Programs

All SDS students must take the core course SDS1000H: Theories and Methods in Sexual Diversity Studies, which introduces scholarly approaches to the field. They are encouraged to fulfill the additional requirement of 0.5 FCE in the area of sexuality with SDS1999H: Special Topics in Sexual Diversity Studies, though other courses focused on sexuality may be substituted.

Requirements for Master’s Students

All students are required to take the core course SDS1000H. This core course requirement must be supplemented by at least another 0.5 FCE in the area of sexuality (1.0 FCE for students in course-work programs with no thesis or master’s research paper requirement).

Courses may be counted toward the 0.5 FCE required beyond the core course if a significant portion of the course addresses questions related to sexuality, or if most of the term work completed in it explores such questions. All such course selections must be approved by the director of the Collaborative Specialization. To receive approval please submit the following form, along with a course syllabus, electronically to sexual.diversity@utoronto.ca.

If the home program requires a Master’s thesis or research paper, the focus of the paper or thesis must be on a sexual diversity studies topic. The director of the Collaborative Specialization must approve the topic as compatible with the requirements of the program.

Requirements for the Doctoral Students

Candidates admitted to the doctoral program will be required to take the Collaborative Specialization’s core course – SDS1000H, and at least one additional 0.5 FCE in the area of sexuality, subject to the Collaborate Specialization director’s approval. Students who have completed the Collaborative Specialization at the master’s level will not be required to take SDS1000H a second time. The only requirement left to fulfill will be to take another 0.5 FCE in the area of sexuality. We encourage you to take SDS1999H: Special Topics in Sexual Diversity Studies. To receive approval for a different course, please submit the following form, along with a course syllabus, electronically to sexual.diversity@utoronto.ca.

All students will pursue a dissertation topic related to sexual diversity and include on the thesis committee at least one faculty member affiliated with SDS. (In most cases, the supervisor would be affiliated with SDS, though in some cases, the student’s particular analytical perspective will suggest another faculty member in their discipline.) The director of the Collaborative Specialization must approve the topic as compatible with the requirements of the program. We ask that students submit a copy of their thesis proposal as well as a list of committee members for review and approval to sexual.diversity@utoronto.ca.

All students’ courses of study and overall progress will be reviewed annually by the Collaborative Specialization Director, though the ultimate responsibility for the student’s progress will remain with the graduate chair of the home program.

Doctoral students are expected to participate in a variety of activities programmed by the Bonham Centre, including the Student Research Colloquium, Sex Salon, and other speaker series events.

Completion of Requirements

The SDS Director is responsible for certifying the completion of the SDS Collaborative Specialization requirements. The home graduate unit is solely responsible for the approval of the student’s home degree requirements. Upon the completion of requirements of the home program and the Collaborative Specialization, student transcripts will indicate that they have completed all the requirements for the “Collaborative Specialization in Sexual Diversity Studies.”