MA Thesis/Report

Students will choose to complete either a master's thesis or a master's report, which is a requirement of the Women's and Gender Studies graduate program. All first-year students take the required core course, WGS 392 Feminist Research Methods, and they learn the skills of academic writing, research methodology, and preparation for the thesis writing.

The following timeline is suggested for second-year students who are completing the master's thesis, with tips for the first year as well. Timeline and FAQ (pdf)  

Master's Thesis

A master's thesis is a project of original scholarship written under the direction of faculty. A master's thesis brings new evidence or arguments to a particular topic. Students who choose to write a master's thesis rather than a report often do so because they are interested in pursuing further research in a Ph.D program. The WGS master's thesis requires two faculty advisors who serve as Supervisor/1st reader and 2nd Reader, or as Co-Supervisors.  The faculty supervisor(s) for the master's thesis must be a member of the Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The master's thesis is completed in two semesters. Students register for WGS 698A and WGS 698B. Students must be enrolled in WGS 698B during the semester they intend to graduate.
Approximate length of WGS master's thesis is minimum of 40 pages and maximum of 60 pages (including footnotes and works cited). Page count varies and may exceed 60 pages, depending on academic discipline that student is incorporating in WGS thesis and faculty supervisor's requirements. 

Master's Report

For the master's report, the student reviews and critiques a body of literature. The master's report may or may not focus on the practical implications of an area of research. The master's report requires one faculty advisor who serves as Supervisor/Reader. The faculty supervisor for the master's report must be a member of the Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The master's report is completed in one semester. Students register for WGS 398R. Students must be enrolled in WGS 398R during the semester they intend to graduate.

Registering for MA Thesis/Report

In order to register for the master's thesis or master's report, students must first submit forms for approval by the Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Advisor. These forms can be found in the links below:

Part 1: Thesis/Report Proposal Form (PDF)
Part 2: Continuing Thesis/Report Approval Form (PDF)

Preparing the MA Thesis/Report

The following information is provided by the Graduate School. See the Graduate School page for additional information: Academics/Theses and Dissertations

• Master's Theses and Master's Reports must follow the guidelines of the Graduate School format. See Grad School resources for Formatting: including templates, instructions, and the YouTube video of the Graduate School Template Workshop.
• The Graduate School offers assistance to graduate students completing the master's thesis. See Digital Submission Requirement and assistance contacts on the right hand menu.
• Information on Graduation can be found here, including deadlines and career resources.
• The Graduate School hosts workshops about the thesis, formatting, graduation, and other processes.  Attend these workshops during your first year and learn this information ahead of time.  https://gradschool.utexas.edu/services-and-resources/events

WGS MA Thesis/Report Archive

See archive of selected master's theses and master's reports completed by Women's and Gender Studies graduates.