MSc Gender

The MSc in Gender at LSE encourages an analytical approach to the subject and explores gender from a number of perspectives across various disciplinary boundaries.

A key focus of the programme concerns the ethical and intellectual issues that arise from practicing gender studies. In addition to the compulsory courses, you’ll be able to choose from a range of options within and outside of the department.

At LSE, our experienced faculty will encourage you to develop your own gender studies pathway and to focus on research areas that interest you.

The MSc in Gender is designed to enable students to pursue a wide range of career paths, including research and consultancy roles for government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the world. Graduates have also gone on to work in the humanitarian and charity sectors, civil and diplomatic services, representative politics, advocacy, and academia (see our graduate outcomes, collected by HESA and collated at the five-year aggregate level).

• J Butler, Gender Trouble (Routledge, 1999)
• S de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (Vintage, 1997)
• M Evans and C H Williams, Gender: the key concepts (Routledge, 2012)
• M Evans C Hemmings H Marsha, H Johnstone, S Madhok, A Plomien, and S Wearing, The SAGE Handbook of Feminist Theory (Sage Publications, 2014)
• I Grewal and C Kaplan, Scattered Hegemonies: postmodernity and transnational feminist practices (Minneapolis Press, 1994)
• T Laqueur, Making Sex (Harvard University Press, 1990)
• M Nussbaum, Sex and Social Justice (Oxford University Press, 1999)
• S M Okin, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? (Princeton University Press, 1999)
• C Pateman, The Sexual Contract (Polity Press, 1988)
• R Wiegman, Women Studies on Its Own (Duke University Press, 2002)

Established in 1993, the Department of Gender Studies is an internationally renowned hub of research and teaching in the field of Gender Studies. In terms of staff and student numbers, we're considered one of the largest standalone department of our kind in Europe, and our teaching team includes world-class academics and thought leaders exploring the tenacity of gender power relations and gendered inequalities in a period of global transformation.

Currently, we offer eight master's programmes and a stimulating PhD programme, attracting around 150 talented students each year from a huge array of different academic backgrounds and countries. We pioneer intersectional, interdisciplinary and transnational teaching, and students can expect to engage with a wide range of themes during their studies, from established gender theories to emerging topics and current debates. Graduates find rewarding careers in a variety of government, non-government, international NGOs, academic and private-sector organisations.

We have a vibrant research culture, with resident research fellows, visiting scholars as well as multiple public lectures and conferences. Our research is variously positioned in relation to different fields of study within the social sciences and humanities and falls under five broad clusters.

As a department we provide a focus for gender research at LSE and work closely with other departments, centres and institutes within the School, as well as foster links and promote collaboration between policymakers, practitioners and academics around the globe.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Gender Studies

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Please note: The applications, intake and ratio values below include the MSc Gender (Research), MSc Gender (Sexuality) and the MSc Gender (Rights and Human Rights).

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

For this programme, the tuition fee is different for home and overseas students depending on their fee status.

For this programme, the tuition fee is different for home and overseas students depending on their fee status.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.

You can view indicative details of hours, teaching staff, and assessment in the Calendar within each course guide.

Student from the Department of Gender Studies go on to work in varied career paths: research and consultancy for government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in developed and less developed countries, international organisations, humanitarian and charity work, personnel work, civil and diplomatic services, representative politics, advocacy, the legal profession, academia, media and communication and in education.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.