The Women's Studies Ph.D. in North America: Archive II

Abstract

O'Barr and Shields (2003) reported on women's studies Ph.D. programs in the United States and Canada in this journal. In this paper, we update the information and briefly report on new resources available for tracking the development of doctoral training in Women's Studies and gender studies. We also list titles of dissertations completed since the 2003 publication. As of summer 2005, there are sixteen graduate programs in the United States and Canada that grant Ph.D.s in Women's Studies. Programs at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and Indiana University (pending final university approval) are new since O'Barr and Shields (2003) identified twelve programs (ten free-standing Ph.D. programs; two joint-degree programs) plus the Union Institute, which has offered the interdisciplinary option for Ph.D.s in Women's Studies since 1964 (NWSA Journal 2003). A listserv for discussion of doctoral study in Women's Studies was established in late 2001 and, until fall 2005, was moderated by Cari Carpenter who received her Ph.D. in Women's Studies and English from the University of Michigan. Jillian Duquaine-Watson (jillian.duquainewatson@drake.edu), who received her Ph.D. in Women's Studies from the University of Iowa, has taken over as listserv moderator. Jillian is assistant professor in the Department for the Study of Culture and Society at Drake University. WSPhD-L is specifically aimed to address the needs of current women's studies Ph.D. students and recent recipients of the degree. Rosi Braidotti and Martine De Vos (2005) prepared a summary of the current state of women's studies Ph.D. programs in Europe for NWSA Journal. Their summary includes twelve graduate programs that responded to their invitation to contribute, but it is not an exhaustive list of European doctoral programs that offer advanced degrees in Women's Studies.