Gender Studies, PhD
Study with one of the nation's largest women and gender studies faculties, spanning sexuality, labor, race, health, technology, globalization, violence and visual culture. Receive transdisciplinary training in feminist theories and methodologies, and learn to conduct original research.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The next admit term is Fall 2027 (applications due in December 2026). Please contact sstgraduate@asu.edu with questions.
Gender Studies, PhD degree description
The Doctor of Philosophy program in gender studies is housed in the nation's first School of Social Transformation. The inclusive gender studies doctoral program empowers you to be a part of tomorrow's scholars and community leaders by immersing you in:
- creative and critical knowledge production
- deep fluency in feminist theory, methodology and praxis
- publicly engaged academic research
Courses in the gender studies program examine key topics related to gender. These include gendered dimensions of social structures, institutions and organizations; the ways in which policies and laws affect gender relations; the intersections of race, gender, sexualities and citizenship in a transnational world; historical and contemporary representations of gender across genres (e.g., popular culture; social media; scientific, medical, historical and legal discourse); and processes of social change, social movements and community development.
You can choose to specialize in a wide variety of topic areas:
- activism and social movements
- BIPOC feminisms
- critical globalization and development studies
- critical refugee studies
- feminist social reproduction theory
- immigration and migration
- popular culture studies
- queer of color critique
- reproductive justice
- transnational feminisms
Why earn your gender studies PhD at ASU?
Embedded in the School of Social Transformation, you research alongside peers and faculty in justice studies, African and African American studies, Asian Pacific American studies, American studies and more, building a uniquely rich setting for intersectional feminist work.
As a graduate student, you can join interdisciplinary working groups, lecture series and events hosted by the School of Social Transformation and related units.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (12 credit hours) Elective Coursework in Methodology (6 credit hours) Elective Coursework in Specialization (12 credit hours) General Electives (30 credit hours) Research (12 credit hours) Dissertation (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Students should see the academic unit for a complete list of approved electives. Students must maintain an average GPA of 3.50 in their courses. The gender studies doctoral program provides students with the transdisciplinary training in theory and methods needed to conduct original research and scholarship about gender. Thus, students also take two research methods courses relevant to their dissertation, chosen in consultation with their faculty advisor.
WST 601 Critical Concepts of Gender (3)
WST 602 Mapping the Intersections of Gender (3)
WST 603 Engendering Methodology (3)
WST 701 Research Design and Proposal Development in Gender Studies (3)
WST 799 Dissertation (12)
When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, they select 30 hours of elective coursework with academic unit approval to reach the required 84 credit hours.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Integrate and apply the core theories of gender in the field of women and gender studies.
- Examine and apply intersectionality as a foundational framework in the field of women and gender studies.
- Evaluate and apply core methodologies in the field of women and gender studies.
Integrate and apply the core theories of gender in the field of women and gender studies.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The gender studies program welcomes applications from qualified students without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex or national origin. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information Students should see the ASU Admission Services website for mailing addresses and further admission information.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/15 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this gender studies PhD degree prepares you for
Graduates of the program have gone on to careers at universities, research and policy institutes, government organizations and nonprofit organizations.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Social Transformation
|
WLSN 5th floor
SSTgraduate@asu.edu
480-965-7682
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
