Art History: Gender and Women's Studies (Ph.D.)
Offered by: Art History & Communications (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Program Description
Students should refer to the Departmental website for information about Ph.D. residency and timing. The graduate option in Gender and Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary program for students who meet the degree requirements in Art History who wish to earn 9 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women's studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student's doctoral thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender and/or women's studies.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Courses (9 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 600 | Advanced Professional Seminar. | 3 |
Advanced Professional Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A seminar course for M.A. and Ph.D. students dealing with methodological issues in Art History. | ||
| ARTH 701 | Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. | 0 |
Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Compulsory examination for all doctoral candidates. | ||
| WMST 601 | Feminist Theories and Methods. | 3 |
Feminist Theories and Methods. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of feminist theories and research methods from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. | ||
| WMST 602 | Feminist Research Symposium. | 3 |
Feminist Research Symposium. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussion and development of participants' research in gender and women's studies. | ||
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
An additional 9 credits in Art History, of which 3 credits must be a graduate option-approved 500- or 600-level ARTH course.
Language Requirement
Ph.D. students must demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English that is related to their dissertation research, as determined by their supervisor. Certain areas of study may require more extensive language training, which will be determined by individual supervisors. In cases where dissertation research does not require non-English proficiency, Ph.D. students must demonstrate proficiency in French.