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Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

BA/MA Degree

Combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree in Women’s Studies

This accelerated program provides more rapid access to research and analytical skills and to knowledge in the field of Women’s Studies. Qualified undergraduates enrolled in graduate courses will benefit from the more intense level of intellectual engagement involved in graduate training. Students admitted to the program may enroll in up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the BA and MA degrees during their junior and senior years. Qualified students can pursue the graduate degree while majoring in another department (i.e., even if they are not Women’s Studies majors).  In order to receive course credit, students must earn minimum grades of B in those courses. Students will choose either the thesis or non-thesis option for the MA. For more information visit the combined degree program.

Admission Requirements:

  • Overall GPA of 3.2 or higher
  • A competitive GRE score — Minimum recommended = GRE (verbal plus quantitative) score of 1100 (old format) or 301 (new format). NOTE: GRE must be complete by the beginning of Fall in the student’s senior year, but preliminary applications may be submitted earlier.
  • Completion of WST 3015
  • At least 12 credit hours in undergraduate courses that count for Women’s Studies credit, including courses taken in the semester of application
  • Completed combined degree application (PDF) and BA/MA application to Department.
    • NOTE: Upon graduating with a BA, students in the program must still apply for the MA program officially in the graduate school and in the Department (see below)

Important Note About Finances:

As stated in the Undergraduate Catalog, there are a number of financial considerations to keep in mind. Students are responsible for paying the difference between undergraduate and graduate tuitions. Bright Futures and/or the Florida Prepaid Tuition Program will pay the undergraduate tuition rate for the graduate courses students take; each student will have to pay the difference between undergraduate and graduate course costs. If a student continues to graduate school, they will save on the tuition costs for the 12 taken while still classified as an undergraduate. See Frequently Asked Questions for more detail.

Application Sequence:

Please note there are multiple layers to the application/completion of the combined BA/MA.  As outlined below, first you fill out the Combined Degree application (PDF) and the BA/MA application to the Department (see details below). This is to let your BA and potential MA advisors know your intentions, approve you to enter the program, and it also lets the Registrar’s office know so they can track your graduate work ahead of time. When you finish and graduate with your BA, you then need to submit an application to the Graduate School (officially submitting your GRE, transcripts, etc.). At that time, you also submit a MA application to the Department (elements of BA/MA application may be resubmitted – statement, letters, etc.). Once that is reviewed and approved then you are formally a graduate student. So the process looks something like this:

  1. Combined degree form (PDF) and Department BA/MA Application
  2. Finish BA and apply for BA graduation
  3. Apply to graduate school, and submit MA Graduate Application materials for Department

If approved, finish MA

BA/MA Application (completed while an undergraduate)

Students may apply as early as the second semester of their sophomore year or as late as the first semester of their senior year. The application ideally occurs in the junior year. Please submit the following materials to the Undergraduate Coordinator after meeting with her.

  • GRE scores (minimum of 301 combined verbal and quantitative) if available (These are not officially “due” until the first semester of your senior year)
  • Letters of recommendation from three faculty members, including at least one who is a member of the core Department faculty
  • 2-4 page statement of purpose describing the student’s academic goals, long-term career goals, and how these relate to the MA in Women’s Studies
  • Combined degree application

MA Application (completed right after graduating with BA):

When you finish and graduate with your BA, complete the Graduate School and Department MA Application, following the application procedures (ignoring the deadline) as outlined on the Department website