Doctor of Philosophy in Women and Gender Studies

The Women and Gender Studies Institute (WGSI) offers a program leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Women and Gender Studies. The program offerings bring feminist scholarship to the tasks of challenging and investigating colonial, postcolonial, and transnational contexts. Central themes of the program include global capitalism, nation and state formation, empire, citizenship, indigeneity, diaspora, and cultural flows, all of which are examined through the lenses of diverse feminist scholarship.
The Doctoral Program in Women and Gender Studies (DWGS) offers a particular focus on feminist colonial, post-colonial, diasporic and transnational studies. The program supports diverse and multidisciplinary graduate research querying gendered, raced, sexed, and queered subjects as they are entangled in political economies and cultural formations. In particular, WGSI has distinctive strengths in the following four areas of strength: (1) gender, sexuality and queer studies, (2) feminist cultural studies, (3) feminist studies of technology, science, environment and biomedicine, and (4) transnational political economy and critical development studies. Our core faculty brings transnational feminist commitments to the study of diverse sites and their interconnection with particular focus on Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, East Asia, and the United States.

A master’s degree in women and gender studies, or a master’s degree in a related discipline from a recognized university. Applicants must have obtained an average of A– or better in the master’s program.

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

In exceptional cases, direct-entry admission is offered to outstanding students with a bachelor’s degree in women and gender studies or a related area, from a recognized university. Direct-entry students must have a cumulative average of A or better. Applicants must also have obtained an average equivalent to an A– or better in their final year of undergraduate study.

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Required score: 7.0 (Academic) with at least 6.5 for each component.
Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) Including Writing and Speaking Sections: Overall score: 93; Writing: 22; Speaking: 22
Academic English Level 60: Required score: B
Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Online: Required score: 70 minimum total with at least 60 in each part.
The Certificate of Proficiency in English (COPE): Required score: 76 minimum total with at least 22 in each component and 32 in writing
Cambridge Assessment English: Required score: minimum 185 overall with at least 176 in each component.