MA/PhD Dual Degree Descriptions

Students

The following are opportunities for combining the WGSS MA program with a PhD program at UC. Currently students are pursuing the WGSS MA with doctoral degrees in English, Philosophy, Sociology, and Political Science. We encourage students to apply for the MA and desired PhD program at the same time (but currently by submitting separate applications for each program) to take most advantage of the combination. Below you will find suggested curricular templates for pursuing the WGSS MA with the English PhD and the Sociology PhD. Additional templates will be posted as they become available.

The MA/PhD dual-degree program in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) and English establishes a seamless progression through two programs, allowing a student to receive both degrees in the same time it used to take to earn the English PhD plus the WGSS graduate certificate. This five-year program represents an innovative interdisciplinary approach, building an integrated academic experience between two areas of study. Students blend their coursework and requirements between the two departments—for example, an MA student takes English electives, and a PhD student takes WGSS electives. In other words, the MA/PhD program integrates features of both degrees even as students fulfill the requirements of each.

The first two years of this five-year program focus on fulfilling the requirements for the MA in WGSS. A student takes the theory sequence which completes the English theory requirement as well—in WGSS in the first year, as well as WGSS and ENGL electives. In the second year the student prepares and produces the WGSS MA project and takes the ENGL Teaching Practicum and Teaching College Writing to accompany composition instruction. Year Two ends with the MA oral exam (which counts for the English critical theory examination area) and submission of the MA project. In the third year, the student completes remaining required English coursework and WGSS electives, prepares for and takes the other two English area oral examinations, and proposes the dissertation topic. During the fourth and fifth years, the student writes and defends the dissertation. Students with funding from either WGSS or English may serve as teaching or research assistants and may be able to teach or assist with teaching courses in both departments.

Admission into the WGSS-English MA/PhD dual-degree program is somewhat flexible. Ideally, we will admit students directly into the dual degree from the BA, but we will consider students who have already begun in one or the other program.

The following is a general template for completing these degrees together within five years. Adjustments can be made under advisement and with the permission of the graduate directors in both programs.

Sample Template for WGSS/English MA/PhD Program

Assumes WGSS GA funding in first year and ENGL GA funding in subsequent years, but this could vary depending upon timing of entry into each degree program and funding availability in each.

FIRST YEAR

  • Fall Semester

    • WGS 7012: Feminist Theory Foundations (4 cr.)
    • WGS 7013 (R/C/S/N), 7014 (Contemp), or 7015 (Transnational): Theory (4 cr.); OR
      • WGS 7021 (Comparative Black Feminisms, 3 cr.) + WGS 7002 or 7003 (1 cr.)
    • ENGL elective (3 cr.)
    • WGS 7000: Proseminar I: Professional Development (1 cr.)
    • [WGSS GA]

  • Spring Semester

    • WGS 7013 (R/C/S/N), 7014 (Contemp), or 7015 (Transnational): Theory (4 cr.); OR
      • WGS 7021 (Comparative Black Feminisms, 3 cr.) + WGS 7002 or 7003 (1 cr.)
    • WGS 8000: Feminist Research (4 cr.)
    • ENGL elective (3 cr.)
    • WGS 7001: Proseminar II: Directed Readings (supervised by ENGL faculty member in WGSS core or affiliate faculty) (1 cr.)
    • [WGSS GA]

SECOND YEAR [complete WGSS MA]

  • Fall Semester

    • WGS 8010: Individual Directed Research (Final paper) (1-3 cr.)
    • WGS elective (3 cr.) or feminist theory class (4 cr.)
    • ENGL Area One elective (3 cr.)
    • ENGL teaching practicum (2 cr.)
    • [ENG Comp teaching]
  • Spring Semester

    • WGS 8011: Individual Directed Research (Final Paper) (1-3 cr.)
    • WGS 8020: Comprehensive Analysis (Oral Exam) (1-4 cr.)
    • Teaching College Writing (3 cr.)
    • WGS elective (3 cr.) or feminist theory class (4 cr.)
    • [ENGL Comp teaching]

[MA oral exam: count for ENGL critical theory area]

THIRD YEAR [complete required ENGL coursework]

  • Fall Semester

    • WGS elective (3 cr.)
    • ENGL Area One elective (3 cr.)
    • ENGL Area Two elective (3 cr.)
    • [ENGL Comp or other teaching]

      • [exams: two areas]

  • Spring Semester

    • WGS elective (3 cr.)
    • ENGL elective (3 cr.)
    • ENGL elective: Ropes (3 cr.)
    • [ENGL Comp or other teaching]

FOURTH YEAR: dissertation

FIFTH YEAR: dissertation and defense

Sample Template for WGSS/Sociology MA/PhD Program

Assumes WGSS GA funding in first year and SOC GA funding in subsequent years, but this could vary depending upon timing of entry into each degree program and funding availability in each.

FIRST YEAR

  • Fall Semester

    • WGS 7012: Fem Theory Foundations (4 cr.)
    • WGS 7013 (R/C/N/S), 7014 (Contemp), 7015 (Transnational): Theory (4 cr.); OR
      • WGS 7021: Contemporary Black Feminisms (3 cr.) + WGS 7002/7003 (1 cr.)
    • WGS elective (3)
    • WGS 7000: Proseminar I: Professional Development (1)
    • [WGSS GA]

  • Spring Semester

    • WGS 8000: Feminist Research & Methords (4 cr.)
    • WGS elective (3)
    • SOC elective (3)
    • Directed Reading with Sociology faculty (one of the following two) (2 cr.):
      • WGS 7001: Proseminar II: Directed Readings (if supervised by a sociologist faculty member in WGSS core) OR
      • SOC 7003: Independent Study (if supervised by a SOC faculty affiliated with WGSS)
    • [WGSS GA]

SECOND YEAR [complete WGSS MA]

  • Fall Semester

    • WGS elective (3 cr.)
    • SOC 8075: Classical Sociological Theory (3 cr.)
    • SOC 7002: GA Practicum (2 cr.)
    • SOC 7001: Proseminar (1 cr.)
    • Individual Research (one of the following two) (2 cr.): 
      • WGS 8010: Individual Directed Research I (Final paper) (if supervised by faculty member in WGSS core) OR
      • SOC 7006: Thesis Research (if supervised by a SOC faculty affiliated with WGSS)
    • [SOC GA]

  • Spring Semester

    • WGS 8020: Comprehensive Analysis (Oral Exam) (1-4 cr.)
    • WGS elective (3 cr.)
    • SOC elective (3 cr.)
    • SOC 7002: GA Practicum (2 cr.)
    • SOC 7001: Proseminar (1 cr.)
    • Individual Research (one of the following two) (1-3 cr.):
      •  WGS 8011: Individual Directed Research II (Final paper) (if supervised by faculty member in WGSS core) OR
      • SOC 7006: Thesis Research (if supervised by a SOC faculty affiliated with WGSS)

    • [SOC GA]

[MA oral exam: together with paper, counts for SOC MA paper; at least one member of the MA committee must be a faculty member in the sociology department]

 

THIRD YEAR [Complete required SOC coursework]

  • Fall Semester

    • SOC 7010: Introduction to Inequality (3 cr.)
    • SOC 8076: Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 cr.)
    • SOC elective (3 cr.)
    • SOC GA practicum (2 cr.)
    • SOC 7001: SOC Proseminar (1 cr.)
    • [SOC GA]

  • Spring Semester

    • SOC 7005: Intermediate Graduate Statistics (3 cr.)
    • SOC 8040: Qualitative Methodology (3 cr.)
    • SOC [ ]: Advanced methods I (several options) (3 cr.)
    • SOC 7002: GA practicum (2 cr.)
    • SOC 7001: Soc Proseminar (1 cr.)
    • [SOC GA]

FOURTH YEAR:  Sociology exams & dissertation proposal

  • Fall Semester

    • SOC 8002: Prelim Prep [general prelim scheduled in September] (6 cr.)
    • SOC [ ]: Advanced Methods II (several options) (3 cr.)
    • SOC 7002: GA Practicum (3 cr.)
    • [SOC GA]

  • Spring Semester

    • SOC 8002: Prelim Prep [specialty prelim due in April] (3 cr.)
    • SOC 9030: Dissertation research (6 cr.)
    • SOC 7002: GA Practicum (3 cr.)
    • [SOC GA]

 

FIFTH YEAR:  dissertation and defense

  • Fall semester

    • SOC 9030: Dissertation research (1 cr.)

  • Spring semester

    • SOC 9030: Dissertation research (1 cr.)