The PhD minor in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies provides graduate students pursuing PhDs broad interdisciplinary knowledge in the field and prepares them to teach courses in the subject. The program aims to bring together graduate students and faculty from different departments, programs, and schools who use feminist and queer perspectives in their research.

Application and Acceptance

Prospective students submit a PhD minor application form outlining an academic plan with courses and quarters to satisfy the minor requirements. The form must be signed by the student’s home department faculty adviser.

An Application for PhD Minor outlining a program of study must be approved by the major and minor departments and submitted to the Student Services Center. This form is submitted at the time of admission to candidacy or at the appropriate time after that. Before that time, students are expected to have worked with an affiliated faculty advisor in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies to ensure that all the requirements can be met without delaying progress to the degree or to TGR status. Students are encouraged to consult with the Director or Associate Director as soon as they have developed an interest in pursuing the minor. A student planning to apply for a master’s degree on the way to the PhD should carefully plan out the course of study since units for the minor may not also be counted toward a Stanford master’s degree.

An accepted student selects a Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty advisor with assistance from the program director. The advisor meets with the student to discuss and sign the academic plan outlined on the Application for Ph.D. Minor form. The plan represents a student’s best estimate of courses intended to meet the minor requirements. Students who wish to enroll in the minor after winter quarter of their first year must demonstrate that their participation will not delay their time to degree or TGR.

Students must remain in good academic standing in their home departments.