Program Overview

PhD Program in Gender Studies

The PhD program in Gender Studies at Queen's University is a four-year program that focuses on critical race, gender, and sexuality studies, offering advanced training in applications of Gender Studies research within work for social change.

Program Overview

The program foregrounds critical race conceptual frameworks at all levels of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students examine gender in terms of its interdependence with race, class, nation, sexuality, disability, age, religion, colonialism, and globalization. The program aims to produce scholarship that is directly applicable to work for social change and to a wide variety of academic and non-academic careers.

Program Requirements

• Full-time PhD students complete three required courses (3.0 credits each), one elective course (3.0 credits), one Proseminar course (0.0 credits), and the PhD Practicum (3.0 credits).
• Students advance to candidacy for the PhD after completing all coursework, syllabus, and practicum requirements and having successfully defended their dissertation proposal.

Coursework

• Required courses:
  • GNDS 801: Theories in Gender Studies
  • GNDS 802: Methodologies in Gender Studies
  • GNDS 903: Applications of Gender Studies
  • GNDS 950: PhD Practicum
• Elective course: selected from Gender Studies graduate courses, graduate courses in other departments, or independently organized Directed Readings (GNDS 940/3.0, GNDS 941/3.0) or a practicum (GNDS 850/3.0).

Supervision and Committee

• PhD students work closely with a supervisor in the development of a research project.
• The Supervisory Committee is comprised of three faculty members, determined in the spring of the first year.
• The committee includes the supervisor, one core faculty member from the Department of Gender Studies, and one additional faculty member from the department or another department.

Annual Progress Report

• PhD students submit an Annual Progress Report through the School of Graduate Studies' forms portal by June 30 each year.
• The report details progress since the last report and plans/objectives for the next year.

Syllabus

• PhD students develop a syllabus as a 3rd Year Undergraduate course or an equivalent teaching activity in a non-academic instructional setting.
• The syllabus is evaluated by the supervisor and the Graduate Chair according to its relevance, topical knowledge, and pedagogy.

Research to Action Plan

• The Research to Action Plan is undertaken within GNDS 903, where students develop a preliminary description of how their doctoral research will be designed and pursued.
• The plan includes discussion of how each element of the PhD is situated within work for social change.

First Supervisory Meeting

• The first Supervisory Committee Meeting is held by the end of the first year of study or no later than September 30th at the start of the second year.
• The meeting discusses the student's proposed and in-progress plans for doctoral research and advises on the preparation of the PhD Proposal.

Practicum (GNDS 950)

• PhD students complete preparatory doctoral research engagement that explores or initiates applications of their project within work for social change.
• The practicum is completed during the fall term of Year 2.

Dissertation Proposal

• The Dissertation Proposal is drafted during the fall and winter terms of Year 2 while completing GNDS 950.
• The proposal includes a research overview, problem statement, literature review, methodology, ethical considerations, anticipated contributions, timeline, and budget.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

• The Dissertation Proposal defense serves as the PhD Qualifying Examination in Gender Studies.
• The defense is chaired by the Grad Chair, and all members of the Supervisory Committee attend.

Doctoral Candidate's Research and Final Evaluation

• After successfully completing all coursework and the Dissertation Proposal defense, a PhD student transitions to 'PhD candidate' and completes their doctoral research and dissertation.
• The dissertation is evaluated by the Dissertation Examining Committee, which includes at least six members, including the Chairperson, Head of the Department, supervisor, and external examiner.

Dissertation Examining Committee

• The committee is comprised of at least six members, including the Chairperson, Head of the Department, supervisor, and external examiner.
• The committee evaluates the dissertation and conducts the final defense.

Dissertation Defense

• The dissertation defense is conducted in accordance with the policies and procedures of the School of Graduate Studies.
• The defense is chaired by the Chairperson, and all members of the Dissertation Examining Committee attend.