The M.A. Experience

Susan Blampied

"Doing the Joint Degree provided me with the opportunity to look at both the practical and theoretical aspects of my research interests, which has allowed me to grow as a development practitioner and as a specialist in the field."

Susan Blampied, M.A. '12

Joint M.A. in Women's and Gender Studies and Sustainable International Development, Heller School for Social Policy and Management

For the complete list of the Womens' and Gender Studies Program courses, see the listing on the Registrar's web site.

Graduate students may also enroll in cross-registered courses with the following schools: Boston College, Boston University and Tufts University.
For more information on cross-registration, please visit the GSAS website. 

Requirements

Requirements for the Master of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies

Candidates for the degree of Masters of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies fulfill the residence requirement of one full year of coursework (eight semester courses), and complete the following course requirements:

A.    WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.
B.    A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women’s Studies).
C.    Six elective graduate courses, four of which must be cross listed with WGS. Students must complete a coherent course of study that is approved by a faculty advisor.
D.    Participation in a year-long noncredit women’s and gender studies graduate proseminar that meets six times each year.
E.    Joint MA Paper Requirement: Completion of a master’s research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the course of study. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom must be a member of the women’s and gender studies core or affiliate faculty.

Language Requirement:
There is no foreign language requirement for the master’s degree.

Joint Degrees

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies

Program of Study

Candidates for the joint degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies fulfill the residence requirement of one full year of coursework (8 semester courses), and complete the following course requirements:

A. ANTH 201a, the graduate foundational course in the history of anthropology.

B. ANTH 144a Anthropology of Gender.

C. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women's and gender studies.

D. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies)

E. Four elective graduate courses, including one in women's and gender studies from a field other than anthropology, selected with the approval of the student's faculty adviser.

F. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

G. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the anthropology department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in English and Women's and Gender Studies

Program of Study

A. WMGS 205a, the foundational course in women's and gender studies.

B. One course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Five additional courses in the English department selected from 100-level courses and graduate seminars (200-level courses). At least three of these courses must be at the 200 level. One of these four courses must be crosslisted with the Women's and Gender Studies Program. Please note that ENG 200a: Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies, though not required, is recommended for MA students.

D. One women's and gender studies course in a department other than the English department.

E. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

F. Language requirement: A reading knowledge of a major foreign language (normally modern European or classical Greek or Latin) must be demonstrated by passing a written translation examination. The completion of the language requirement at another university does not exempt the student from the Brandeis requirement.

G. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the English department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in History and Women's and Gender Studies

Program of Study

During the course of their work toward the Ph.D., students in history may earn a joint M.A. with women's and gender studies by completing the following requirements in conjunction with program requirements for the M.A.

A. WMGS 205a, the foundation course in women's and gender studies.

B. One course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

D. Two elective courses in women's and gender studies, one inside and one outside the history department.

F. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

I. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the history department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Music and Women's and Gender Studies

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women's and gender studies.

B. One course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Two courses at the graduate level listed as electives in women's and gender studies, one in music, and one from another department.

D. Two courses at the graduate level in the music department.

E. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

F. Attendance at all departmental colloquia.

G. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the music department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

Residence Requirement

One year.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Women's and Gender Studies

Students interested in the joint two-year terminal M.A. degree program must first be admitted to the M.A. degree program in NEJS in the regular manner.

Program of Study

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.

B. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Two elective courses in women’s and gender, one inside and one outside the NEJS department.

D. The remaining courses must be jointly approved by each student's NEJS adviser and by the NEJS women's and gender studies adviser

E. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

F. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the NEJS department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

G. All candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency in biblical or modern Hebrew or in Arabic.

H. All candidates for the Master of Arts degree are required to pass a comprehensive examination.

Residence Requirement

Ordinarily, two years of full-time residence are required at the normal course rate of seven courses each academic year. Students who enter with graduate credit from other recognized institutions may apply for transfer credit for up to four courses, or, with prior approval of the M.A. adviser, candidates may receive transfer credit for up to four courses at a university abroad.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies

Interested students must first be admitted to the Ph.D. program.

A. PSYC 211a Graduate Research Methods in Psychology.

B. PSYC 210a and b Advanced Psychological Statistics I and II.

C. PSYC 300a and 302a Proseminar in Social Developmental Psychology I and II.

D. A course in PSYC 220-240 series with successful completion of first-year research project in psychology. This project must be on an issue relevant to women's and gender studies.

E. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

F. One additional course from 100-level courses in psychology.

G. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women's and gender studies.

H. Two elective courses in women's and gender studies.

I. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

J. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the psychology department, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Public Policy in Social Policy and Women’s and Gender Studies

Program of Study
Students must fulfill all core requirements for the MPP as described in the Heller School section found elsewhere in this Bulletin as well as the following:

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.

B. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women’s Studies).

C. Two elective graduate courses in women’s and gender studies (one inside the Heller School and one outside the Heller School). The class taken inside Heller can also count toward the student's concentration requirements.

D. Participation in a year-long noncredit women’s and gender studies graduate proseminar. (proseminar schedule)

E. Joint MA Paper Requirement: Completion of a master’s research paper of professional quality and length (normally twenty-five to forty pages) on a topic related to the joint degree.  The MPP Capstone policy paper can fulfill this requirement as long as it is on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, at least one of whom is a member of the Heller School faculty, and at least one of whom is a member of the women's and gender studies core or affiliate faculty.

F. Courses in both programs will be reviewed to determine which would satisfy the requirements for both programs. 

Please refer to The Heller School section found elsewhere is the Brandeis University Bulletin for complete information on MPP policies and procedures.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy and Women's and Gender Studies

Program of Study

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.

B. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Two courses cross-listed with women's and gender studies (one inside the Heller School and one in any department other than the Heller School).

D. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

E. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the Heller School, and one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty. 

Please refer to The Heller School section found elsewhere is the Brandeis University Bulletin for complete information on Ph.D. policies and procedures.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies for Terminal Master's and Doctoral Students

Program of Study

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.

B. One course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Two elective graduate courses in women's and gender studies, one inside and one outside the sociology department.

D. Three graduate sociology courses (one theory, one outside the area of gender, and one elective, which could be a directed reading).

E. Participation in the year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar series. (proseminar schedule)

F. Joint M.A. Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, at least one of whom is a member of the sociology department, and at least one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.

Residence Requirement

One year.

 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development & Women's and Gender Studies

 Program of Study

Students must fulfill all first-year requirements for the M.A. in Sustainable International Development as described in the Heller School section in the "Brandeis University Bulletin" as well as the following:

A. WMGS 205a, the graduate foundational course in women’s and gender studies.

B. A course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS 198a or the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies).

C. Two elective graduate courses in women's and gender studies (one inside the Heller School and one outside the Heller School).

D. Participation in a year-long noncredit women's and gender studies graduate proseminar.

E. Joint MA Paper Requirement: Completion of a master's research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, one of whom is a member of the Heller core or adjunct faculty and one of whom is a member of the women's and gender studies core or affiliate faculty.

F. Participation in the SID/MA Capstone Week

G.  Courses in both programs will be reviewed to determine which would satisfy the requirements for both programs.