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Gender, Society and Representation MA

London, Bloomsbury

Deepen your understanding of gender and sexuality issues through this degree in a flourishing multidisciplinary field. The Gender, Society and Representation MA enables you to select modules across faculties and learn from renowned scholars with expertise in everything from anthropology to queer studies. Taught at UCL, you’ll gain the skills needed to contribute valuable gender and sexuality perspectives in a variety of future workplaces.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students gain the advanced skills, methods, concepts and theories required for the study of gender and sexuality in an interdisciplinary context at graduate level. Optional modules offer students a genuine opportunity to develop their own interests in a wide range of disciplines such as anthropology, development studies, history, literary and film studies, queer studies or sociology. The dissertation provides opportunities for independent research.

Who this course is for

The programme is particularly suitable for students with a first degree in either the arts and humanities or the social and historical sciences, who wish to study gender and sexuality in both general and more specialised contexts.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Gender and sexuality studies have expanded rapidly in recent decades, emerging as dynamic interdisciplinary fields of study.

As a multi-faculty institution located in the heart of cosmopolitan London and covering an exceptionally wide range of disciplines, UCL offers an ideal environment for gender and sexuality studies, enabling students to tailor their degrees according to their specific interests and providing a wealth of opportunities for interdisciplinary work.

Staff contributing to MA level and research work in gender and sexuality studies are drawn from different faculties including Arts & Humanities, Social & Historical Sciences, Built Environment, Laws, and Life Sciences, as well as the School of Slavonic and East European Studies and IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society.

The wealth of departmental seminars, colloquiums, symposiums and student organised work in progress sessions give ample opportunities to present research, receive feedback and participate in discussion.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Engaging with gender and sexuality concerns is now an integral aspect of research and planning activities in a wide range of fields. The need to address different forms of discrimination has created a demand in both public and private sectors for highly qualified graduates with a broad intellectual background in relevant fields, a familiarity with the intersectional nature of inequality and a commitment to social change. 

SELCS-CMII graduates have gone on to careers as legal professionals, public relations professionals and management consultants and business analysts. Others go on to academic research in related disciplines. Recent graduates from this programme have gone on to work in various industry sectors such as: health and social care; teaching, education and academic research; publishing, journalism and translation; law, policy and government.*

*Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017 - 2022 cohorts.

Employability

Students graduating from this MA will possess a broad understanding of gender and sexuality issues in social practice and discourse. They will have demonstrated intellectual flexibility in engaging successfully with a diverse and challenging range of subject areas and disciplinary approaches to gender. They will be able to develop and sustain a convincing argument on a variety of complex subjects, supporting their conclusions with appropriate evidence, clearly expressed. They will have experience in researching a topic from scratch, learning to identify and choose between different routes into exploring that topic and producing a coherent account of their research and findings.

Networking

Our location offers students access to special collections in modern languages and culture at UCL and other world-class libraries nearby such as Senate House and the British Library. 

These resources, besides their collections of books, articles, videos, sound recordings and non-public online resources, offer a wide range of seminars, lecture series, graduate forums and other opportunities to exchange ideas. Other libraries and research centres within walking distance of campus include, the British Museum, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies, Institute of Historical Research and The Warburg Institute.

Supervision and teaching is available from world-leading researchers, with 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021. UCL Careers also offers a range of services, providing access to skills development, recruitment and networking events.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and private study. The Third Term is devoted to revision sessions and the dissertation project. 

A 15-credit module is equivalent to 150 hours of study and a 30-credit module is equivalent to 300 hours. This includes contact time, private study and the undertaking of coursework assignments.

Teaching sessions are interactive, with a limited amount of lecturer presentation and an emphasis on student participation and critical discussion. Assessment is through a variety of methods, including essays, coursework, written papers, oral presentations and the dissertation.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week.

There is minimal teaching during the Third Term, as students focus on the dissertation and assessments.

A Postgraduate Diploma, three core modules (60 credts), two to four optional modules (60 credits), full-time one year, part-time two years, is offered.

Modules

Full-time structure:

During the academic year, you will take compulsory modules which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation and provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays. You will be introduced to gender theory and feminist politics from a UK perspective; as well complete a Dissertation module. You will also choose a range of optional modules from the suggested list (see Optional modules). These modules set the foundation of the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation.

During the Second Term, you will start formulating your dissertation proposal. This work will continue into the Third Term and across the remainder of the academic year. You will develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation to help cement your argument and subject area to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of the MA. You will then spend the summer researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation on a topic to be determined in discussion with your academic supervisor.

Part-time structure:

In the First Year, you will take compulsory modules, which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation module and to provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays and the dissertation. You will be introduced to gender theory and feminist politics from a UK perspective. These modules set the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation. 

In the Second Year, you will take optional modules to develop a broader understanding and to develop key concepts learnt in the First Year. You will also formulate and develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation proposal to help cement your argument and subject areas to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of the Second Year researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation on a topic to be determined in discussion with your supervisor.

Compulsory modules



Multidisciplinary Approaches to Gender Studies



Optional modules



Global Politics of Gender, Sexuality and Security










Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Gender, Society and Representation. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Gender, Society and Representation.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Gender, Society and Representation MA

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Join us for an online event to find out more about the Gender, Society and Representation MA at UCL. We will give you an insight into what it is like to study this exciting, relevant subject at postgraduate level at UCL, offering a sense of our unique focus and multidisciplinary approach. Staff will be available to answer questions and offer advice, as well as insights into different modules and teaching materials across this diverse and stimulating MA.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, or conference registration fees and associated travel costs. Students receive a free printing allowance each year and pay for any additional printing (see details), while books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

You should expect to face additional expenses if you attend external conferences. The cost depends on the location, exchange rates, and the price of travel and accommodation, but this may be between £200 and £500 per event, based on typical events and destinations attended by recent students. Current research students are welcome to apply for CMII funding for training workshops or international conferences in advance of the activity. This may be for part or all of the costs and is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Dutch Studies Bursary

Deadline: 1 November 2025
Value: From £1,250 to £2,500 (1yr)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Gender, Society and Representation at graduate level
  • why you want to study Gender, Society and Representation at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Applicants should note we specifically require two academic references for this course.

Applicants interested in the research pathway should apply for the taught pathway and simultaneously contact Professor Ann Varley to express their interest in the research pathway. Registration for the research pathway will depend on approval of a dissertation proposal submitted on arrival at UCL.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry
Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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