Chair of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Program Committee: Dr. Catherine Murray
Department Contact: Graduate Secretary - gswssec@sfu.ca
Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Simon Fraser University
AQ 5102A
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6
Tel: 778-782-3333, Fax: 778-782-5518
_______________________________
1. Thesis or Extended Essays Option
Except in special circumstances as determined by the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Departmental Committee, a candidate for the MA in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies must:
a. Take a minimum of 20 semester hours of graduate seminars including at least one of GSWS 800-5 or GSWS 822-5 maintaining at least a 3.0 CGPA, and;
b. Submit a thesis (normal length 60-120 pages) or two extended papers (normal length 30-60 pages each) giving evidence of independent research and critical abilities.
2. Course Intensive MA Degree Option
Except in special circumstances as determined by the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Departmental Committee, a candidate for the Course Intensive MA in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies must:
- complete six courses (thirty credit hours), one of them GSWS 822;
- four of these six courses must be regularly scheduled graduate courses;
at least three of these four courses must be Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies courses;
- the two remaining courses may be directed studies or any other graduate courses within the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies or another Department, subject to the approval of the Advisory Committee;
- complete two field examinations based upon the subject areas of two of the completed courses in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, including Directed Studies.
Field Examinations: The Chair of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Program will serve as the senior supervisor for students admitted into the course intensive option. Upon completion of all courses, the student, in consultation with the Chair of the GSWS Graduate Program, or designate, will decide on which courses the examinations will be based. The examinations will be set by the course instructors and graded by her/him and a second reader who will be chosen by the course instructor and the advisory committee. If a student fails one examination, s/he will be allowed to retake it. However, a failure of both examinations would constitute a failure of the degree. A second failure of a repeated examination constitutes a failure of the degree.
_______________________________
- a student will be admitted into a specific option (thesis, two-extended essays or course intensive) and should apply to that option
- a student will be admitted into the thesis or extended essays option only if the department has a senior supervisor available for that student
- a student can switch from one option to another only with the approval of the Graduate Program Committee
- a student can transfer to the thesis option only if there is a supervisor available
_______________________________
- The GSWS' minimum requirement for admission to a Master's program is a BA (BSc) with a minimum CGPA of 3.50 from a recognized university or equivalent special exceptions may be considered.
. Please use your legal name on all your documents.
- Applicants must satisfy the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Program Committee that they are prepared academically to undertake graduate level work in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Qualified students will be accepted into the MA thesis/extended essays program only if, in the opinion of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Committee, a suitable Senior Supervisor is available. Senior Supervisors will be selected only from among Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies faculty members, faculty members who have joint appointments in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and another department, and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Associate Faculty.
A student with incomplete academic preparation for the MA program may be required to take up to 12 hours of additional work in the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies undergraduate program. The Graduate Committee will specify these requirements to the incoming student.
The Master's Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies is interdisciplinary and draws on the resources of faculty in many areas of the Arts and Sciences. It is therefore possible for the Master's student to create, in co-operation with the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Committee, an individualized program of studies to suit her/his scholarly interests and goals.
Please note: Unless you are a Canadian Citizen or Landed Immigrant, your work opportunities as a graduate student will be limited to employment on campus. We cannot, and will not in the future be able to, provide support for all our students. International students have some difficulty supporting themselves.
_______________________________
IMPORTANT NOTE TO APPLICANTS TO THE GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND WOMEN'S STUDIES GRADUATE PROGRAM
1. Toward the end of November, we will respond to applicants about what we have received from them and what is still required for their applications to be complete.
2. The Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Graduate Program Admissions Committee meets shortly after the January 16th, 2013 deadline and looks at all the applications at the same time.
_______________________________
The office of the Dean of Graduate Studies (click here for their website) has recently implemented an on-line application procedure.
To apply on-line, click the online application system link. Note that there is an application fee.
It is important to understand that this on-line application is only one part of the requirements for the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies MA.application package. See below.
_______________________________
1. Letters of reference from three people who are familiar with you and qualifes to evaluate your capacity for graduate academic work. Note that we do not provide reference forms, so the letters of reference must include complete contact information for the referees.
2. Official transcripts in sealed envelopes should be sent directly from the applicable institutions (one from each post-secondary institution you have attended) directly to Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies.
3. A 750 to 1200 word statement of your proposed area of study. For the course-intensive option, this should include some of the courses in which you are most interested; for the research options (extended essays or thesis), this should include a proposed topic, and a description of the approach you wish to take, including main academic fields of study.
4. A short curriculum vita showing relevant course work, employment and volunteer work.
5. A sample of your scholarly work, such as an upper-level (third or fourth year) essay, an essay prepared especially for this application, a substantive portion of your honours thesis (if applicable) or samples of any academic publications.
6. Ranked choice of MA option.
7. If your first language is not English then an original TOEFL certificate or IELTS is required. (Click here for further info)
8. Finanical support is considered to be the responsibility of the student. You should include with your application package completed forms for Graduate Fellowships, and for any other scholarships or bursaries for which you might be eligible.
For your information: SFU Graduate Awards and Entrance Scholarships link:
http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/scholarships_and_awards/award_forms/
_______________________________
SFU has a very limited number of major entrance scholarships for exceptional students, valued at $18,000 for a one-year period. If you wish to be nominated for an entrance scholarship, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application for admission to your department of intended enrolment by January 16, 2012 . Failure to submit your application for admission by this deadline will decrease your chances for consideration in the annual Entrance Scholarship Competition to be held in February 2012.
_______________________________
1. ALL PARTS OF THE APPLICATION MUST TO SENT DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND WOMEN'S STUDIES. THIS INCLUDES OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AND REFERENCE LETTERS.
2. APPLICATIONS ARE NOT COMPLETE UNTIL AND UNLESS WE RECEIVE ALL PARTS OF THE PACKAGE.
_______________________________
Page last updated on January 30, 2012 ... Please notify webmaster of errors and omissions.