The PhD is an advanced research degree that combines course work, Comprehensive Examinations, and the completion and oral defence of a Dissertation. The PhD in Gender, Feminist & Women's Studies is a 4+ year program, and the time spent doing the PhD varies depending on your pace, funding, and your domestic or international status. These are the requirements of the PhD:
COURSEWORK
PhD students are required to complete 18 credits of coursework (3 full courses or 6 half-courses), including:
GFWS 6009. 3.0 Advanced Research in Feminist Theory;
GFWS 6008 3.0 Feminist Methodologies and Research Methods;
one other half-course (3.0 credits) chosen from the program course offerings; and,
9.0 credits of the students choice.
The final selection of courses will be determined in consultation with the faculty advisor and/or the Director of the Graduate Program. With permission, up to 6.0 credits may be chosen from courses offered by another Graduate Program at York. Typically, full-time students will complete all the coursework in the first year of the doctorate. (See Course Descriptions for details).
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS
Students in the Doctoral Program must demonstrate, by passing a written and oral comprehensive examination, that they have both an overall command of knowledge in Gender, Feminist and Women's Studies and in their area of dissertation specialization. The successful completion of the exam indicates that the student is qualified to teach at the university level, in undergraduate introductory and overview courses as well as in her/his own specific area.
DISSERTATION
Doctoral candidates complete a research study and write a dissertation that demonstrates the candidate's independence, originality and understanding of the field of investigation at an advanced level. The research is conducted, and dissertation completed under the supervision of three members from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, at least two of whom must be members of the graduate program in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies. The final version of the dissertation is submitted to the supervisory committee for approval and then proceeds to an oral examination. The oral examination centres on the dissertation and is a public academic event involving an external examiner in addition to the supervisory committee.
TENTATIVE PhD TIMELINES FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS
The PhD is designed to be completed in 5 years (15 terms) but often takes longer. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 6 years (18 terms) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies Registration Policies, including the requirement of continuous registration.
As the GFWSSA, we acknowledge the limitations of an academic timeline. We recognize its able-ist and institutional biases. We recognize that PhD journeys are vastly different and can look dramatically diverse. We believe strongly that a PhD is not the only thing life offers; life also involves working towards financial stability, creating chosen communities, care work, illness, survival, and coping. We recognize the various ways in which, as students, we navigate a PhD alongside other commitments. However, we also recognize how we are hemmed in by institutional decisions like funding, which impact a PhD timeline. We see how problems are created, or worse, how we are constructed as problems, when we run against an institutional timeline. In this light, we offer a tentative PhD timeline that is designed to fall in line with institutional expectations:
OPTION 1 (4 Years)
Semesters 1 + 2 : Coursework
Semesters 3 + 4 : Selecting Comprehensive Exam Committee + Preparing Comprehensive Exam Reading Lists
Semesters 5 + 6 : Comprehensive Exam Reading + Exams
Semesters 7 + 8 : Selecting PhD Exam Committee + Preparing PhD Proposal + Ethics Review (depending on project)
Semesters 9 - 12 : Dissertation + Defence
OPTION 2 (5 Years)
Semesters 1 + 2 + 3 : Coursework
Semesters 4 + 5 : Selecting Comprehensive Exam Committee + Preparing Comprehensive Exam Reading Lists
Semesters 6 + 7 : Comprehensive Exam Reading + Defence
Semesters 8 + 9 : Selecting PhD Exam Committee + Preparing PhD Proposal + Ethics Review (depending on project)
Semesters 10 - 15 : Dissertation + Defence
OPTION 3 (6 Years)
Semesters 1 + 2 + 4 : Coursework
Semesters 5 + 6 : Selecting Comprehensive Exam Committee + Preparing Comprehensive Exam Reading Lists
Semesters 7 + 8 + 9 : Comprehensive Exam Reading + Defence
Semesters 10 + 11 : Selecting PhD Exam Committee + Preparing PhD Proposal + Ethics Review (depending on project)
Semesters 12 - 18 : Dissertation + Defence