Graduate Minor Admission Criteria

downloadable Word and PDF forms:
Graduate Application Form - Minor (.doc)  |  Graduate Application Form (.pdf)

We offer a graduate minor in Feminist Studies for students who wish to enhance their research and analysis by developing interdisciplinary feminist perspectives in their own fields of study. The Feminist Studies minor is a supplementary program for graduate students already admitted to the University of Minnesota and enrolled in another degree-granting department or college.

Approximately 10-12 students are admitted into the graduate minor program each year. Applicants must demonstrate a clear relationship between the focus and objectives of their doctoral research and the goals, substance, and scholarly resources of the Feminist Studies graduate program. Since the emphasis of the graduate minor is interdisciplinary, a focus or strong interest in such work is preferred. A prerequisite undergraduate major or minor in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies is not required for admission. However, applicants are expected to demonstrate general knowledge of feminist scholarship in some combination of previous coursework, research and writing, and/or organizational activity/experience.

Although students may apply to the minor in Feminist Studies at any time during the coursework portion of their graduate training, we recommend a target date for submission shortly after being accepted into a home program. Newly admitted graduate minors share the required core feminist theory courses (GWSS 8108/8109) with incoming Ph.D. students. This allows new students to establish a group of colleagues across the disciplines who share feminist intellectual concerns.

Graduate Minor Application Procedure

The deadline for graduate minor applications is April 15. Application forms for the graduate minor program in Feminist Studies may be obtained by contacting the Executive Graduate Studies Secretary (see Addresses). Graduate minor applicants may also download and print an electronic application from our website. Applications for the graduate minor received after the April 15 deadline will be accepted contingent upon available spaces. Students admitted to the graduate minor will begin their Feminist Studies course work the following fall semester.

The Feminist Studies minor is a supplementary program for graduate students already admitted to the University of Minnesota and enrolled in another degree program in the Graduate School.

Graduate Minor Program Requirements

The graduate minor program in Feminist Studies consists of a total of 15 credits. All graduate minor students in the Feminist Studies Program are required to take GWSS 8108 and GWSS 8109 (Feminist Theories and Methods I and II). In addition, graduate minors must take three electives which may include any 5000-8000 level course in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies or any 5000-8000 level course approved for Feminist Studies and taught by a member of the Feminist Studies graduate faculty. In selecting these courses, graduate minor students may take at most one Feminist Studies graduate course from their home department and at least one 5000-8000 level course in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies.

Students should be aware of any specific requirements determined by their home department or the Graduate School for the successful completion of the graduate minor component of their doctoral program. Such requirements may include additional credits or drawing a set number of examination committee members from among the Feminist Studies graduate faculty. Although it is not a condition for successful completion of the graduate minor certificate, students are strongly encouraged to attend the Feminist Studies Colloquia (GWSS 8996), to attend the Feminist Studies research, theory or methods workshops, and to consider taking GWSS 8997 Feminist Research and Writing during the final years of dissertation work.

Deadline for Graduate Minor applications is April 15

Graduate Minor Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies for Feminist Studies serves as an advisor to all incoming graduate minor and Ph.D. students. Graduate minor students will have a primary program advisor from within their home department but will also be expected to draw one or two minor advisors from the Feminist Studies graduate faculty. Graduate minor students should check with their home department regarding doctoral degree expectations. The DGS for Feminist Studies and the student’s advisor will assist both Ph.D. and graduate minor students in balancing the need for disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs of study.