Graduate Handbook, Master of Gender Studies

Graduate Student Handbook

Welcome to the Master of Gender Studies program at Memorial University. We are delighted that you have joined us!

Below, you will find information pertaining to the successful completion of your thesis, project or internship. Please read this information carefully. Afterwards, if you still have questions, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.

Expectations and Regulations

Welcome to the Master of Gender Studies program! We’re delighted you’re here.

As a student in the Master of Gender Studies program, you are expected to familiarize yourself with all Department of Gender Studies, School of Graduate Studies and University regulations and requirements pertaining to your status as a graduate student. You are also expected to engage – to the fullest extent of your abilities – with your course work and later, with your thesis or report research and writing.

 We’ve outlined some of the important stages of your degree process below. At the end, in a section titled Forms, you’ll find links to the various forms and paperwork relevant to your degree.

Getting Started

Supervisors

All incoming students will be assigned a supervisor in their first year. Your supervisor will be a faculty member in Gender Studies whose research expertise most closely aligns with your own expressed interests. In your first year, they can help you navigate degree requirements, identify relevant elective courses, and discuss program completion options with you. Thesis students may elect to have two co-supervisors as their research projects develop. Please note that it is possible to change supervisors should your research interests change in the course of your first year in the program.

 

Registration

Please stop in and see Juanita Lawrence in the Gender Studies office (SN2028), before classes in the fall semester begin to ensure that the department has accurate contact information for you. She can also be reached via email at gndr@mun.ca.

The University Calendar lists all graduate courses and program requirements. It is available online at http://www.mun.ca/regoff/calendar.php. All Master of Gender Studies students will need to complete GNDR6000, GNDR6100, and GNDR6200. Please note that these courses are only offered once per year.

Course offerings, descriptions, instructions for registration, and important deadlines are available online at my.mun.ca. This link is at the top of the Memorial University Homepage, or you can follow: https://login.mun.ca

Coursework

As an MGS student, you will be required to complete the following Gender Studies courses:

  • 6000 Feminist Theory
  • 6100 Feminist Epistemologies and Methodologies
  • 6200Graduate Seminar in Gender Studies

Depending on your background in Gender Studies, you may be required to complete one or more undergraduate courses. This will be outlined in your Offer of Admission.

Periodically, the Department offers one or more of the following elective courses:

  • 6300 Feminism as Community
  • 6400-6409 Special Topics in Gender Studies
  • 6500 Women and Communication Studies

Not all elective courses will be offered in an academic year. MGS students can also take courses in other departments if these are relevant to their studies (and assuming they fit into their schedules). Please consult with your academic advisors about course selection.

Depending on your completion route (thesis, project or internship), you will be required to complete a further six (6) to nine (9) elective credit hours (2-3 graduate courses). You should select these in consultation with your supervisor (or co-supervisors). The Department Head will also need to approve these courses.

All students must complete the coursework required for their chosen degree path. 

Normally, you will complete the majority of your course work within the first year of your program. During this time, we encourage you also to work with an advisor to discuss your general areas of research interest, proposed paths to completion, and possible supervisors. We also encourage you to familiarize yourself with the requirements relevant to your chosen path to completion. These can be found in the University Calendar.

Graduate Assistantships and Other Funding

The Department of Gender Studies has a number of graduate assistantships available (the exact number varies from year to year). These assistantships support undergraduate teaching at the first and second year level, and sometimes to further departmental projects, and they are awarded to qualified students in the program. We also have some other sources of funding, including two scholarships. We strive, as a department, to make this funding available in as equitable a way as possible.

The School of Graduate Studies maintains a database of all university scholarships and bursaries open to graduate students, and we encourage you to apply for them.

Permanent residents and Canadian citizens with strong academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply for Canada Graduate Scholarships (Master’s) offered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. These are highly competitive scholarships and students are encouraged to start preparing their applications early. The department often hosts an internal SSHRC workshop and is committed to supporting students who want to apply for one of these grants.

Speakers’ Series

The Department of Gender Studies hosts an annual Speakers’ Series, featuring guest speakers from MUN, other universities, and the community at large. We expect that MGS students will attend all of these presentations.

Choosing a Supervisor or Co-Supervisors

It is your responsibility (with assistance from your advisor) to find appropriate supervisors or co-supervisors. Normally this is done during the second term of study. Your supervisors will strongly influence your academic and professional development. The choice of a supervisor will also shape your work environment and may also be able to offer some form of financial support. The success of your thesis or report depends, to a large extent, on the quality of the relationship that you develop with your supervisor or co-supervisors. There is a form for this. You can find it in the Forms section, below.

Submitting Your Proposal

All Master of Gender Studies students will be required to submit their thesis, project or internship proposal to the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee. Proposal guidelines differ for each of the completion routes (more information can be found Graduate Proposal Guidelines).

Your supervisor(s) must approve your proposal before your submission. Proposals will be assessed by members of the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee and must be approved before you can proceed with your proposed research. The GSAC evaluates proposals according to the guidelines found Graduate Proposal Guidelines. The proposal is normally submitted no later than the end of your third semester in the program.

If you are planning to complete research with “human subjects” (i.e., interviews, surveys, etc.) you must submit an application to the Interdisciplinary Committee on Ethics in Human Research (ICEHR) demonstrating that your research adheres to guidelines. You must receive ICEHR approval before undertaking research with human subjects. ICEHR approval is not required prior to submission of your proposal. Your supervisor(s) will support you in developing your application.

Public Presentation

All MGS students are required to present a public presentation of their research. This presentation will generally be between 35 and 40 minutes in length. Presentations can only be scheduled after approval of your proposal. Depending on the number of students in the program, this presentation will either be scheduled during our regular speakers’ series or as part of a separate graduate student symposium.

Please note that you will be required to submit a completed request form (which must be signed by both you and your supervisor[s]). This form should be received at least one term in advance of your intended presentation. You can find a copy of the Public Presentation Form here.

Annual Forms

In each academic year, you will be required to submit a Graduate Student Annual Progress and Supervisory Report. This form will also be completed by your supervisor(s). Students who have been enrolled in the program for longer than two years will be required to submit a revised timeline for thesis/report completion.

Time to Completion

Normally, full time students will complete their degree requirements in two years of study. However, students normally have up to a maximum of seven years in which to complete degree requirements.

Definition of a Full Time Student

According to the School of Graduate Studies, Memorial University a full-time graduate student is one who registers as such, devotes full time to their academic program and may not commit to more than 24 hours a week (including teaching assistant or research assistant duties) to matters other than the degree program (Regulation 2.3.8).

Definition of a Part Time Student

A part-time graduate student is one who is registered for the duration of a semester and is not classified as full-time (Regulation 2.3.8)

 

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

Student Contact Information

Please note that should you relocate during your academic program, it is your responsibility to notify the graduate program and your supervisors and to provide new contact information as soon as possible. If you neglect to do this, you may miss important information pertaining to your program. You can update your information by emailing Juanita at the general office (gndr@mun.ca).

Please also note that it is university policy to communicate with graduate students through their MUN e-mail accounts. Please check this email regularly.

Program Leaves

The School of Graduate Studies has regulations governing Leaves of Absence for academic, family, medical, employment and financial reasons. Applications should normally be made at the end of the registration period in the first semester for which a leave is requested. Additional documentation may be required. The Request for Leave of Absence form (found in the Forms section) must be signed by the supervisor, Department Head, and Dean, as appropriate.

Program Extensions

In exceptional circumstances, application can be made for Extensions to Graduate Programs. In this case, students must complete the Appeal for Waiver of General Regulation, Period of Study form, found in the Forms section. Additional documentation may be required. The required form must be signed by the supervisor, Department Head, and Dean, as appropriate.

Program Changes

Occasionally students may change from one program option to another (i.e., from a thesis to a project). If this is the case, students must complete the Change of Route form. This form must be signed by the student, supervisor or co-supervisors, Department Head and School of Graduate Studies. Unless the new route is premised on a very similar proposal, it is also likely that you will need to submit a revised proposal for approval by the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee.

Supervisor Changes

If you need to make changes to your supervisor or co-supervisors, please complete the Change of Program form. This form must be signed by the student, supervisor or co-supervisors, Department Head and School of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Course Approval

Requests for approval of Graduate Courses must follow School of Graduate Studies guidelines and be accompanied by the appropriate form signed by the Department Head.

 

THESIS REQUIREMENTS

Candidates who choose the thesis option will be required to complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of graduate level course work (normally five courses). Candidates will also be required to complete a thesis.

Your thesis should demonstrate a mastery of the scholarly literature relevant to the subject. It must meet the standards and requirements established by the School of Graduate Studies, Memorial University, Canadian Theses Service and the National Library of Canada. Material presented in the thesis must conform with the intellectual property guidelines of Memorial University, and with agreements entered into with external funding or other agencies.

Style and Format

For more information on this, see Guidelines for Theses and Reports, School of Graduate Studies.

Completed Theses

Previously completed Master of Women’s Studies and Master of Gender Studies theses are available for viewing in the departmental office. If you would like to take a look at a thesis, please contact Juanita Lawence (gndr@mun.ca).

Thesis/Report - Final Submission

There are very specific guidelines and timelines for the submission of your thesis/report to the School of Graduate Studies. You should work closely with your supervisor and co-supervisors to ensure that these guidelines are met and that all necessary forms are completed. Those forms that require signatures should be submitted well in advance of stated deadlines. Please note that thesis, project and internship examinations will normally require at least six weeks for external examination.

 

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Candidates who choose the project option will be required to complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate level coursework, including required courses (normally 6 courses). Candidates will also be required to complete a project.

Your Master of Gender Studies project must be interdisciplinary in nature. It should link theoretical and practical knowledge by recognizing and articulating a problem to which Gender Studies knowledge can be applied; by developing and justifying practical approach which seeks to resolve the problem; and by creating a product or artifact that could be implemented in the community.

Your project report should consist of project as well as a literature-based rationale, theoretical basis and justification for its use. Regardless of the form the project takes, there must be a written report, which should be approximately 60 pages in length.

Style and format

For more information on this, see Guidelines for Theses and Reports, School of Graduate Studies.

Completed Projects

Previously completed Master of Studies and Master of Gender Studies projects are available for viewing in the departmental office. If you would like to take a look at a project report, please contact (gndr@mun.ca).

Thesis/Report - Final Submission

There are very specific guidelines and timelines for the submission of your thesis/report to the School of Graduate Studies. You should work closely with your supervisor and co-supervisors to ensure that these guidelines are met and that all necessary forms are completed. Those forms that require signatures should be submitted well in advance of stated deadlines. Please note that thesis, project and internship examinations will normally require at least six weeks for external examination.

 

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Candidates who choose the internship option will be required to complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate level coursework, including required courses (normally 6 courses). Candidates will also be required to complete an internship.

The Master of Gender Studies internship will normally be for one semester (12 weeks; full time). If you are considering a part-time option, please note that part-time internship placements, over two semesters, will require approval from the proposed internship placement and from the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee, Department of Gender Studies.

Students completing the internship will, in cooperation with the Supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator, be required to locate not only a suitable placement, but also a field supervisor who can oversee your work. Although consideration will be given to all factors affecting the location and type of placement of Gender Studies internships, the final decision about the suitability of the internship rests with the Head, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Gender Studies and Dean, School of Graduate Studies.

Each internship placement will be supervised by the student's on-campus supervisor, and a field supervisor. A committee that includes all of these individuals as well as the Graduate Coordinator and the student must meet at least once during the internship period to make an assessment of the nature and quality of the intern’s progress and to approve any modifications to the internship. They will also meet once more when the internship report is nearing completion.

Should the internship be terminated prior to completion, the Graduate Coordinator may recommend one of the following options to the Dean, School of Graduate Studies:

  1. submission of a new internship proposal for a different field setting (only once)
  2. election of the thesis/project option
  3. awarding of a Graduate Diploma in Gender Studies (assuming all course requirements have been met)
  4. termination of the student’s program

Regardless of the form the internship takes, the student must complete a written internship report (approximately 50-60 pp.).

Style and format

For more information on this, see Guidelines for Theses and Reports, School of Graduate Studies.

Completed Internships

Previously completed Master of Women’s Studies and Master of Gender Studies internships are available for viewing in the departmental office. If you would like to take a look at an internship report, please contact (gndr@mun.ca).

Thesis/Report - Final Submission

There are very specific guidelines and timelines for the submission of your thesis/report to the School of Graduate Studies. You should work closely with your supervisor and co-supervisors to ensure that these guidelines are met and that all necessary forms are completed. Those forms that require signatures should be submitted well in advance of stated deadlines. Please note that thesis, project and internship examinations will normally require at least six weeks for external examination.

 

MGS GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Sally Davis Scholarship

The Sally Davis Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduate student in the Master of Gender Studies program. Applications are normally accepted during the Winter Semester and advance notice of the application deadline will be sent to MGS students. The award is made on the basis of academic merit, community involvement and relevance to Sally Davis interests. Please see the Department of Gender Studies Scholarships website and the University Calendar for application criteria and profiles of past winners.

Canadian Federation of University Women Scholarship

The CFUW Graduate Scholarship is awarded to a student enrolled in the Master of Gender Studies Program. The recipient will be a female in their first or second year of the program. The award is made on academic standing and financial need. Applications are normally accepted in January. This award may not be made every year.

Master's Scholarships, Social Science & Humanities Research Council of Canada

All qualified graduate students are expected to submit applications for Master’s Scholarships, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). This is an important source of funding and recognition for graduate level research. SSHRC designates a limited number of funding grants to Master's students each year. Application deadlines are early in the fall semester. We will offer a seminar to support those students interested in applying.

For a more extensive list of university-wide awards available to graduate students, please consult the University Calendar

 

CONFERENCE TRAVEL

The Department of Gender Studies offers a small Graduate Travel Award to support MGS student presentations at scholarly conferences. There are two deadlines (1 December and 1 May) per year. Funding through this award is not guaranteed.

In addition to this, there are limited funds available through the School of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Student Union. In order to access these funds, you will need to have proof of acceptance.

If you are interested in accessing these funds, please fill out the Graduate Student Request for Travel Assistance. This form requires signatures from the Head, Department of Gender Studies, Dean of Arts, Dean of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Students' Union. It must be completed as far in advance as possible. As a student, it is your responsibility to be familiar with the School of Graduate Studies/Faculty of Science Travel Policy (2002).

 

LOGISTICS AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Student ID Card/Library Card

This is the only identification that you require in order to access library services, library photocopiers and printers. Student ID cards are available in the Student Centre at the Answers Office (UC 3005).

Graduate Student Health Coverage

The Graduate Student Union student health plan provides coverage beyond that provided by basic provincial health coverage (e.g., the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Coverage Plan (MCP), the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) and others).

SELECTED CAMPUS RESOURCES

Master of Gender Studies Program, SN2028
http://www.mun.ca/genderstudies/graduate/

School of Graduate Studies, Inco Innovation Centre 2012
http://www.mun.ca/sgs

Graduate Student' Union, Feild Hall 2007
http://www.gsumun.ca

Intersections Resource Centre for Marginalized Genders (MUN), University Centre 1009
https://munintersections.wixsite.com/intersections
Intersections the only student-run, feminist organization on campus that is funded by the MUN Students' Union and Student Affairs and Services. Intersections consists of a collective of active, committed volunteers dedicated to the physical, emotional, and psychological wellness of all women. This purpose spans a broad spectrum of programs to meet the individual needs of visitors to the Centre.

International Students’ Association, University Centre 6002
http://www.mun.ca/isa/main
The International Student Advising Office (ISA) provides support to new and continuing international students, undergraduate, graduate, visiting students, exchange students and English as a Second Language students.

Campus Enforcement and Patrol
Facilities Management 1018 (864-8561)
Health Sciences Centre 2720 (777-7280)

Services include:

  • Campus patrol
  • Emergency response
  • Traffic and parking control including accident response, permit issue, parking meters, bicycle parking, patrolling and ticketing functions
  • Transportation for persons with disabilities
  • Lost and found services

Walk Safe Program

If you are on campus at night and would prefer someone to walk you to your car or to another building, you can contact Walk-Safe at 864-3737 during advertised hours of operation. Volunteer escorts will meet you and travel with you to your destination on campus. Walk-Safe is staffed entirely by student volunteers and coordinated by the Students' Union. For more information, visit their website at: www.munsu.ca

Email Account

All MUN students are required to hold a Memorial University email account. This is the only email address at which the university will contact you. The program, department and university will not send you email at commercial accounts. You will find a link to set up your account at www.mymun.ca. The initial login is based on student's Memorial self-service login.

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS

Below you will find a list (and links) to all forms and documents named in the handbook. These are divided into two sections: School of Graduate Studies forms and documents, and Department of Gender Studies forms and documents.

School of Graduate Studies Forms and Documents

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES FORMS AND DOCUMENTS

• Change of Program Form
• Change of Route Form
• Change of Status Form
• Course Change Form
• Graduate Student Annual Progress and Supervisory Report Form
• Request for Leave of Absence Form
• Program Extension Form
• Graduate Student Request for Travel Assistance
• Thesis/Report Guidelines

DEPARTMENT OF GENDER STUDIES FORMS AND DOCUMENTS

1. Graduate Proposal Guidelines
2. Graduate Proposal Evaluation Guidelines
3. Public Presentation Form