Application Deadline
Applications to the Women's History program are accepted on a rolling basis.Master of Arts in Women's History
About the Women's History Program
Founded in 1972, Sarah Lawrence's Master of Arts Program in Women’s History was the first to offer a graduate degree in the field. The program immerses students in a combination of historical studies, feminist theory, and gender studies. It also draws extensively upon resources in the social sciences and literature, and on a legacy of continuing activism both within and outside the College community.
Notable facts about the program:
- Advanced undergraduates at SLC may apply to this graduate program and, if admitted, may begin working toward the MA during their senior year
- A joint degree in Women’s History and Law is offered in cooperation with Pace University Law School. Students in this program earn both a Master of Arts and a Juris Doctor.
- Annual Women’s History Month Conference held the first weekend of March
- School term internships may be chosen by students as an option for fulfilling their elective requirements
Explore Further
Our Faculty
A graduate of the Women's History program herself, director Rona Holub has a special interest in U.S. women’s, urban, 19-century social history, with particular emphasis on New York City, crime and capitalism, and growth of the bourgeois narrative. She is a contributor to Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia of Women in American History, and a recipient of the Gerda Lerner Prize.
The Sarah Lawrence faculty was ranked #1 in the country in The Princeton Review's 2013 edition of The Best 377 Colleges.
Remembering Gerda Lerner and Amy Swerdlow
The Women's History Graduate Program is proud to honor Gerda Lerner and Amy Swerdlow, two former directors and pioneers in the field of women's history.
Joint Degree in Women's History and Law
Through a cooperative agreement with Pace University Law School, known for its Women’s Justice Center, Sarah Lawrence offers students a joint degree in women’s history and law. Students in the program can earn both an M.A. and J.D. in four years instead of the usual five—or they can complete the joint degree on a part-time basis. By earning two degrees, students gain a broader context for thinking and writing about women’s issues and have the educational foundation to advocate for women in more diverse ways.
How to Apply
The preferred application deadline for admission to the Women's History graduate program is March 1.
Vera Wang '71 addresses Class of 2013; photos, videos, media clips available on Commencement site