Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines:
We encourage you to apply early to secure your place in our graduate program. We have rolling admissions and begin accepting applications on January 15th for Fall admission. We continue accepting applications until all places in the graduate program are filled. We are no longer admitting students in Spring semesters. Please note that international applicants must follow priority deadlines set by the University of North Texas.
Domestic Applicants for Fall admission: rolling admission begins January 15th
International Applicants: application deadline of April 1st
The UNT International Affairs office can help guide our international applicants through the application process, ensuring that non-U.S. students understand all university and national requirements related to pursuing a graduate degree at UNT.
International applicants are encouraged to apply to UNT's Women's & Gender Studies Program by the following dates to increase your chance of I-20 processing, if admitted.
You can find more information about International Admissions through the Toulouse Graduate School. UNT International Student & Scholar Services can also help answer questions related to travel, visas, funding, and the Intensive English Language Institute.
GRE Requirements
The Women's & Gender Studies Master's program does not require students to submit GRE scores for their applications to be considered.
GPA Requirements
Applicants typically have a 3.0 GPA or higher on the last 60 undergraduate semester hours from their bachelor's degree. The graduate committee strives to evaluate candidates holistically. Applicants who have lower GPAs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be provisionally admitted to the program.
Required Degree & Prerequisites
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of Women's & Gender Studies as a program of study, admission to our graduate program is open to many who did not major in this field as undergraduates. In compiling your application materials, please reflect on your coursework, academic projects, and relevant life experiences that have prepared you to pursue a graduate degree in Women's & Gender Studies.
When an applicant does not have sufficient background in Women's & Gender Studies subject matter, they may be provisionally admitted to the program. This means they would need to take a levelling class their first semester, and earn no lower than a "B" in their first 9 hours of coursework to continue matriculating through the program. Please note this levelling class does not count toward the required 30 hours to earn the Master's degree.
How to Apply
For step-by-step instructions on the application process, please visit the Graduate Admissions website. This will include details on how to submit materials including transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other items.
Please follow directions provided by the graduate admisions site for all required materials.
Additional Information
In addition to the institutionally required materials, applicants must submit an application letter, a current vita or resume, two signed letters of recommendation, and a scholarly writing sample. Additional information about these required documents can be found below.
- Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit two signed letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic and/or professional abilities. At least one letter must be from a professor who can speak to your academic capacities and potential to succeed in graduate study; one letter may be submitted by a current or past employer. Academic references are preferred.
- Application Letter (also called Statement of Purpose): Applicants must submit an application letter that includes a statement in which you address your purpose in pursuing graduate study in the Women's & Gender Studies Program at UNT. Include your professional plans, career goals, background in topics/theories related to Women's & Gender Studies, and areas of research interest relevant to our program.
- Resume or CV: Applicants must submit a current vita or resume in which you address the following areas (as applicable):
- Educational background
- Previous work & leadership experience
- Publications, performances, exhibitions, or other scholarly activities
- Previous research experience, including publications
- Involvement in community activites
- Scholarly Writing Sample: Applicants must submit a scholarly writing sample from an upper-level undergraduate course or an honor's thesis. The writing sample should demonstrate your proficiency at conducting and reporting research.
- Teaching Assistantship application documents (if seeking a TA position): Applicants seeking a TA position in WGST must submit TA application documents. Please see the Graduate Assistantship section below for information about these documents.
Graduate Assistantships:
A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available for students. Teaching Assistants support undergraduate WGST courses (typically WGST 2100: Introduction to Women's & Gender Studies). They serve in an array of capacities: as a recitation leader of smaller, independent course sections and/or as a grader and tutor for larger courses under the direction and pedagogical mentorship of a faculty member of record. A professor or lecturer mentors graduate Teaching Assistants in both course content and instruction/grading skills. Applicants for this position should have demonstrable scholarly interest in feminist, gender, and/or sexuality studies.
To apply for a TA position in WGST, please submit the following:
- Cover letter that outlines your interest in serving as a Teaching Assistant for WGST and your experience relevant to teaching
- Your cirriculum vitae (CV) or resume
- A list of any relevant coursework in Women's & Gender Studies (broadly construed, including coursework from other departments); please distinguish between undergraduate and graduate courses.
For more information about Graduate Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, and other funding opportunities, please see our Graduate Funding Opportunities page.