MA Gender Studies

Program Overview

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The MA Gender Studies is our most popular programme and is unique not only in the UK but in the terrain of Gender Studies programmes across the Anglophone world. With a focus on the study of Gender that attends to the complex specificities of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and their diasporas, this programme creates a cutting edge pedagogical space where students grapple with the limits of ‘Western’ and elite feminisms and tackle the problems of class violence, racism, transmisogny, Islamophobia, ableism and queerphobia in contemporary feminist political projects.

In addition to drawing on the interdisciplinary expertise of staff across all SOAS faculties, this MA in Gender Studies programme offers plenty of opportunities to participate in ongoing dialogues between various social justice movements and the University classroom. Drawing cohorts of students from Asia, Africa and the Middle East as well as the Global North, this programme offers students a chance like no other to forge connections to feminist movements, activists and thinkers situated across the world.

The SOAS MA in Gender Studies will appeal to students with a variety of backgrounds and objectives:

Those coming from Women's Studies or Gender Studies who wish to engage more deeply with gender theory in relation to regional specialisation, especially, but not exclusively, the societies of Asia, Africa and the Middle East;

Those coming from Asian, African or Middle Eastern Studies who wish to incorporate the study of gender into their own areas of expertise; and

Those having previously trained in particular disciplines, such as Cultural and Media Studies, Religious Studies, Comparative Literature, History, Anthropology, Politics, etc. who wish to deepen their training in feminist knowledge production.

Why study MA Gender Sudies at SOAS?

Specialised research training MA in Gender Studies, perhaps including a relevant language. This pathway is suitable for students contemplating advanced postgraduate research in Gender Studies with regard to regional specialisation.

A broad MA programme for students with some background in Women's Studies, Gender Studies, and Area Studies etc. who wish to enhance their knowledge of gender in relation to cross-cultural issues, with or without language study.

A special interest MA, which enables students to study in depth gender issues in relation to a particular regional or disciplinary specialisation.

For more information

Program Outline

The MA Gender Studies consists of one calendar year (full-time), or two or three years (part-time, daytime only).

Students must take 180 credits comprised of 120 taught credits (including core and option modules) and a 60 credit dissertation.

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the

i

mportant notice regarding

changes to programmes and modules

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Dissertation

Module	Credits
Dissertation in gender studies	60

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Taught component

Core modules

Please Note:

Gender theory and the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East (15PGNC002) needs to be completed successfully for the achievement of an exit award.

All students will take the following two core modules:

Module	Credits
Gender theory and the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East	30
Dissertation Methods for Gender Studies	15

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Guided options

All students will take the modules to the value of 30 credits from List 1 below

And

All students will take the modules to the value of 45 credits from List 2 below

Students may select 30 credits from SOAS online-learning modules. This is subject to approval from the programme convenor.

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List of modules (subject to availability)

List 1

Please Note:

15PANH024  Issues in the Anthropology of Gender cannot be combined with 15PDSH010 Gender & Development

Module	Credits
Gender and the Law of War	15
Queering Migrations and Diasporas	15
Gender, Protest, and Revolution in the Middle East	15
Gender and the Law of Peace	15
Gender and Development	15
Historical Perspectives on Gender in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15
Queer Politics in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15
Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film	15
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies	15
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics	15
Transnationalising Queer, Trans and Disability Studies	15

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UCL optional module

Gender in Policy and Planning (15 credits)

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List 2

Please Note

:  30 credits may come from a language module

open option

.

Module	Credits
Civil society, social movements and the development process	15
Critical Perspectives on Palestine Studies I: History and Politics	15
Critical Perspectives on Palestine Studies II: Culture and Society	15
750B Ethnographic Locations: East Asia	15
750A Ethnographic Locations: Sub-Saharan Africa	15
750C Ethnographic Locations: Near and Middle East	15
Law, Religion, and the State in South Asia	30
Modern Trends in Islam	30
Literatures of South Asia	30
Violence, Justice and the Politics of Memory	15

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Language options and PGT open modules

Language options and

PGT open option modules

may be taken

Students must take

180 credits

comprised of

120 taught credits

(including core and option modules) and a

60 credit

dissertation.

Gender Theory and the Study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, are both compulsory courses for all students, in addition to Dissertation Methods in Gender Studies.

The MA in Gender Studies also offers a wide range of gender and gender-related courses from a comprehensive list offered by the Faculties of Languages and Cultures and Arts and Humanities.

The 12,000 word dissertation will be based on either the compulsory course or one of the component courses.

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Learning resources

SOAS Library

is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Graduates leave SOAS with an enhanced knowledge of gender and sexuality across cultures, as well as a wide range of transferable skills. Gender Studies is highly regarded by employers across many sectors, as increasingly, policy makers, businesses and governing structures understand the need to engage with gender and sexuality.

Recent Gender Studies graduates have been hired by:

ActionAid

Amnesty International

Association for Women’s Rights in Development

Commission for Gender Equality

Euromet Feminist Initiative

International Organization for Migration

International Rescue Committee

Raising Films

The Children’s Society

The Guardian

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