Islamic Studies (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (M.A.) (45 credits)
Offered by: Islamic Studies (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Master of Arts
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The graduate option in Gender and Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary program for students who meet degree requirements in Islamic Studies (and other participating departments and faculties) who wish to earn 6 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student’s master’s thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender 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 (24 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISLA 697 | Thesis Research 1. | 6 |
Thesis Research 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Six credits for accepted thesis proposal. | ||
| ISLA 698 | Thesis Research 2. | 6 |
Thesis Research 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Six credits on submission of completed thesis. | ||
| ISLA 699 | Thesis Research 3. | 12 |
Thesis Research 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Twelve credits for thesis passed by Internal and External examiners. | ||
Required Courses (6 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISLA 603 | Introductory: Research Materials - Islamic Studies. | 3 |
Introductory: Research Materials - Islamic Studies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of research materials in Islamic Studies, including intellectual output of Islamic civilization, compositions, Arabic nomenclature, Arabic script and transliteration systems, published and unpublished materials (theses, manuscripts, books printed by lithography, facsimile editions, monographic, serial, e-publishing), websites, databases; major reference books (bibliographies, encyclopedias, handbooks, online/published catalogues, language/biographical dictionaries). | ||
| 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. | ||
Complementary Courses (15 credits)
3 credit of a seminar course at the 600 or 700 level.
3 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ||
or a 3-credit course, at the 500 level or higher, in gender/women’s issues.
9 credits of ISLA courses at the 500 level or higher.
With permission of the Institute, up to 3 credits of these 9 credits of Complementary Courses may be chosen from departments at McGill or other educational institutions.
With the approval of the student's supervisor, courses taken with an IIS faculty member or an associate member in other departments (i.e., History, Anthropology, Political Science) can count toward the coursework requirements in the same way as ISLA courses.
Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate proficiency in Arabic or Persian at the second-year level as evidenced by completion of ISLA 622D1 Arabic for Reading 2./ISLA 622D2 Arabic for Reading 2. or ISLA 642D1 Persian for Reading 2./ISLA 642D2 Persian for Reading 2., respectively, or by an examination administered by the Institute.
Note that the courses taken to fulfill the second-year level requirements will not be credited towards the course requirements.