Women’s and Gender Studies, MA / Library and Information Science, MLIS MA/MLIS
The joint MA/MLIS degree allows students to earn two master’s degrees concurrently in reduced time than it would take to earn each separately. The library science degree can be paired with a subject-specific academic area to provide students with the benefits of both a scholarly research degree and a professional degree for flexible career options. Alumni from the joint Women’s & Gender Studies master and library science master degree program have gone on to work in academic libraries, public libraries, university teaching, museums, historical societies, nonprofits, and more.
UWM’s library science degree program has been accredited by the American Library Association since 1976, an important consideration for students planning to work at a library since many require a accredited degree. Within the library science portion of the joint degree, students can choose to concentrate in: Archival Studies, Information Organization, Information Technology, Public Library, and School Library Media / School Librarianship. Additionally, the library science portion of the joint degree can be completed fully online.
The coordinated program with Women’s & Gender Studies is designed to empower students with both theory of information retrieval and organization and the practical hands-on tasks associated with information management and distribution with a particular eye towards feminist research, scholarship and information.
Program Type
Master’s
Program Format
On Campus
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Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
The Women's and Gender MA Program accepts fall admissions only. Applications received by January 15 will be given full consideration.
Admission
Students are admitted to both graduate programs separately, and admission requirements are consistent with those specified by the UWM Graduate School, the Women's and Gender Studies MA of the College of Letters and Science, and the Library and Information Science MLIS of the School of Information Studies.
Application to all graduate programs are completed through the UWM Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.
In addition to the standard requirements for a graduate school application, the Women’s & Gender Studies program will require three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional work and a sample of the applicant’s written work that demonstrates the applicant’s critical thinking, research, and writing skills.
Credit and Courses
The MA in Women's and Gender Studies (WGS) normally has a minimum requirement of 30 credits from Women's and Gender Studies courses. For the coordinated MA WGS/MLIS degree program, however, students can substitute 6 credits in Information Studies for 6 credits of WGS courses. This program, therefore, requires a total of 54 credits. Students must complete the 30 credits required for the MLIS component and the 24 credits in WGS courses as specified below.
Women’s and Gender Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| WGS 700 | Feminist Issues and Scholarship | 3 |
| WGS 701 | Feminisms in Global Context | 3 |
| WGS 710 | Advanced Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WGS 711 | Feminist Epistemologies and Research Practices | 3 |
| WGS 740 | Advanced Queer Theory | 3 |
| Select one WGS G or U/G course 1 | 3 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 6 elective credits in WGS or WGS cross-listed courses (not SOIS), in consultation with the WGS Director of Graduate Studies. Of these electives, 3 credits may be thesis credits (WGS 990). | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
Excluding WGS 497, WGS 700, WGS 990, WGS 999.
Total WGS credits: 24 (maximum of 6 U/G cr; and maximum 3 cr of WGS 999)
Library and Information Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INFOST 501 | Foundations of Library and Information Science | 3 |
| INFOST 511 | Organization of Information | 3 |
| INFOST 571 | Information Access and Retrieval | 3 |
| INFOST 799 | Research Methods in Information Studies | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 18 credits in consultation with a SOIS faculty advisor. | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Total MLIS Credits: 30 (min of 33 with SOIS thesis option)
Total Credits for Coordinated Program: 54 (57 with SOIS thesis)
The credits for the coordinated program would typically be completed in both programs at the same time, rather than one program after the other. A student not completing the requirements for the coordinated degree program would need to complete all requirements for an individual program in order to receive a degree.
Important
You must refer to the catalog pages of both individual master's programs to ensure that you meet all requirements for both degrees.
Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for WGS graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.
Women's and Gender Studies MA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Women’s and Gender Studies MA program will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of feminist, women's, and gender issues in local, national, and/or global contexts.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the interrelatedness of gender and other identity categories such as class, race, sexuality, age, or ability status.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of relevant perspectives within feminisms and feminist theory.
- Properly apply theoretical terms and concepts of feminist and gender analysis.
- Demonstrate mastery of relevant theoretical terms and concepts of feminist and gender analysis.
- Productively analyze complex material using gender as a framework.
- Write a well-structured, well-argued paper using relevant academic sources.