can obtain both degrees in approximately one year less than it would take to obtain both degrees if pursued consecutively. A student must satisfy the curriculum requirements for each degree before either degree is awarded. At least 12 credits must be taken in each program. The graduate program in Women's Studies will accept 12 credits of appropriate professional courses toward the M.A. degree. The 12 credits selected from the professional curriculum must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator upon the recommendation of the student's graduate supervisory committee. Reciprocally, the law school will accept 12 credits of appropriate Women's Studies courses toward the satisfaction of the J.D. degree. Admission to the second program is required no later than the end of the third consecutive semester after beginning one degree of the joint degree program. A summer term is counted as a single semester.

Concurrent Degrees: University of Florida provides a concurrent degree program allowing for simultaneous study on an individualized basis that leads to two master's degrees in two different graduate programs. Such a program is initiated by the student and requires prior approval of each academic unit and the Graduate School. If the student is approved to pursue two master's degrees, up to 9 credits of course work from one degree program may be applied toward the second master's degree, thereby allowing both degrees to be completed in less time. The forms required for approval of the concurrent program and petition for acceptance of nine credits of coursework in a second master's program may be found at http://graduateschool.ufl.edu/media/graduate-school/pdf-files/concurrent.pdf

PhD/MA Degrees: University of Florida provides a non-traditional degree option that allows those already in a PhD program at UF to apply to a MA program also. Up to nine credits from the doctoral degree program may be counted toward the master's degree program. The forms required for approval of such a degree arrangement are available here: http://graduateschool.ufl.edu/media/graduate-school/pdf-files/nontraditional-20210826.pdf

Certificates (M.A. or Ph.D. level): Two graduate certificates in Women's Studies for master's and doctoral students are offered in conjunction with degree programs in other academic units. The Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies and the Graduate Certificate in Gender and Development require specific sets of course work, designed to give students a thorough grounding in the discipline. The Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies offers students a general overview of the field. The Graduate Certificate in Gender and Development allows students to focus on issues related to gender, economic development, and globalization.

Graduate courses in women's studies are also available from the following academic units or programs:

Agricultural and Life Sciences
Anthropology
Counselor Education
English
History
Journalism and Communication
Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Latin American Studies
Linguistics
Medicine
Philosophy
Psychology
Religion
Sociology
Teaching and Learning

For more information, please see our website: http://web.wst.ufl.edu.

Women's Studies (MA)

SLO 1 Knowledge
Students identify, define and describe gender in culture and society.
Students recognize multi-cultural and transnational currents of feminist thought.

SLO 2 Skills
Students apply critical thinking, research, and writing skills in all of their courses and other graduate work;
communication skills in and out of the classroom as active participants in their own education; and meet deadlines and fulfill academic commitments.

SLO 3     Professional Behavior
Students apply professional behavior, meeting expectations in the academic community and beyond.   They fulfill work obligations in a thoughtful and timely way,
and display collegiality and sensitivity to faculty and other students in the program.   They participate collaboratively and contribute to the life of the CWSGR.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of Women's Studies at University of Florida

Entry Requirements

Applicants who should complete the SSAR:

Attended a high school regionally accredited in the United States for at least three years.
Attended a DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) school.

Applicants who should not complete the SSAR:

Attended a secondary school located outside the United States for more than one semester.
Studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system.

Required: At least three full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress (grades 9, 10 and 11 + senior schedule) in both the native language of instruction and a word for word certified English translation (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted electronically via the status Check Status page for the review process, while official transcripts and translations are required upon enrollment.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency examination results, such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test, are encouraged for non-native English speakers, but are not required for freshman admission. SAT or ACT results are required for all freshman applicants.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of Women's Studies at University of Florida

How to Apply for Master of Women's Studies at University of Florida

Start by exploring our more than 250 degree programs to determine the application requirements and if additional items, such as transcripts, portfolios or recommendation letters, are needed in your application. Application deadlines also vary by department, so be sure to apply before the deadline.

Regardless of program, all graduate students apply using the UF graduate school application through CollegeNET. You will select your college and major within the application. Complete the application and pay the $30 non-refundable application fee. Review your application carefully before submission, as changes cannot be made once the application is submitted.

The Office of Admissions does not provide an application fee waiver. If needed, check directly with the program to which you are applying. Additionally, if your application is not considered because the application deadline is passed, UF will not issue you a refund for the application fee. It is important to know the application deadlines for the intended major.

If you are applying to more than one program, you must complete an application for each program and pay the non-refundable application fee

Official test scores must be sent to UF electronically by the testing agency.

GRE

Review your program requirements to determine if GRE scores are needed. Most applicants must submit GRE scores, but some programs in the College of the Arts do not require these. When using electronic delivery, select school code 5812 (University of Florida). UF does not superscore the GRE.

GMAT

All MBA applicants must submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test. GMAT scores may also be accepted by certain MHA, Sport Management, and Food and Resource Economics programs. Contact individual departments for specific requirements. When ordering your scores from GMAC, select the department you intend to apply to here at the University of Florida.

Fundamentals of Engineering

Some engineering programs will accept FE scores as a substitute for the GRE. Contact individual programs for requirements.

Exemptions

Applicants with a previous graduate or professional degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution may be exempt from the Graduate Record Exam or Graduate Management Admission Test at the program's discretion.

Verifying Receipt of Scores

Requested scores generally arrive to UF within 2-4 weeks

Send your transcripts to the UF Office of Admissions.

For the purpose of initial review, the Office of Admissions accepts unofficial transcripts. These can be uploaded through your Application Status page.

Applicants who receive an offer of admissions should arrange to have official transcripts sent to the UF Office of Admissions from each postsecondary institution attended. If you attended UF as your postsecondary institution, you do not have to order a transcript from the Office of the University Registrar. Official transcripts can be sent to UF in two ways: paper transcript received by UF in a sealed envelope or electronic transcripts sent from your institution directly to UF, which can save up to two weeks response time. UF accepts electronic transcripts through FASTER, Parchment, National Student Clearing House, ScribbleSoft, e-Scrip Safe, Credential Solutions, SCOIR or Transcripts Plus.

All academic credentials become property of the university. They will not be returned to you or forwarded to a third party. For diplomas and academic credentials that are only issued once, please send an attested or certified copy of the original.

Transcript updates can be found within your Application Status page. Transcripts uploaded or received by mail will display on the Application Checklist as Transcript - Under Review. Once the transcripts are reviewed, these checklist items will be removed, and the Awaiting Transcript checklist items will be updated accordingly. We process transcripts as quickly as possible. The Admissions Office prioritizes the review of transcripts needed for students to register for the current term.

Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé that is uploaded within your graduate application.

If the program of interest requires recommendation letters, these should be submitted electronically through the admissions application. You must request these recommendations prior to submitting your application. You cannot add or delete recommendations once your application has been submitted. If your recommendation is supplied by paper or PDF, check with your academic program to inquire if this will be accepted.

You can check the receipt of materials by the Office of Admissions on the Check Status page. This page will only reflect information concerning materials forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions and does not include materials that are required to be sent directly to your academic unit.

Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting your online application, your 8-digit UF Identification Number (UFID) will be available on the status of your application. Use the same username and password used to submit your CollegeNET application.

Your UFID is unique to you and should be used in all email communication and any subsequent applications submitted. If you do not use your UFID in communications and submissions, it is difficult for us to match your test scores, transcripts, and financial aid information to your academic record.

Master of Women's Studies at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville