PhD Emphases

Feminist Studies Emphasis

The Feminist Studies Program, with over 30 core and affiliated faculty members in over eleven disciplines, serves as a mode of interdisciplinary work and scholarly collaboration at UCSB. Women's studies doctoral emphasis students are required to complete successfully four seminars that will enhance their understanding of feminist pedagogy, feminist theory, and topics relevant to the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. Using an interdepartmental set of conversations and intellectual questions, women's studies support a multifaceted undergraduate curriculum at UCSB. Graduate emphasis students are encouraged to apply to teach women's studies courses as teaching assistants and associates as part of their women's studies training.

Applicants must first be admitted to, or currently enrolled in, a UCSB Ph.D. program participating in the women's studies graduate emphasis. Candidates must select a member of the women's studies faculty or affiliated faculty to serve on their Ph.D. exam and dissertation committees.

Students pursuing the emphasis in women's studies will successfully complete four graduate courses. Only one may be taken in the student's home department.  For more information, please visit the Feminist Studies Program web-site at www.femst.ucsb.edu/graduate/doctoral-emphasis

European Medieval Studies Emphasis

The Medieval Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary doctoral emphasis to students previously admitted to a Ph.D. program in the Department of Theater and Dance, English, French and Italian, History, History of Art and Architecture, Music, Religious Studies, and Spanish and Portuguese. Students pursuing the emphasis in European medieval studies must receive a grade of B or better in variety of prescribed courses.

To qualify for the emphasis, at least one member of a Ph.D. candidate's dissertation committee must be an affiliated faculty member of the European Medieval Studies Program. Contact the European Medieval Studies Program for additional information on faculty interests, course offerings, and program requirement, or visit our website at www.medievalstudies.ucsb.edu.

For more information about requirements and coursework regarding these two optional Ph.D. emphases, please refer to the UCSB General Catalog.