Postgraduate Research Degrees
At The University of New South Wales it is possible for individuals to enrol in an interdisciplinary
Masters or Doctoral degree in Women’s and Gender Studies. This is an alternative to enrolling in a degree
in a single discipline (such as History, Politics, or Sociology). Since these degrees are interdisciplinary,
such students often have supervisors in two different Schools, where required. An example could be a student
whose research topic is gender representation in the Indonesian media, who requires supervisory guidance in
both Media Studies and Indonesian Studies.
Those who are interested in applying for admission to postgraduate degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies
may like to go to the staff page to check out potential supervisors. They should not, however, contact them
directly. It is the responsibility of the Postgraduate Coordinator in the School of Humanities to assess
whether intending applicants have the necessary academic background for admission to a postgraduate degree
in Women’s and Gender Studies; and then arrange suitable supervision for qualified applicants.
Individuals interested in applying for admission to the degrees below should therefore contact the Humanities
Postgraduate Coordinator, after first having made initial enquiries to the general admissions offices whose
addresses are listed below: Student Recruitment or (for overseas applicants) the International Programs Office.
Program 2353: MA by Research in Women’s and Gender Studies
Applicants should exhibit the potential to undertake Postgraduate Research, either through a relevant
Honours Degree, or through equivalent research experience or professional work following a relevant Undergraduate
Degree. The Degree requires a 30,000-35,000 word thesis and the completion of three courses. Full-time students
are expected to complete the degree in 3 / 4 sessions, and a part-time candidate should complete in 6 / 8 sessions.
Program 1305: PhD in Women’s and Gender Studies
Applicants should normally have a BA with class 1 or class II/1 honours or an MA by Research. Other
intending applicants should discuss their qualifications with the Humanities Postgraduate Coordinator. In exceptional
cases an applicant with comparable academic (ie., research) and professional qualifications may be permitted by the
Faculty's Higher Degrees Committee to enrol for the degree. PhD theses are normally in the range of 80,000-100,000 words,
and are completed in 3-4 years of full-time study, or 6-8 years part-time. It is possible for PhD students to include
a number of optional courses in their program.
Further Information on Program 1305
Recent Women’s and Gender Studies Graduates
The Women’s and Gender Studies graduate program attracts both Australian and overseas students. Amongst those who have had doctorates in Women’s and Gender Studies conferred in recent years are: Diah Arimbi (Indonesia); Riffat Haque (Pakistan); Ingrid Nonjongo Tufvesson (from South Africa via Sweden); Jocelynne Scutt (Australia, Pongprad Soonthornpasuch (Thailand); Usuda Akiko (Japan); and Kimberley Tyrrell (Australia). Others such as Anthea Taylor (Australia) and Jung Kyungja (South Korea) graduated with combined doctorates in the now discontinued degrees in English and Women’s and Gender Studies and Social Policy and Women’s and Gender Studies, respectively.
The topics addressed in their doctoral dissertations have ranged from the effects of the system of 'purdah' upon women in Pakistan (Haque) and sexual assault centres in Korea and Australia (Jung) to the history of the struggle for equal pay in Australia (Scutt) and discourse surrounding Australian author Helen Garner's The First Stone on the issue of sexual harassment (Taylor).
At least two graduates have recently published their theses in English: Diah Arimbi, Reading Contemporary Indonesian Muslim Women Writers: Representation, Identity and Religion of Muslim Women in Indonesian Fiction, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2009; and Akiko Usuda, Husbands' Inconsistencies and Resistance: Japanese Husbands' Views on Employment of Married Women, Saarbrucken Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing, 010 (also in Japanese). Diah 's doctorate was supervised by Associate Professor Jean Gelman Taylor; and Akiko’s by the late Dr Frances Lovejoy, as well as Dr Helene Bowen Raddeker and Professor Bettina Cass.
Scholarships and Student Awards
Full-time students pursuing MA (Research) or PhD are eligible for Australian Postgraduate Award (APA). This award is available to students with Australian citizenship or permanent residence. Applications close at the end of October. For further details or information on scholarships for international students, please contact the Scholarships, Loans and Research Students Office (Ph: 02 9385 3101, Email: scholarships@unsw.edu.au).
How to Apply
Interstate and overseas enquiries are welcome. Overseas applicants should contact the International Programs Office. It will be necessary for applicants to send academic transcripts with their application for admission.
Local
Phone: 02 9385 1844
Website: http://www.postgradresearch.unsw.edu.au
Email: studentrecruitment@unsw.edu.au
International
Phone: + 61 2 9385 6996
Website: http://www.international.unsw.edu.au
Email: internationaloffice@unsw.edu.au