The Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies offers a master's, a doctorate and a collaborative program (at the master’s level) in feminist and gender studies.
The objective of the MA program in feminist and gender studies is to encourage the acquisition of in-depth, plural, diversified, and heuristic knowledge of the different currents of feminist thought, including theoretical and methodological proposals. The program aims to develop an aptitude for research in the university or the community, while enriching the student’s personal work through the supervised writing of a research paper or thesis.
The primary objective of the Doctoral program is to prepare candidates for a career in teaching and research. The program, however, also prepares candidates for other careers by giving them a comprehensive knowledge in feminist theory, methodology and analysis in a context that highlights the need for scholarship engaged with the realities of an increasingly transnational world. PhD graduates will have acquired and demonstrated their aptitude to produce scholarly work engaged with some of the most urgent issues in the global and local socio-political, cultural and economic landscape while identifying new directions for feminist scholarship and intervention.
The programs are offered full-time and part-time. Courses are offered both in English and in French. In accordance with University of Ottawa regulations, students can write their papers, exams, and theses in the official language of their choice (either English or French). Students are encouraged to acquire at least a passive knowledge of the second official language before graduation.
The programs are governed by the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies.
For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.
To be eligible for admission to the PhD program, students must hold a master’s degree (thesis or research paper) in feminist and gender studies or a master’s degree with specialization in feminist and gender studies and have a minimum average of 75% (B+) calculated in accordance with graduate studies guidelines. Applicants with a master’s degree in a related discipline may also be considered if the subject of their thesis or research paper is linked to feminist and gender studies and if they possess the theoretical and methodological background necessary for the doctoral program in feminist and gender studies.
Language Requirements
Proficiency in either English or French is required. Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must provide proof of proficiency in one or the other. The list of acceptable proofs is indicated in the “Admission” section of the academic regulations of in effect for graduate studies.
Transfer to the PhD Program
Students enrolled in the MA program in Feminist and Gender Studies, whose academic performance is exceptional and who have demonstrated good aptitude for doctoral research (as evaluated by the Feminist and Gender Studies Graduate Committee) may be admitted to the PhD program without having to complete their MA. To qualify for transfer to the PhD program, students must have completed four graduate courses (12 units) including three FEM courses with a minimum average of 80% (A-); have demonstrated potential for doctoral-level research; and have received approval from the Feminist and Gender Studies Graduate Committee.
Transfer to the PhD program must take place within the 16 months following initial enrollment for the master’s degree. Following transfer, students must successfully complete two graduate FEM courses (6 units), the comprehensive examination (within the 24 months following transfer), the thesis proposal and prepare the doctoral thesis.
The request for transfer must be made during the third term of full-time enrollment (or equivalent), and the transfer must take place before the end of the fourth term.
The application file must include a curriculum vitae, official transcripts and two letters of recommendation. Applicants must also submit a letter of intent describing their interest in studying in one of the fields of the program, their research interests and their university and practical experience deemed relevant for admission to the program.
Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2019-2020 calendars for the previous requirements.
Doctoral Program
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory courses | ||
| FEM 5103 | Feminist Methodologies 1 | 3 Units |
| FEM 5300 | Feminist Theories 1 | 3 Units |
| FEM 8101 | Seminar in Women's Studies | 3 Units |
| Optional courses | ||
| 3 course units from: | 3 Units | |
| Gender, Power and Representations | ||
| Women, Rights and Citizenship in a Globalized World | ||
| Intersectional Perspectives on Environmental Change | ||
| Anti-Colonial and Anti-Racist Feminisms | ||
| Feminist Disability Studies | ||
| Critical Muslim Studies | ||
| Special Topics in Feminist Studies | ||
| Special Topics in Feminist Studies | ||
| Thesis Proposal | ||
| FEM 9997 | Doctoral Thesis Proposal | |
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| FEM 9998 | Comprehensive Examination | |
| Thesis | ||
| THD 9999 | Doctoral Thesis | |
Note(s)
- 1
Students who have already taken the compulsory courses (FEM 5103 and FEM 5300) prior to admission may replace these courses with FEM elective courses or electives from other disciplines. The choice of electives is subject to the approval of the supervisor of Graduate Studies Coordinator or a delegate.
Research at the University of Ottawa
Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa ranks among Canada’s top 10 research universities. Our research is founded on excellence, relevance and impact and is conducted in a spirit of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Our research community thrives in four strategic areas:
- Creating a sustainable environment
- Advancing just societies
- Shaping the digital world
- Enabling lifelong health and wellness
From advancing healthcare solutions to tackling global challenges like climate change, the University of Ottawa’s researchers are at the forefront of innovation, making significant contributions to society and beyond.
Research at the Faculty of Social Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences represents a place of excellence in knowledge creation, research and training. Driven by both disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, research at the Faculty is rich, innovative and varied, contributing to the depth of understanding and breadth of discussions on a variety of issues nationally and internationally. This research, whether it be fundamental, theoretical, applied or action-oriented, is generated by our renowned expertise, ultimately culminating in applications designed to influence individual communities and the betterment of society.
We have identified five research themes which collectively represent a large proportion of the research undertaken at the Faculty of Social Sciences:
- International Studies
- Francophonie
- Public Policy
- Health, Well-Being
- Justice, Society
Facilities, Research Centres and Institutes at the Faculty of Social Sciences
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Citizenship and Minorities (CIRCEM), Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS), Centre for Public Management and Policy, Centre for Research on Educational and Community Service (CRECS), Centre on Governance (COG), Human Rights Research and Education Centre (affiliation), Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies and Institute for Science, Society and Policy.
For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb.
IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.
FEM 5103 Feminist Methodologies (3 units)
Methodologies developed in Women's Studies. Critical examination from both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Course Component: Seminar
FEM 5300 Feminist Theories (3 units)
Approaches to contemporary feminist theory. Critical examination from both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Course Component: Seminar
Permission of the Department is required.
FEM 5503 Méthodologies féministes (3 crédits)
Méthodologies élaborées en études des femmes. Examen critique dans une perspective à la fois pluridisciplinaire et interdisciplinaire.
Volet : Séminaire
Permission du Département est requise.
FEM 5700 Théories féministes (3 crédits)
Différentes approches de la théorie féministe contemporaine. Examen critique dans une perspective à la fois pluridisciplinaire et interdisciplinaire.
Volet : Séminaire
FEM 6100 Special Topics in Feminist Studies (3 units)
Course Component: Seminar
FEM 6101 Gender, Power and Representations (3 units)
This course analyses the diverse body of feminist scholarship theorizing conceptions of gender, power and representation. Examining the construction and representation of gender/sex differences, the course explores the power relations inherent in these representations, while also examining how gender roles and expectations are linked to representations of class, race, sexuality, age, nationality and ability.
Course Component: Seminar
FEM 6102 Women, Rights and Citizenship in a Globalized World (3 units)
This course examines women's rights and citizenship; gender and development; and gender, migration and health in the context of globalization. Topics include the following: mainstreaming gender and health development; initiatives bringing feminist Southern voices across the world; health consequences of the massive incorporation of Third World women into a transnational labour force; women's agency and resistance; social capital and pluralism in health services and health care.
Course Component: Seminar
FEM 6103 Directed Readings (3 units)
Course Component: Research
FEM 6104 Intersectional Perspectives on Environmental Change (3 units)
Intersectional perspectives (feminist, Indigenous, queer and others) of the politics of environmental change focusing on relationships between gender, race, class and the environment in classical and contemporary literature. Piossible topics include climate activism, Indigenous peoples' sovereignty and autonomy; environmental and reproductive justice movements; the social determinants of health; human, animal and land rights; food security and food sovereignty.,
Course Component: Lecture
FEM 6105 Anti-Colonial and Anti-Racist Feminisms (3 units)
In-depth exploration of anti-colonial and anti-racist feminist theories and activism. Possible topics include: Black feminist theories; intersectionality; critiques of whiteness; mobility and migration; anti-Black racism; Islamophobia; Indigenous epistemologies; critical settler studies; decolonial, postcolonial and anticolonial feminisms; reproductive justice; environmental racism.
Course Component: Lecture
FEM 6106 Feminist Disability Studies (3 units)
Exploration of key debates in burgeoning field of feminist disability studies. Themes include: emergence of feminist contributions to field of critical disability studies; changing contours of disability activism rooted in recognition of interlocking systems of oppression; intersectional analyses of disability, including cultural and artistic representations; notions of embodiment and "cripped" subjectivities; disability politics in its broader political and social environment.
Course Component: Lecture
FEM 6107 Critical Muslim Studies (3 units)
Exploration of feminist and anti-racist approaches to the global “war on terror” and its specific impacts on diverse Muslim people and communities. Possible topics include: critiques of hegemonic discourses of terror; gendered impacts on Muslim women; cultural production about and by Muslims post 9-11; surveillance, policing and socio-legal studies; racial justice in settler colonial contexts; transnational circulation of anti-Muslim racism; Orientalism and anti-Black racism; experiences of LGTBQ+ Muslims.
Course Component: Lecture
FEM 6500 Thèmes spéciaux en études féministes (3 crédits)
Volet : Cours magistral
FEM 6501 Rapports sociaux de sexe, pouvoir et représentations (3 crédits)
Ce cours analyse les diverses théories féministes qui visent à formaliser les concepts de genre, de pouvoir et de représentation. Les représentations des différences entre les genres/les sexes y sont abordées sous l'angle de leur construction sociale, ainsi que des rapports de pouvoir qui leur sont intrinsèquement liés. Le cours examinera également la façon dont les rôles et les attentes quant au genre sont aussi façonnés par des représentations concernant la classe, « la race » et l'ethnicité, la sexualité, l'âge, la nationalité et la présence/l'absence de handicap.
Volet : Séminaire
FEM 6502 Femmes, droits et citoyenneté dans un monde globalisé (3 crédits)
Ce cours englobe les domaines d'études connexes touchant aux droits des femmes et à la citoyenneté : genre et développement international; genre, migrations et santé dans un contexte mondialisé. Des sujets variés y sont abordés, qu'il s'agisse de l'intégration des rapports sociaux de sexe dans le développement de la santé, des initiatives novatrices permettant de faire entendre les voix féministes du sud ou encore des conséquences sur la santé de l'enrôlement massif des femmes du Tiers monde dans un marché du travail multinational et mondialisé. On s'intéressera aussi à l'agentivité et aux résistances de ces femmes, à leur capital social et au pluralisme en matière de services et de soins de santé.
Volet : Séminaire
FEM 6503 Lectures dirigées (3 crédits)
Volet : Recherche
FEM 6504 Perspectives intersectionnelles sur les changements environnementaux (3 crédits)
Perspectives intersectionnelles (féministes, autochtones, queer, anti-racistes et autres) sur les enjeux politiques des changements environnementaux explorant les relations entre genre, race, classe sociale, et environnement dans la littérature classique et contemporaine. Parmi les thématiques possibles : le militantisme climatique; la souveraineté et l’autonomie des peuples autochtones; les mouvements pour la justice environnementale et reproductive; les déterminants socio-environnementaux de la santé; les droits humains, des animaux et territoriaux; la sécurité et la souveraineté alimentaires.
Volet : Cours magistral
FEM 6505 Féminismes anticoloniaux et antiracistes (3 crédits)
Exploration approfondie des théories et militantismes féministes anticoloniaux et antiracistes. Parmi les thématiques possibles : théories féministes noires; intersectionnalité; critiques de la blanchité; mobilité et migration; racisme antinoir; islamophobie; épistémologies autochtones; études critiques des colonies de peuplement; féminisme décolonial, postcolonial et anticolonial; justice reproductive; racisme environnemental.
Volet : Cours magistral
FEM 6506 Études féministes du handicap (3 crédits)
Exploration des débats centraux dans le champ des études féministes du handicap. Parmi les thématiques abordées: l'émergence des contributions féministes dans le champ des études féministes du handicap; les transformations du militantisme suite à la reconnaissance de l'imbrication des systèmes d'oppression; analyses intersectionnelles du handicap, incluant dans les représentations culturelles et artistiques; notions de corporéité et de subjectivités "crip"; la politique du handical dans ses relations avec son contexte politique et social plus large.
Volet : Cours magistral
FEM 6507 Études critiques musulmanes (3 crédits)
Exploration d'approches féministes et antiracistes de la « guerre globale contre le terrorisme » et de ses impacts sur les diverses populations et communautés musulmanes. Parmi les thématiques possibles : critiques des discours hégémoniques sur la terreur; impacts en termes de genre sur les femmes musulmanes; productions culturelles relatives aux musulman.e.s après le 11 septembre; surveillance, maintien de l'ordre et études sociojuridiques; justice raciale dans le contexte des colonies de peuplement; circulation transnationale du racisme antimusulman; orientalisme et racisme antinoir; expériences des musulman.e.s LGTBQ +.
Volet : Cours magistral
FEM 6900 Thèmes spéciaux en études féministes / Special Topics in Feminist Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)
Volet / Course Component: Cours magistral / Lecture
FEM 6997 Projet de thèse de maîtrise / Master's Thesis Proposal
Master's Thesis Proposal
Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research
Préalables : FEM 5503, FEM 5700 et 6 crédits de la banque de cours au choix. / Prerequisites: FEM 5103, FEM 5300 and 6 credit from the list of electives.
FEM 6999 Mémoire / Research Paper (6 crédits / 6 units)
Préalables : FEM 5503, FEM 5700 et 12 crédits de la banque de cours au choix. / Research Paper
Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research
Préalables : FEM5503, FEM5700 et 12 crédits de la banque de cours au choix. / Prerequisites: FEM 5103, FEM 5300 and 12 units from the list of electives.
FEM 8101 Seminar in Women's Studies (3 units)
This seminar deals with professional development (the preparation of grant applications, conference papers and articles), and reviews the central issues and debates of the discipline.
Course Component: Seminar
Prerequisites: FEM 5103 and FEM 5300. Reserved for students registered in the PhD program in Women's Studies.
FEM 8501 Séminaire en études des femmes (3 crédits)
Ce séminaire porte sur le développement professionnel (préparation de demandes de subvention, conférences, articles) et sur les enjeux principaux de la discipline.
Volet : Séminaire
Préalables : FEM 5503 et FEM 5700. Réservé aux étudiantes et étudiants inscrits au doctorat en étude des femmes.
FEM 9997 Projet de thèse de doctorat / Doctoral Thesis Proposal
Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research
FEM 9998 Examen de synthèse / Comprehensive Examination
Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research