Postgraduate Studies in Women's Studies & Gender Research
Postgraduate research is a vital part of the Centre's activities and postgraduate students are central to the intellectual life of the Centre.There are currently fifteen research postgraduate students (Masters and PhD) being supervised through the Centre. The Centre also offers a range of postgraduate coursework opportunities (see a full list of postgraduate programs ).
A selected list of current and past student research topics is available here.
Our staff have a wide range of research supervision expertise and individual staff are happy to talk with you about your topic.
 |
 |
|---|---|
|
Recent Doctoral Graduates: Myfanwy McDonald, Jennifer Mitchell, Dr JaneMaree Maher (Director), Louise Poland
|
2009 postgraduate students |
Current students say:
 |
"Doing a Masters by research and coursework was like ‘killing two birds with one stone’. I got acquainted with emerging debates of the discipline and at the same time developed research experience in my area of interest. I have greatly benefited from the regular seminars, group discussions and cohort meetings which are always stimulating with the presence of professors and students with diverse research projects.
My research project on motherhood experiences of women involved in armed conflict in Nepal has greatly benefited by supportive supervisors, who are familiar with international students’ issues. I highly recommend it to any international students who are looking for a great academic experience." Neeti Aryal Khanal |
 |
"My story so far with Women's Studies at the CWSGR has been about OPTIONS. Options to travel for fieldwork, conferences and summer schools; to research creatively; to access guidance; to schedule my project; and to take ownership of my PhD work. I've felt a sense of freedom and growth, and have had control over my research in ways that would not have been possible without such options. The sense of being in a programme where your case is closely managed is also comforting. The PhD can feel like a juggling act, with many things to keep up in the air at the same time, but the CWSGR anticipates and breaks these demands down into manageable and doable tasks. The mentoring and supervision is attentive and, best of all, intuitive. I have benefited from a rigorous research culture that is kept in place by a diverse student body and a caring and supportive staff."
Roshani Shermal Wijewardene |
Recently graduated students
 |
Dr Kim Tofoletti completed her PhD thesis, Cartographies of the Posthuman in 2004. She currently convenes the Gender Studies program at Deakin University.
"Undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the CWSGR opened me up to new and fresh ways of thinking about the world we live in. I was immediately hooked. One of the best aspects of this course was its interdisciplinary nature, which introduced me to critical theory, cultural studies and visual culture frameworks to approach gender issues. The staff provided a supportive learning environment to explore questions of gender difference and equipped me with the relevant knowledges, requisite skills and personal confidence to apply feminist theories to current day concerns and issues. During my PhD I was encouraged to pursue my own research interests in the visual representation of gender, technology and posthuman bodies - research which has now been published as a book." Kim Toffoletti, PhD |
|
Dr Jennifer Mitchell, PhD 2007, is currently lecturing in Literature at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, in the Foundation Studies Program for international students. Her role involves teaching poetry, short stories, novels and Shakespearean drama; developing the English language skills of international students preparing to enter the Australian University system.
Dr Millsom Henry-Waring completed her PhD thesis entitled Exploring the Subjectivities of African Caribbean Women in Britain in 2003 and was the winner of the 2003 Jean Martin Award for Best Australian PhD in a social science discipline from the Australian Sociological Association. She currently teaches in the Sociology Program at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Patricia McCormack completed her thesis entitled Pleasure, Perversion and Death: Three Lines of Flight for the Viewing Subject. She was the winner of the 2000 Mollie Holman Medal for Most Outstanding Doctoral Thesis in the Arts Faculty. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English, Communication, Film and Media at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom.
Dr Sally Newman, PhD 2008, won the Margaret Storrs Grierson Scholar-in-Residence Grant at Smith College, USA, and the Lady Leitch Fellowship from the Victorian branch of the Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW). Her work has appeared in the Journal of the History of Sexuality and Women's History Review.