Women’s and Gender Studies is an emerging area of academic inquiry today. Worldwide, several universities are now offering programmes in women’s and Gender studies at all levels.
The M.A in Women’s and Gender Studies at IGNOU is on offer from July 2013in distance mode. This 64 credit degree will equip students with the ability to deconstruct the complex power hierarchies and relationships operating in society, from the perspective of women and gender. The admission cycle is July of every year. An exit option with the PG Diploma is available after successful completion of the first two semesters.
First Year (PG Diploma)
The first two semesters of the Programme will introduce students to core, foundational courses in the field of gender and women’s studies with the aim of disseminating knowledge and critical abilities in these areas. Students exiting with a PG Diploma will be qualified with the ability to situate women/ gender in both academic and social science contexts, and with familiarity with basic concepts and theories in Women’s and Gender Studies.
Second Year Specializations
The second year courses (third and fourth semesters) have been developed under two optional specializations, namely, “Gender, Literature & Culture” (Stream 1) and “Women’s Studies” (Stream 2). The courses offered in the third and fourth semesters will be specific to the individual specializations. Students may opt for either of the two specializations for the Master’s degree. Upon successful completion of the third and fourth semesters, students will obtain a “Master’s Degree in Gender & Women’s Studies” with a “Specialization in Gender, Literature & Culture” OR a “Specialization in Women’s Studies.”
The specialization in Gender, Literature and Culture will enable students to familiarize themselves with salient topics in the humanities from the perspective of gender. Courses in third and fourth semesters will enhance their critical understanding of important issues such as marginalized cultural spaces, relationships between gender and discourse (especially literary), and the mutually constructive relationships between literature and society.
The specialization in Women’s Studies will expose students to multidisciplinary approaches of addressing historical and contemporary women’s issues. It will equip the students in conceptualizing and developing analytical skills required to understand women’s issues through praxis, research and practicum.
The focal areas for the programme include Concepts, Theories & Movements in Women’s & Gender Studies; Gender and Power; Gender through Arts and Media; Bodies & Sexualities; Research Methods; Women and Social Structure; Economy and Political Process; Gender; Literature; Culture; Postmodernism; Life Narratives; the Gendered Nation.
Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing is a one-way video and two-way audio facility. Teleconferencing will be held every month. During teleconferencing session, you will get an opportunity to interact by phone in facility or fax with the resource persons/experts who participate in teleconferencing session and clear your doubts immediately.
The teleconferencing facility will be available at the Regional Centre and Selected Study Centres. The teleconferencing schedule will be sent to the Programme In-charge and Regional Director who would inform the students. Teleconferencing is done through Gyan Darshan Channel. Students must regularly attend these sessions. These will help them clarify doubts and interact with other learners all over the country.
Radio Counselling
Radio counselling will be held through FM and students can ask questions free of cost with phone in facilities right from their homes. A toll free telephone number 110012345 has been provided for this purpose.
Telecast
The programme will also be telecast through DD Metro channel and schedule will be informed to students in advance.
Audio-video Programme
Audio and video programmes for each course have been prepared to support learning for the students. These Audio-video programmes in the form of cassettes are available at all Programme Study Centres. These Audio and video cassettes will be provided for viewing and listening. They can also hire the cassettes for viewing and listening.
Attendance
Students will be required to complete seventy-five percent attendance in theory counselling to become eligible for appearing in Term-end Examination. Similarly, they will be required to complete ninety percent attendance in practical contact sessions to become eligible for appearing in practical examination.
Continuous Evaluation of Theory Component
Assignments
Assignment is a means of continuing assessment of theory and practical. Assignments will help you to recapitulate the theory and go back to the text again in case students are unable to answer a particular question. Thus assignments also help to reinforce learning in distance learning system of education. These assignments consist of a set of questions and activities that you will answer at your own place by referring your blocks.
The assignments will cover all types of questions (long answer type, short answer type, objective type, multiple choice questions and case studies).
The assignments will carry thirty percent weightage. Students will be required to obtain fifty percent marks as pass percentage in each assignment separately. Each assignment will carry 100 marks. In the final result assignments will carry thirty percent weightage.
Term-end Examination
As stated earlier, term-end examination is the major component of the evaluation system and if carries seventy percent weightage in the Final result. The University conducts term-end examination twice a year i.e., in June and December. They can take the examination only after completion of the course, failing which students can take the same in December or June of subsequent years years within the total span of the programme.
In case any student fail to get a pass score in the Tern-end Examination, the person will be eligible to reappear at the next Term-end Examination for that course as and when if is held, within the total span of the Programme.
