Program Admission

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Graduate School Application

After reviewing the admission requirements below, please select the appropriate application. The University is transitioning application platforms; pay close attention when selecting the application below.

• 2021-2022 Application (Winter 22)
• 2022-2023 Application (Summer 22, Fall 22, or Winter 23)  

The program you are applying to may not accept applicants every semester.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

Admission Requirements

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

A four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. In addition, a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program, is required for full admission. Applicants who do not meet minimum admission requirements may be considered for conditional admission. See International Admissions for international applicant requirements.

Applicants must also meet the following program requirements:

• Prior completion of at least two courses with substantial content on women and/or gender and a grade of B or better.
• A 2.75 undergraduate GPA overall, a 3.0 in the last half cumulative undergraduate GPA, or a minimum 3.0 in previously taken graduate coursework. Please comment on any grades that are not within this range.
• The applicant must write and submit a 2-3 page (double-spaced) personal statement. The personal statement must be written in such a way as to demonstrate graduate-level writing proficiency and must include the following elements:
  • an explanation of your academic goals: specifically, areas of the field of WGST that you find particularly appealing; professors at EMU with whom you would like to work and why; research questions about the field of WGST and the role of women in society, that you hope to pursue in the course of your graduate study;
  • an explanation of your professional goals and how your WGST graduate degree will help you attain these goals;
  • a discussion of any prior professional and/or community-based experience related to women and/or gender and how that informs your understanding of the field of women’s and gender studies; and
  • an explanation of how previous coursework related to women and/or gender shaped your desire to pursue further study. What particular courses and writers have influenced you?
• Two letters of recommendation from former professors addressing the candidate’s preparation and ability to complete graduate work.
• Applicants whose first language is not English demonstrated English Language proficiency as shown by official test scores on the International English Language Testing System.  For the English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Test, students need a 90-91 on the IBT.

Conditional Admission

Students not meeting regular admission requirements may be admitted on a conditional basis with the approval of the WGST admissions committee

Non-Degree Admissions

Students not meeting the GPA requirement may be granted non-degree admission with the permission of the WGST admissions committee and the Graduate School.

Department Information

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Women’s and Gender Studies | Peter Higgins, Ph.D., Department Head | 701 Pray-Harrold, 734.487.1018, phiggin1@emich.edu

Advisor Information

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Mary Elizabeth Murphy​, Ph.D., Professor, 714S Pray-Harrold, 734.487.3183, mmurph54@emich.edu

Degree Requirements: 30 hours

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Students should consult the advisor for other approved women’s and gender studies courses offered each semester. The Master of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies is distributed among core courses, restricted elective courses, and complementary concentration courses as follows: