How do I apply to a graduate program?
The graduate admissions process at McGill is open to Quebec and Canadian students, as well as international students and those who are pursuing a postdoctoral degree. The process is outlined on the Future Graduate Students website, which includes information on funding, research opportunities, and a detailed page about preparing and submitting your graduate studies application.
As of October 2012, McGill’s formerly paper-based graduate application process has been replaced with a more convenient electronic version called uApply. Detailed instructions on how to apply and how to upload required supporting documents are available on the admissions website.
What is the Graduate Option in Gender and Women's Studies?
The Graduate Option in Gender and Women's Studies administered by IGSF functions as a concentration (much like a minor at the undergraduate level) added to an MA or PhD program offered by one of the coordinating departments listed on the Graduate Option information page. You should follow the application instructions and program requirements outlined by the department that matches your interest. Their departmental websites will have information regarding deadlines, application materials, and applicable tuition and fees. Once you’ve begun the application process, you will have an opportunity to indicate your interest in the Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies.
Once enrolled, you will need to complete all of the program requirements for your MA or PhD degree as well as the 6-9 credits required for the completion of the Graduate Option. Your thesis or project will also need to be centrally focused on gender and/or women and/or feminism and/or sexuality. While there are no prerequisites for registration in the Option, it is not a standalone program and we do not accept applications or process admissions.
When should I declare the Option? How long does it take to complete?
If you do not declare the Option at the onset of the degree, you are encouraged to do so early in your studies. You must declare the Option before you apply to graduate. You will need a minimum of two terms of study in order to complete the requirements of the Option.
Does my graduate research have to be in the field of Women's and Gender Studies?
Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary program and as such students come to the program with many different backgrounds and requirements stipulated by their home departments. When enrolled in the two core courses (WMST 601 and WMST 602) students will have the opportunity to thoroughly situate their own research within the disciplinary context of gender studies and feminist theory. It is expected that students in the Graduate Option will produce work in WMST 601 and 602 which demonstrates engagement with women's and gender studies directly in the context of the student's discipline or specific area of study as demonstrated in their Ph.D. dissertation, MA thesis or MA research paper. Such engagement within the core courses is a necessary condition of enrollment in the Option.
Can I get retroactive credits if I take WMST 601 when my department is still going through the approval process?
Yes, if the course is not used toward the requirements of another degree or program, it could be credited upon recommendation of your department.
What is the process to have the Graduate Option officially listed in my university record?
You write a memo to your department’s Graduate Program Director (GPD) declaring that you plan to or have completed the requirements for the Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies. Your GPD then forwards his or her recommendation to the Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies Student Affairs Coordinator who, in turn, will forward your declaration and your GPD’s approval to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office (GPSO).