Recommended PhD Programs for Women's/Gender/Feminist Studies?

[never_had_coffee]

Hello!

[I posted this on interdisciplinary studies but didn't get responses so figured I'd try here as well. (-:]

I graduated college last year and am looking to apply to PhD programs in Women's/Gender/Feminist studies and enroll starting in Fall of 2022––it seems like a ways away, but this is the soonest I can go if I apply in the next admission cycle, for which apps are due in Dec./Jan.

Here's my question: Which universities would people recommend I apply to? I've been surprised by how many major institutions do not offer PhDs in Women's/Gender/Feminist studies. Some of the places I'm considering applying to are Indiana University Bloomington, Rutgers, University of Washington, University of Arizona, University of Michigan, Emory, University of Maryland, UCSB, and Ohio State University. I'd love to learn what other universities people know of that offer PhDs in Women's/Gender/Feminist studies! And if people have opinions/thoughts about particular universities, I'd be glad to hear them.

Also, which universities are considered most prestigious? (This won't necessarily dictate where I apply, lol, I'm just trying to get a better feel for the world of graduate Women's/Gender/Feminist studies.)

In case you need more info...

• I'm not at all picky in terms of location, though I would like to be in the U.S.

• On a (very) broad level, my primary interests are 1) how feminism/gender intersects with popular culture, media and fandom, especially in the music industry as well as on YouTube; and 2) public policy and using legislation to mitigate/fix systemic inequities and injustice

Thank you!

[fossati]

Hey! I am not an expert in this, but I do know a lot of schools have Women's & Gender Studies certificates. At my school, the Women's and Gender studies program is facilitated by the English department. So I am wondering if a lot of Women's & Gender studies are funneled into different programs. For one of my prof's, he has a Women's and Gender's studies discipline, but his PhD is in Rhetoric. I would also just maybe look at a scholar who you want to work with to advise you and see which department they're in. 

But with your research interests, it sound a bit like Media and Communications! I would maybe ask a professor at a university for their advice as well. You also might want to do a Master's, or apply to a few, in case you don't get into a PhD (that's assuming you don't already have a Master's!) 

Edited September 12, 2021 by fossati