Course outline and content


General Description

The Master's degree is based on a yearly schedule. The first year is dedicated to the understanding of basic theories and methodologies. The second year deepens this knowledge and helps define the student's specific field of study.

The student must take nine classes and seminars (called Éléments Constitutifs or EC classes) over the course of two years: He or she must take 6 ECs the first year (M1) and 3 ECs the second year (M2). (see Course Summary Table).


L'essentiel de la formation repose sur la rédaction de deux mémoires sur le même objet de recherche : le mémoire « préparatoire » de M1, et le mémoire définitif de M2. Les cours et séminaires accompagnent la rédaction de ces mémoires. Leur évaluation tient donc compte de cet objectif.

The student must first choose an advisor at the start of the M1. The student and his or her advisor will select a research subject, which will be the subject of the M1 dissertation. Then he or she will clarify and eventually reformulate the subject from the first year, to define the M2 dissertation subject. Together, they will decide the different classes (seminars and courses) to take according to the needs of the proposed research subject.

At the end of the first year (M1), the student presents the M1 dissertation to a jury. The dissertation can take the form of a detailed outline of the M2 dissertation (Thesis statement and bibliography, M2 dissertation outline or rough draft of a chapter) or the form of an autonomous thesis. The M1 dissertation must be no more than 50 pages. The board for the Master's defense will consist of two members.

Occasionally, the choice of a new research subject will lead the student to choose a new research director for the writing of the M2 dissertation.

He or she will begin writing the M2 dissertation during the second year. The M2 dissertation should be approximately 100 pages. The defense board will consist of 3 members.

Two defense sessions are scheduled for June and September.


Defining a field of study

Over the course of the Master's degree "Gender(s), theories of difference and the social relations of sex" the student will be exposed to different thought processes and acquire skills in many fields of knowledge. However, he or she must choose between two study "options" :

A) In option A, the emphasis is placed on acquiring theoretical, methodological and practical skills in a particular discipline. This course of study will lead to the writing of a research dissertation that addresses one of our research field (gender, differences of sexes, sexuality) and another specific discipline.

B) In option B, the emphasis is placed on a multidisciplinary approach. This option will lead to the writing of a cross-disciplinary research dissertation in a broad spectrum of disciplines.

However, the choice of coursework doesn't truly occur until the M2.

During the M1, the student is required to complete :

- two seminars on introduction to theory

- one multidisciplinary seminar

- one specialized or single-disciplinary seminar

- a methodology seminar

- a course in a language other than the student's native language or language of habitual use.

The language course (preferably a content course conducted in the foreign language) is taken outside of our department. For classes in English, students must sign up at the beginning of the semester for placement tests.

A general methodology seminar called "Research Methods" covers some of our fields of study (Literature and History) and is given under the Center's aegis. However, the student may choose to take a methodology course in the department of another Master's program (See "Equivalents") if the student is certain he or she will take option A.

In M2, if the student has chosen option A, he or she will take an interdisciplinary seminar and two EC seminars focusing on his or her chosen discipline. One of these specialized seminars can be taken outside of our department, with permission from the research director.

If the student has chosen option B, he or she will take two interdisciplinary seminars and an EC class of his or her choosing. (see Course Outline and "Summary Table").


Nota bene :

With permission from the Master research director, it is possible :

- to substitute M1 classes with M2 classes or vice versa if the applicable rules are applied.

- to take an "introduction to theory" seminar instead of a "free" seminar for students who are entering directly into M2 and who have not had any previous training in "Gender(s), theories of difference and the social relations of sex".

- to take a doctoral seminar with your research director instead of a specialized seminar, but only during the M2 year.

- to finish the course after the first year with the title of "Maîtrise", which is, however, no longer recognized as a national degree.