About the Program
The Feminist Studies Ph.D. program at the University of Washington is rooted in interdisciplinary inquiry. Our curriculum foregrounds intersectional, decolonial, Indigenous, queer, and transnational feminist approaches to the study of gender, sex, and sexuality in the U.S. and globally.
Our core faculty’s research spans a range of interdisciplinary fields and is informed by Black Studies, Asian American Studies, Latina/o Studies, queer studies, and area studies, as well as disciplines such as Anthropology, History, Political Science, and Sociology. Nearly 100 adjunct and affiliate faculty across the university also offer courses and mentorship to our students.
To learn more about faculty expertise, research strengths, and career preparation, please visit our About and Faculty pages.
Applying to the Program
We welcome applicants with a strong academic background in Women, Feminist, Gender, or Sexuality Studies—or closely related fields. Applicants may hold a bachelor's or master’s degree in any discipline but should demonstrate academic preparation or activist experience that includes engagement with feminist theory and/or critical analysis of race, class, gender, and sexuality.
Admission is highly competitive. We typically accept two to four students each year in order to provide close mentoring and robust funding.
Program Requirements
Students must complete a total of 90 graduate credits to earn the Ph.D. in Feminist Studies. These credits are distributed across three main areas:
- Core Seminars (25 credits)
Students take five required seminars designed to ground them in feminist theory, research methodologies, and teaching practices:- GWSS 500: Feminist Social Theory
- GWSS 501: Feminist Formations
- GWSS 502: Feminist Queer & Trans Inquiries
- GWSS 503: Feminist Research and Methods of Inquiry
- GWSS 504: Philosophies and Techniques of Teaching
- Additional Coursework & Research Methods (35 credits)
These credits are selected in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor and committee to support research specialization. They include:- Coursework in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
- Courses in the student’s areas of concentration (e.g. transnational feminisms, queer of color critique, digital humanities)
- Dissertation Research (30 credits minimum)
After advancing to candidacy, students complete a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation research, culminating in a publishable dissertation.
For additional details on timelines, exams, and committee requirements, please refer to the GWSS Graduate Program Manual.
Funding
Incoming students—both domestic and international—are typically offered a 15-quarter funding package, which includes a combination of teaching and research assistantships and University-wide fellowships secured through the department. Funding is contingent on satisfactory progress, reviewed annually.
We aim to support our students through the majority of their graduate training, which is one reason for our small cohort size. Students with documented disabilities (as verified by Disability Resources for Students) may be eligible for additional support and funding.
International applicants seeking Teaching Assistantships must meet Graduate School Policy 5.2: Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English.
In addition to departmental funding, applicants are encouraged to explore other funding opportunities, such as those listed on our Funding Opportunities page.