MSc Gender, Policy and Inequalities

The MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities uses a critical and feminist lens to engage with interdisciplinary gender studies to understand how social and economic inequalities are produced across different policy contexts. The degree pays particular attention to the ways in which some scholars have called for and sought to incorporate a more explicit gendered perspective.

Throughout the programme you’ll gain a grounded understanding of the concepts and theories of gender studies that have been used to evaluate and compare diverse policy regimes and their potential impacts.

You’ll also be encouraged to explore specific kinds of policy discourses and interventions (welfare states, economic policies, or population policies) and levels of policy-making (national or international) through the core, semi-core and optional courses available to you both in the Department of Gender Studies, and across the wider School.

The interdisciplinary nature of the course content means that you'll be equipped with a broad range of knowledge and skills that can be applied in a variety of professional and academic settings.

Previous graduates have gone on to work in national and local government departments, international institutions (including the UN, the media, publishing, charities, and non-governmental organisations. Others continue onto PhDs programmes and go on to work in academia (see our graduate outcomes, collected by HESA and collated at the five-year aggregate level).

• L Chappell and G Waylen, "Gender and the hidden life of institutions." Public Administration 91: 599-615, (2013)
• R Ciccia and D Sainsbury, "Gendering welfare state analysis: tensions between care and paid work." European Journal of Politics and Gender, 1(1-2), 93-109 (2018)
• S Donath, "The other economy: a suggestion for a distinctively feminist economics." Feminist Economics, 6(1): 115-123 (2000)
• K Dotson, "Conceptualizing epistemic oppression." Social Epistemology, 28(2): 115-138 (2014)
• R Nandagiri, L Senderowicz, and W Sigle, "Global reproductive justice: a new agenda for feminist economics?" Feminist Economics, 31(1), 1–28 (2025)
• W Sigle, "Plus ça change? The gendered legacies of mid-20th century conceptualisations of the form and function of the family", in N Schneider and M Kreyenfeld (eds), Research Handbook on the Sociology of the Family. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 386–398 (2021)
• A Thornton, Reading History Sideways: The Fallacy and Enduring Impact of the Developmental Paradigm on Family Life (University of Chicago Press, 2013)
• K Van Kersbergen and B Vis, "Three Worlds’ Typology: Moving beyond Normal Science?" Journal of European Social Policy, 25(1), 111-123 (2015)

You'll take three compulsory courses, options to the value of one and a half units and a dissertation.

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.

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.

The interdisciplinary nature of gender studies means that graduates acquire a broad range of knowledge and skills that can be applied in a variety of professional and academic settings. During the course of their programme, our graduates obtain critical and analytical skills that are highly valued by a number of employers, including government departments, international institutions (including the EU and World Bank), the media and publishing, charities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private consultancy firms, education and research. Many of our graduates continue to study for PhDs and go on to work in academia.

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.