Master of Arts in Gender and Cultural Studies
Faculty
Suzanne Leonard, Program Director and Professor of English
Renee Bergland, Professor of English
Carole Biewener, Professor of Economics and Women’s and Gender Studies
Kris Erikson, Assistant Professor of Communications
Sheldon George, Professor of English
Audrey Golden, Assistant Professor of English
Diane Grossman, Professor of Philosophy and Women’s and Gender Studies; Mockler Chair in Principled Leadership
Denise Horn, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations and Women’s and Gender Studies
Valerie Leiter, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Public Health Program
Sarah Leonard, Associate Professor of History
Stephen Ortega, Associate Professor of History, Co-Director of Dual Degree Graduate Program in Archives Management and History
Briana Martino, Assistant Professor of Communications
Laura Prieto, Professor of History and Women’s and Gender Studies
Jyoti Puri, Professor of Sociology; Hazel Dick Leonard Chair
Saher Selod, Associate Professor of Sociology
Franny Sullivan, Assistant Professor of History
Becky Thompson, Professor of Sociology
Dawna M. Thomas, Professor of Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies
Lena Zuckerwise, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations
Description
The GCS program examines intersecting systems of power and privilege and the ways in which race, ethnicity, nationality, class, ability, gender, sexuality, and sexual orientation are constructed within the United States and in international contexts. The interdisciplinary nature of the GCS program allows students to pursue more specialized courses of study by providing access to courses from a range of disciplines, including Africana Studies, Communications, Economics, Education, English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Public Policy, Social Work, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Learning Outcomes
1. Intellectual Engagement
Students will be able to clearly articulate the core concepts, main themes, relevant literatures, and central figures in the fields of intersectional feminist studies and critical race studies. They will evaluate, compare, and critique theories and methodologies of gender, race, sexuality, class, ability, and culture. They will situate current realities of gender, sexuality, race, ability, class, and culture within broader, intersectional, historical and geopolitical contexts. Finally, they will do graduate-level research, including articulating the main methodologies in their chosen fields and then applying those practices in their own work.
2. Public Engagement
Students will be able to locate themselves in key debates within the fields of feminist studies and critical race studies, taking a stand on issues and problems and offering solutions. They will effectively communicate and publicize research-based, action-oriented inquiry, and engage in respectful, informed dialogue in public settings.
3. Professional Engagement
Students will evidence in-depth understandings of a specific topic aligned with their future professional endeavors. They will creatively problem solve, and communicate those solutions to wider publics using various mediums (writing, speaking, podcasts, videos, performances, workshops, etc.). They will produce convincing and directed articulations that illustrate the relationship between their master’s work and their desired professional outcomes.
Requirements for entry into program
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. All grade point averages are considered, but a B (3.0) average or higher is preferred.
Degree requirements
Students may enroll on either a full- or part-time basis. The degree requirements should be completed within five years. No more than four semester hours of transfer credit for graduate study elsewhere may be allowed toward the master’s degree. Candidates for the Gender and Cultural Studies degree must satisfactorily complete 32 semester hours as follows.
GCS required courses
| GCS 403 | Gender/Cultural Studies: Theory Into Practice | 4.00 |
| GCS 420 | Race, Gender, and Empire | 4 |
GCS electives
GCS Electives (20 Credits)
| AST 529 | Race, Culture, Identity and Acheivement | 4.00 |
| AST 588 | Black Popular Culture & the Education of Black Youth | 4.00 |
| ENGL 508 | The Global Novel | 4 |
| ENGL 527 | Psychoanalysis, Race, and Sexuality | 4 |
| ENGL 554 | Studies in Film: Melodrama | 4 |
| ENGL 598 | Feminist Media Studies | 4 |
| GCS 406 | Feminism and Literature | 4.00 |
| GCS 410 | Issues in International Studies | 4.00 |
| GCS 415 | Feminisim and Economic Difference | 4.00 |
| HIST 560 | Seminar in the History of Women and Gender | 4.00 |
| HIST 561 | Seminar in World History | 4.00 |
| HIST 565 | Seminar: 9/11 Narratives | 4.00 |
| HIST 567 | Memory and the Holocaust | 4.00 |
| HIST 573 | Seminar in Nineteenth-Century American History | 4.00 |
| HIST 574 | Modern US History: Digital Humanities | 4.00 |
| MPP 501 | Policy Analysis & Theory | 3.00 |
| MPP 502 | Social Policy | 3.00 |
| POLS 556 | Feminist International Relations | 4.00 |
| POLS 590 | Senior Seminar | 4.00 |
| SOCI 521 | Sociology of Food | 4.00 |
| SOCI 530 | Transnational Studies | 4 |
| SOCI 539 | Qualitative Research Workshop | 4.00 |
| SOCI 547 | Antiracism and Justice Work | 4.00 |
| SW 404 | Advanced Policy | 3 |
| SW 409 | Dynamics of Racism & Oppression | 3.00 |
| WGST 554 | Feminist Theories | 4.00 |
| WGST 565 | Intimate Family Violence | 4.00 |
| WGST 580 | Gender and Queer Theory | 4.00 |
Capstone
All students must complete at least 4 capstone credit hours and present their work at the GCS colloquium. The capstone options are listed below:
Eighth course plus completing a 30-page paper revision.
Graduate Consortium for Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality (GCWS)
The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality, hosted by MIT, brings together feminist scholars and teachers from nine Boston area institutions for the purpose of advancing interdisciplinary, intersectional feminist scholarship and teaching in the areas of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies.
The consortium is committed to the following:
- Exploring the intersections of power and identity, including but not limited to gender, race, ethnicity, class, physical ability, nationality, religion, and language
- Cultivating collaborative intellectual communities across fields and disciplines
- Supporting innovative pedagogical practices
- Contributing to the professional development of students and faculty
- Providing a sustainable model of institutional collaboration
The GCWS offers interdisciplinary, team-taught, graduate-level courses for Masters and PhD students at our member institutions that are led by faculty in a range of disciplines from our member institutions. The Consortium connects scholars through courses, events, and micro-seminars throughout the academic year.
Simmons graduate students can take GCWS courses for no additional fees. Students are granted credit for participation by their home institutions and are admitted by application. The Consortium membership includes Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Simmons University, Tufts University, and the University of Massachusetts, Boston.