Gender and Cultural Studies
Advance social justice with a Master’s in Gender and Cultural Studies
The only program of its kind in the nation, Simmons’ Gender and Cultural Studies master’s degree program provides the tools you need to recognize social injustice and drive meaningful change. The program focuses on making innovative thinking on social justice more accessible to the public.
Simmons fosters a supportive, stimulating environment with small class sizes, diverse student cohorts, dedicated faculty mentors, and a flexible curriculum.
You can further tailor your studies by completing a joint degree with the Master in Public Policy.
Why Should You Study Gender and Cultural Studies at Simmons?
At Simmons, the Gender and Cultural Studies program wants to prepare and inspire you — the next generation of scholars, educators, activists, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
Our approach emphasizes research that leads to action. You’ll engage in debates in feminist studies, queer theory, cultural studies, disability justice, and critical race theory. You'll take a stand on today’s most pressing social justice issues, and propose actionable solutions.
In this program, you will learn how to:
- Conduct research in gender equality, critical race studies, queer theory, disability justice, and cultural studies.
- Deepen your understanding of gender, sexuality and sexual orientation, race, ability, class, citizenship, and culture in intersectional, historical, and geopolitical contexts.
- Apply these insights in public settings and make culturally impactful interventions.
As a student, you’ll also gain access to elective options through The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality. This partnership with nine schools offers dynamic, interdisciplinary courses to expand your learning experience.
Your journey in the program will culminate in a capstone project tailored to your academic and career goals. This could be an internship, a research project, or a thesis. Explore what previous students have accomplished in their internships.
What Can You Do With a Master's Degree in Gender and Cultural Studies?
Our program draws from coursework in the humanities and social sciences. We offer flexible paths of study to prepare you for career interests across various sectors.
Gender and Cultural Studies alumnae/i work in institutions of secondary, higher, and adult education; in museums; in feminist publishing houses; in town and state governments; and in organizations committed to housing equity, ending gun violence, combating climate change, and supporting LGBTQ youth, among others.
Our Faculty
Suzanne Leonard
Professor and Program Director for Gender and Cultural Studies
Renee Bergland
Professor
Tatiana M.F. Cruz
Assistant Professor and Interdisciplinary Program Director of Africana Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Diane Grossman
Professor
Kelly Hager
Associate Provost, Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation
Foster Kamanga
Assistant Teaching Professor
Valerie Leiter
Professor and Chair of the Public Health Department and Director of the Bachelor's Program in Public Health
Sarah Leonard
Associate Professor and Graduate History Program Director
Briana Martino
Associate Professor and Department Chair
Cathryn Mercier
Professor and Graduate Program Director of Children's Literature
Amy Pattee
Professor
Saher Selod
Associate Professor
Dawna Thomas
Professor and Chair of the Department of Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Becky Thompson
Professor
Lena Zuckerwise
Associate Professor and Department Chair
Outcomes
Our passionate and dedicated students understand the important framework of a wide-range of social issues. The flexible paths of study prepare graduates to offer impactful solutions and create tangible societal change.
96%
Employment Rate
In a 2019 survey, 96% of graduates surveyed reported that they were employed.
Common Career Paths
Common careers sought by Gender Studies alums include: Education, Social Services, Non-profit, Technology, Public Policy, Consulting
Spotlight on Gender and Cultural Studies Students and Alums
Feeding the Revolution Through Baking and Activism
Corrie Locke-Hardy '20MA combines her love of baking with social activism with her cookbook, The Revolution Will Be Well Fed.
Gender and Cultural Studies Alumna Publishes Breakthrough Book on Adoption History
In her new book, Dr. Rebecca Wellington ’02MA reveals the unsavory underbelly of adoption practices in the United States. Part memoir and part scholarly monograph, Who Is a Worthy Mother? An Intimate History of Adoption demonstrates how adoption became entangled with the histories of assimilation, race, patriarchy, and law.
Silicon Valley's Gender Equity Advisor, Femily '00 '02MA, Reflects on Activism at Simmons
The gender and cultural studies major shared stories of her activism while at Simmons and her current work diversifying workplaces in Silicon Valley.
Karla Alba ’23, Inaugural Jennifer Eckert Leadership Fellow for DEI, Knows the Importance of Difficult Conversations
Jennifer Eckert '08MSW, a member of the Simmons University Board of Trustees, provided a generous donation to support the mission of Simmons University to become a beacon of leadership in the world of higher education. A portion of these funds...
"Boston's Welfare Rights Movement" An Interview with Tatiana M.F. Cruz
Below is a conversation with historian Tatiana M.F. Cruz, Assistant Professor of Critical Race, Gender, and Cultural Studies and Interdisciplinary Program Director of Africana Studies at Simmons University. Talking with Taylor Eubanks, graduate student of Gender and Cultural Studies, Professor...
"Narrative Practice as Tapestry" An Interview with Hugo Kamya
The following interview between Professor Hugo Kamya from the School of Social Work at Simmons University and Taylor Eubanks, graduate student of Gender and Cultural Studies, discusses Professor Kamya's work on narrative practice and how our stories get told. What...
Ifill Graduate Students’ Thesis Presentations: Abolition, Women’s Social Movements, and Southern Baking
On December 15, 2021, Ifill College students from the Graduate programs in History and Gender & Cultural Studies presented their research at the virtual fall 2021 Colloquia. Thirteen students shared their work in front of peers, faculty, family, and friends...
Rayna Danis ’22MA, ’22MPP Makes an Impact with the Joint Master's in Gender and Cultural Studies and Public Policy
Rayna Danis '22MA, '22MPP never expected to get her masters, but then she found her passion for affecting inclusive policy change. We spoke with Rayna about the joint master's program and how it's helping her on this journey.