Master of Arts (Women's Studies)

Admission requirements

The Master of Arts (Women's Studies) requires the completion of a 72-unit program of study. Applicants must normally hold a Bachelor degree or an equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution.

Applicants may be eligible to complete a 36-unit program of study if they have successfully completed one of the following

an honours degree in Women's/Gender Studies
Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development, or an approved equivalent. Credit may be granted, on application, for relevant work already completed in other approved programs.

However, the Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

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 feminist epistemology with interdisciplinary approaches; and to develop the conceptual and analytical thinking, and the research and writing skills, necessary to complete a successful thesis.

Learning outcomes

Students successfully completing the course will be able to:

identify and apply interdisciplinary approaches to gender issues
analyse, evaluate and apply advanced theories of gender and feminism
identify limitations and strengths in existing scholarship on gender and feminism
use feminist epistemology to critically analyse gender within disciplinary boundaries
research issues in advanced gender studies and feminism independently
communicate complex ideas in speech and writing.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Arts (Women's Studies), a student must complete a 72-unit program with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Advanced Entry students would complete the last 36 units (ie second year) of the program of study as set out below.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Core - Year 1 topics

27 units comprising:

DVST9031 Gender Analysis (4.5 units)
DVST9032 Gender Mainstreaming (4.5 units)
WMST9010 Thinking Through The Body GE (4.5 units)
WMST9022 Global Feminist Activism GE (4.5 units)
WMST9023 Sexualities: Perspectives, Pleasures, Politics (4.5 units)
WMST9025 Media and Cultural Identities: Gender, Race and Sexuality GE (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

Select 9 units from the following:

DSRS9052 Design and Evaluation of Disability Programs (4.5 units)
DSRS9057 Introduction to Disability Theory and Professional Practice (4.5 units)
GEOG8012 Development Problems and Solutions (4.5 units)
GEOG8761 Caring as Country: Indigenous Environmental Management GE (4.5 units)
INDG9000 Indigenous Research Methodologies (4.5 units)
INTR9051 International Human Rights: Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
INTR9077 Global Inequality (4.5 units)
PHCA9521 Critical Perspectives on Global Health and Development (4.5 units)
POAD8022 Public Management (4.5 units)
POAD8138 Governance and Public Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9015 Economics and Public Policy (4.5 units)

Core - Year 2 topics

4.5 units comprising:

GEOG9023 Research Design and Management (4.5 units)

Plus one of the following:

WMST9028 Women’s Studies Reading Topic A (4.5 units)
WMST9029 Women’s Studies Reading Topic B (4.5 units)

Plus one of the following research components:

HASS9001 Minor Research Project (9 units)
or
HASS9003 Major Research Project (13.5 units)
or
HASS9002A Research Thesis (9/18 units) AND
HASS9002B Research Thesis (9/18 units)

Option – Year 2 topics

Select 18 units, 13.5 units or 9 units (depending on your chosen research component) from the following to make up the remaining units:

DSRS9052 Design and Evaluation of Disability Programs (4.5 units)
DSRS9057 Introduction to Disability Theory and Professional Practice (4.5 units)
EDUC9606 Planning Change in Organisations (4.5 units)
INDG9000 Indigenous Research Methodologies (4.5 units)
INTR9051 International Human Rights: Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
INTR9077 Global Inequality (4.5 units)
PHCA9521 Critical Perspectives on Global Health and Development (4.5 units)
POAD9015 Economics and Public Policy (4.5 units)
WMST9028 Women’s Studies Reading Topic A (4.5 units)
WMST9029 Women’s Studies Reading Topic B (4.5 units)

Course Rule notes:

Students are required to consult with the Topic Coordinator before enrolling in the Research Thesis. Note that students who wish to use their masters qualification to meet admission requirements for enrolment into a PhD should complete the 18-unit Research Thesis (HASS9002A and B). Online students will be required to maintain contact with their supervisor through either on campus intensives or via online mediums such as Skype.
Students who have already completed topic(s) at Flinders with considerable overlap with core topic(s) listed above should choose alternative topic(s) in discussion with the Course Coordinator.
Students enrolling in the Advanced Entry (36-unit) program should consult with the Course Coordinator if they wish to choose alternative topics as options.

Every effort has been made to ensure the information published on the Course Rule pages is accurate at the time of publication. Flinders University reserves the right to amend its curriculum without prior notice, and will update the Course Rules to reflect any amendments at the earliest opportunity.