Postgraduate study in the Women's Studies Department

Since the Department of Women’s Studies was formally established in 1986 it has had a very strong postgraduate curriculum which has extended from a Graduate Diploma to Doctoral and post Doctoral Research. Staff are also engaged in the joint supervision of postgraduate students undertaking research with a gender focus across all the major academic disciplines in the University. Our expertise in a wide range of academic specialisms and experience in inter-disciplinary teaching place us at the cutting edge of postgraduate study, research and supervision.

This page offers an insight into the postgraduate courses and research programs in the Department of Women’s Studies. At present we offer a Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development, the successful completion of which enables students without specialist Women's Studies qualifications to qualify for entry into the Master of Arts (Women's Studies). Students with the requisite qualifications may apply to undertake a Postgradaute degree by Research [MA and/or PhD]. If you are interested in undertaking graduate or postgraduate work with a gender focus do get in touch with us to talk about your plans. We have over a decade’s experience as a major resource centre for both Australian and International students. We can help you design a personal postgraduate program which is compatible with your present and future plans for academic study and employment.

Postgraduate Coursework Programs

The Masters Coursework program is offered as a 72-unit package, which incorporates the Graduate program(s) available in Women’s Studies. There are now two levels of entry into the program – basic and advanced. Both postgraduate coursework programs are offered on a fee-paying basis.

Basis Entry
Offers a 72-unit program of study comprising the program for the Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development, plus an additional 36 units as set out for advanced entry. This program would normally be available to applicants that hold an approved degree or an equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit other applicants who can offer evidence of fitness for candidature. Credit may be granted, on application, for comparable prior studies.

Advanced Entry
Offers a 36-unit program of study to suitably qualified applicants who have successfully completed one of the following:

• An Honours degree in Women’s Studies/Gender Studies
• A four year Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s/Gender Studies
• Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development or an approved equivalent

Candidates undertaking advanced entry program may choose one of the following streams:

Coursework stream

• Independent, supervised study leading to a 12 or 18 unit thesis
• 12 units of core topics
• 6 or 12 units of elective topics

Research Stream

• Independent, supervised study leading to a 24 unit thesis
• 12 units of core topics
  
  The program of study will be the following:
  To qualify for the MA (Women’s Studies) a student must complete a 72-unit program with a grade of P or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:

• the 36 units required for the Graduate Diploma in Gender & Development
  [advanced entry students receive 36 units of credit]
• an additional 36 units of core and elective topics

  The constituent programs of the MA are as follows:

Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development

The aim of the graduate diploma is to offer a structured program of study in the field of gender and development to students with little or no previous knowledge or academic training in either the principal subject area or in gender studies. The course will introduce students to a comprehensive set of topics dealing with the principal issues in the area of gender and development and will be multidisciplinary. The program aims to introduce students to the theoretical and empirical analysis of a wide range of issues and will focus on the development of skills relevant to the following educational aims:

• To meet the requisite academic standards and skills for advanced entry to the MA (Women’s Studies)
• To provide students with the basic skills and specialist knowledge which can be applied in the gender and development field or associated areas of employment and /or research.

The program

The course requires that all students undertake 36 units of designated topics offered in any one year. Candidates should consult the Director of Studies in the Women’s Studies Department for the list of topics offered in any one year.

Academic inquiries regarding the program and admission should be directed, in the first instance, to:

Dr Heather Brook (Semester 2, 2008)
Postgraduate Convenor
Women’s Studies Department
Faculty of Social Sciences
Telephone +61 8 8201-2136
email: Heather.Brook@flinders.edu.au

Master of Arts (Women's Studies)

The Master of Arts (Women's Studies) is a 72-unit package which incorporates the Graduate program/s available in Women’s Studies and is offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences on a fee-paying basis. As such there will now be two levels of entry into the program – basic and advanced. The course is designed to develop an appreciation of the rich, diverse and rapidly growing field of Women's Studies; to extend students' critical understanding and practice within the boundaries of a discipline area; to develop the capacity to apply interdisciplinary approaches to feminist questions; and to develop the conceptual and analytical thinking, and the research and writing skills, necessary to complete a successful thesis.

Program of Study
The program of study will be the following:
To qualify for the MA (Women’s Studies) a student must complete a 72-unit program with a grade of P or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:

• the 36 units required for the Graduate Diploma in Gender & Development
  [advanced entry students receive 36 units of credit]
• an additional 36 units of core and elective topics as set out below

Core Topics
WMST 9000 MA (Women’s Studies) Thesis [12, 18 or 24 units]
WMST 9003 Feminist Questions [6 units]
WMST 9009 Women's Studies: Research Strategies [6 units] (N/A 2008)
OR
WMST 9009A Women's Studies: Research Strategies [3 units] (N/A 2008)
PLUS
DVST 9020 Research Induction [6 units]

Elective Topics*
WMST 9005 Critique and Construct in Feminist Knowledge#
WMST 8041 Indigenous Women’s Voices: Negotiating Differences
INTR 9007 Contemporary Issues in Gender & Development [N/A in 2008]
WMST 9013 Women's Studies: Critical Theory [N/A 2008]
WMST 9014 Sisters in Law: Sex, Gender and the Law**[N/A in 2008]
WMST 8045 A Walk on the Wild Side: Gender & International Politics
WMST 8046 Engendering Justice, Rights & Representation: [N/A in 2008]
WMST 8048 Women in World Religion [N/A 2008]
WMST 7014 Feminist Political Perspectives: the challenges to political theory [N/A 2008]
WMST 9007 Women’s Studies: Reading Topic
DVST 9041 Gender, Public Health & International Development [Distance Education and S2]
DVST 9043 Gender Analysis [Distance Education and S1]
DVST 9044 Gender Mainstreaming [Distance Education and S2]

Except with the permission of the Faculty Board:
.no topic may be attempted more than once
· the program must be completed full time within three consecutive semesters or part time within six consecutive semesters.

*Candidates should consult the Postgraduate Convenor for the list of topics available in any one year
** Students that have undertaken WMST 7012 may not enrol for WMST 9014
# Students that choose the 2 x 3-unit option of Feminist Research Strategies and Research Induction will not be eligible to enrol in Critique and Construct which also contains a research induction component.

Academic inquiries regarding the program and admission should be directed, in the first instance, to:
Dr Heather Brook (Semester 2, 2008)
Telephone 8 8201 2136
Email: Heather.Brook@flinders.edu.au

Postgraduate degrees by research

The Department offers supervised studies towards the degrees of Master of Arts by research, or Doctor of Philosophy, available for full-time or part-time study. The usual prerequisite for candidature as a research postgraduate is an appropriate Honours degree at Class 2A or better, although other qualifications will be considered. The Department may recommend that qualifying studies be undertaken before a student embarks on the research degree. A further consideration is the Women’s Studies staff’s capacity to undertake supervision in the area required. A principal supervisor and at least one other supervisor (who may be from another department in the university) are appointed for each postgraduate research student.

Although research postgraduate degrees are awarded on the basis of successful completion of an individual thesis (or dissertation), Women’s Studies also offers a structured program of research training to all its postgraduates. This program serves as an induction into postgraduate research, and through it, in the first year of candidature, students prepare their thesis proposal, literature review and other preparatory tasks. As well, the Department runs a seminar series at which postgraduate students throughout their candidature can present regular work-in-progress papers, and listen to guest speakers from other departments, and from other universities.

Resources
The Department provides research students with a desk and access to a telephone and a networked computer. The Faculty’s Research Committee administers a Research Student Maintenance fund to which you and your supervisor apply for funds to cover research expenses such as photocopying and field work costs. Funds are also available to assist with the eventual printing and binding of the thesis. Overseas students need to see the Faculty Services Staff (Room 254 SSN) before they bind their thesis so a refund cheque can be organised before they leave Australia.

The administration of higher degree candidature is done through the Faculty of Social Sciences Postgraduate Studies office, and the Higher Degrees Committee.

Scholarship Information
Unfortunately, Women's Studies does not have any postgraduate scholarships to award. There are very few postgraduate scholarships awarded by the University, e.g. only one scholarship is specifically allocated to Social Sciences. Competition is very strong for the scholarships, and they are awarded on the basis of academic merit and research potential.
For more information go to:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/international-students/study/scholarships.cfm