Academics

Applications are reviewed after the deadline. If you submit your application in advance of the deadline, we may consider it early. Prospective students are encouraged to get their application materials in as early as possible so that the packet is complete by the deadline.

The best letters of recommendation will commend your potential for advanced scholarship in the field, including reading, writing, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities. Such letters may come from current or former professors, employment supervisors, and/or community engagement/volunteer project managers.

When it comes to requesting letters, it is a good idea to request letters of recommendation at least 6 weeks before the application deadline to provide adequate time to prepare the letter. It is also a good practice to provide your letter writers with helpful materials, such as your statement of purpose, to aid them in writing letters that best reflect your abilities as a prospective graduate student.

Most credible letters are submitted through the application process.

Your writing sample should demonstrate your talents as an academic writer. Generally, the writing sample will be a paper that you have written for an upper-level class, preferably one in women's, gender, and sexuality studies or a related discipline. You should take into consideration any comments or feedback the instructor provided when the assignment was returned to you, and factor those changes before you will submit your writing sample.  Papers should be written by you alone, not co-authored.

We do not require interviews for admission, but we do welcome a chance to meet you and talk to you either in-person or on Microsoft Teams. If you would like to schedule a campus visit or set up a time to meet virtually, contact Jennifer Ellerman-Queen. 

No, we do not require the GRE.  If you have taken it, however, we will consider the score in the evaluation of the application packet.

For information about funding, refer to the Graduate Funding page.

No, a Bachelor’s degree in women’s, gender, and/or sexuality studies is not required for pursuing the USF Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies MA. We do admit students from other complementary disciplines, such as anthropology, sociology, and psychology who have an educational background related to women's, gender, and/or sexuality studies.  We would prefer that you have taken at least some classes in women’s and gender studies. Students who do not have a degree inwomen's, gender, and/or sexuality may be required to complete one or more undergraduate classes in the discipline as a condition of their admission to the program.

At this time, we do not offer online classes. Check back with us in the future, though! Our program is always evolving!

In addition to information in the USF Graduate Catalog, you can find additional details about our MA program in our WGSS Graduate Student Handbook.

Tampa Bay is a vibrant and attractive market at the moment, and the cost of living reflects it.  We recommend checking out the Living Wage Calculator for our area.  There is also limited housing available for single graduate students on campus.

The National Women's Studies Association (NWSA) has put together an excellent guide to applying to graduate school.

Please contact our Graduate Program Coordinator, Jennifer Ellerman-Queen with any other questions you might have. She will be happy to answer them for you!