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Gender and Sexuality Studies at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

On this interdisciplinary course you will be able to immerse yourself in the dynamic and rapidly evolving field of gender and sexuality studies exploring the rich interplay of gender and sexuality across multiple vectors of power - including race, ethnicity, class and disability. Why choose this course?

  • It is ideal if you are interested in learning how gender and sexuality are shaped, understood and represented in different historical, cultural, geographic, political and social contexts.
  • Bridging the divide between the arts, humanities and social sciences, this course enables you to follow your interests, passions and goals, working towards either an MA or MSc.
  • It gives you the opportunity to grapple with pressing social issues and sharpens your critical edge, equipping you with the knowledge to engage in meaningful debates and make a lasting impact in academia, policy, arts and advocacy.
  • You will join a vibrant community of scholars driving change and challenging norms and will be taught by world-leading academics in gender and sexuality, who are passionate about social justice and engaged in real-world change.
What you will learn This course will deepen your theoretical and practical skills to help you to build a strong foundation in this field. You will engage with competing ideas and theories to develop nuanced understandings of the ways in which these intersect with concepts of race, ethnicity, age, class and disability. You will also investigate how the arts, humanities and social sciences can illuminate the multifaceted dimensions of gender and sexuality. How you will learn On this course you will be immersed in seminars, lectures and workshops with a diverse cohort of peers, all generating a lively, engaged and enthusiastic learning environment. You can choose from an exciting array of specialist option modules and benefit from tailored advice and support from a personal tutor, who is also an expert in gender and sexuality. This course is available to study full- or part-time and follows an evening timetable. The MA and MSc are part of our new Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both. Highlights
  • Our teaching team collaborates with activists, policymakers, scholars, charities and NGOs, and draws expertise from our Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and across the university.
  • This course is linked to Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality (BiGS). BiGS hosts experts in the field, organises a range of events throughout the year, including dedicated postgraduate workshops and seminars, and sponsors a lively postgraduate student forum, which runs reading groups, workshops and symposia, as well as the BiGS students' blog.
  • All Master’s students are eligible to apply for our prestigious Eric Hobsbawm Scholarships. One of the most influential historians of the twentieth century, Eric Hobsbawm taught at Birkbeck for over five decades and embodied what is central to our teaching and research: a continued commitment to critical enquiry and public engagement.
  • If you are taking this course part time, you may be eligible for a Bonnart Trust Master’s Studentship.
Careers and employability This course prepares you for any role which benefits from skills in research, communication and engagement. You will gain a valuable set of transferable attributes including:
  • high-level oral and written communication skills
  • research skills
  • skills in evaluating and assessing types of information
  • the ability to present an argument to a range of audiences.
Graduates can follow career paths in sectors directly connected to gender and sexuality issues such as in:
  • social work
  • non-governmental and charitable organisations
  • journalism
  • government and policy research.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Written exercises such as source analyses or literature reviews, oral presentations and end-of-module research essays. Plus a 15,000-16,000-word dissertation.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a social sciences subject. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £5535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £5535 Year 1
Scotland £5535 Year 1
Wales £5535 Year 1
International £10170 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Gender and Sexuality Studies at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS