WGSS PH.D. REQUIREMENTS

At a Glance

Graduate Coursework

1. 48 credits / 16 classes
2. Core Courses: 12 credits (4 classes)
3. WGSS 600-Level Electives: 9 credits (3 classes)
4. Additional Electives: 27 credits (9 classes)

Additional Program Requirements

1. Gain Teaching Experience
2. Foreign Language Requirement
3. Comprehensive Exam
4. Prospectus Review
5. Dissertation Defense

Graduate Handbook

For comprehensive details of the program please consult the 2024–2025 WGSS Graduate Student Handbook:

Requirements

• 4 Core Courses

  All Ph.D. students must enroll in these courses when they are offered.

  1. WST 600 – Feminist Interdisciplinary Histories & Methods (offered every Spring)

  2. WST 601 – Feminist Theories (offered every Fall)

  3. WST 698 – Practicing WGSS / Teaching Practicum (offered every Spring)

  4. WST 680 – Interdisciplinary Research Design (offered every Fall)

  Note: WGSS does not accept transfer credits for coursework already counted toward another degree. If a credit has satisfied a requirement for any other program/degree, it cannot be applied again toward the WGSS Ph.D. or M.A.

  Timing Recommendations

  Full suggested timeline can be found here. 

  Year 1

  1. Fall: WST 601
  2. Spring: WST 600 and WST 698

  This sequence helps you build community with your cohort and lays a strong foundation for future coursework.

  Year 3 (Fall)

  1. WST 680 – Research Design

  Offers guidance on dissertation prospectus writing and grant/fellowship applications.

  No Replacements
  You generally cannot replace core courses with Independent Study or Directed Reading. Any rare exception requires:

  A petition to the Graduate Program Director, A supporting signature from the instructor, and Approval from the Graduate Studies Committee.

• 12 Elective Courses

  Ph.D. students must complete 12 total elective classes (36 credits), divided as follows:

  1. WGSS 600-Level Electives – 3 classes (9 credits)
  2. Additional Electives – 9 classes (27 credits)

   

  WGSS 600-Level Electives 

  You must take 3 elective courses at the 600 level, classified as WGSS or approved for WGSS credit:

  WST 610 – Advanced Topics in WGSS

  1. Offered most semesters with varying topics/instructors.
  2. You may take WST 610 multiple times as each version counts when the content changes.

  Repeat WST 600 or WST 601

  Because these seminars shift significantly by instructor and year, retaking either course with a different instructor may count toward your 600-level WGSS elective requirement.

  WGSS-Approved 600-Level Courses

  1. Certain gender- or sexuality-focused 600-level seminars from other departments may count toward this requirement.
  2. Seek approval from the Graduate Program Director before enrolling.
  3. The Graduate Studies Committee reviews substitution requests.

   

  Additional Electives

  1. For the remaining 9 elective classes (27 credits):
  2. You may choose 500- or 600-level courses from any Stony Brook department, including the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC).
  3. Courses that fulfill a Graduate Certificate requirement will automatically count toward these Additional Electives.
  4. You may also apply up to 12 transfer credits (see “Transfer Credits” below) if those credits meet WGSS Ph.D. guidelines (i.e., not counted toward another degree).
• Independent Studies & Directed Readings

  Limits on WST 599, 690, and 696

  WST 599 (Independent Study)

  1. You may apply 1 Independent Study (3 credits total) toward Additional Electives.
  2. Designed for a creative independent project not covered in normal coursework and unrelated to Comprehensive Exam prep.

  WST 690 (Directed Readings) or WST 696 (Self-Directed Readings)

  1. You may apply up to 4 Directed/Self-Directed Readings (totaling 12 credits) toward Additional Electives.
  2. Typically taken after most coursework is completed and in preparation for the Comprehensive Exam.
  3. Strong recommendation: Complete 1 Directed/Self-Directed Reading for each of the three parts of your comprehensive exam, under the relevant faculty member’s guidance.

   

  Planning for Independent/Directed Study

  Discuss plans with your Primary Advisor well in advance (at least a full semester before).

  Obtain faculty approval and confirm their availability to supervise your project.

  Complete any departmental paperwork or registration steps as required.

• Transfer Credits

  Per the Graduate School, you may transfer up to 12 credits from another institution if:

  1. They have not been used to fulfill any degree or certificate requirement (there or at Stony Brook).
  2. They directly relate to WGSS Ph.D. learning outcomes.
  3. If you believe certain courses qualify, contact the Graduate Program Director. They and the Graduate Committee will review your transcript, syllabi, and other materials to make a final decision.
• Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) Optional

  The IUDC allows eligible Stony Brook Ph.D. students (in arts and sciences) to take graduate courses at participating institutions (including Columbia, CUNY, Fordham, New School, NYU, Princeton, Rutgers, Teacher’s College of Columbia).

  Eligibility:

  1. You must have completed 1 full year of full-time study at Stony Brook and be in good academic standing.
  2. WGSS M.A. students are not eligible.

  Limits:

  1. No more than 3 IUDC courses per academic year.
  2. No more than 2 in a single semester.

  WGSS Credit:

  1. Generally, IUDC courses count toward the Additional Electives requirement.
  2. Petitions to count them as Core or WGSS 600-level Electives may be considered only under exceptional circumstances (requires Graduate Studies Committee approval).

  Planning:

  1. Discuss potential IUDC enrollment with the Graduate Program Director or your Primary Advisor early.
  2. The registration process involves multiple signatures: WGSS Department (Chair or GPD), Stony Brook’s IUDC Coordinator, the instructor of your chosen course, and the Host School’s Dean or IUDC Coordinator.

  See the Graduate School’s IUDC website for more details.

• Additional Guidance: Choosing Courses

  Form Relationships

  Consider taking seminars with faculty who could become formal mentors or dissertation committee members.

  Shape Your Scholarly Identity

  Think carefully about the interdisciplines you want to engage (e.g., History, Sociology, English). Choose seminars that support those areas.

  Methodologies & Frameworks

  Take courses covering methods you’ll need for your doctoral research.

  Seek out histories/theories relevant to your dissertation—even if the topic isn’t a perfect match.

  Leverage Seminar Assignments

  Use course papers or projects to begin drafting dissertation chapters, conference papers, journal articles, or grant proposals.

  Skill Development

  Treat seminars as spaces to practice analytic thinking, reading, writing, debate, public speaking, and peer review.

  Community Building

  Connect with your cohort and other WGSS grad students (M.A., Ph.D., certificate) to foster a network of colleagues and potential collaborators.