COURSE CURRICULUM

This Master’s program in Gender Studies provides an interdisciplinary and critical foundation for understanding gender, sexuality, and social justice through both theoretical and applied perspectives. In the first semester, students take two core modules: *Gender in Theory and Practice* and *Feminist Research Methods*. These modules introduce foundational debates, key feminist and queer theorists, and diverse methodologies, encouraging students to reflect on how gender shapes lived experience and how feminist research negotiates power structures. Readings span disciplines, drawing from influential thinkers like Judith Butler, bell hooks, and Sara Ahmed, with topics ranging from gender and embodiment to trans experience and online identities. The semester establishes both a conceptual grounding and methodological toolkit for engaging in gendered research and activism.In the second semester, students can tailor their learning through optional modules, focusing on areas that align with their interests or career goals. A compulsory module on *Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Practice* complements theoretical work with practical applications, equipping students with the tools to critically assess and contribute to inclusive policies and practices across institutions. The module engages with intersectionality, structural inequality, and transformative justice through real-world case studies and applied tasks.The program culminates in the *Gender Studies Project*, an independent research module where students can choose to complete a traditional dissertation, a creative-critical project, or an applied research piece relevant to activism or policy. With supervision from two academic staff members, students are encouraged to innovate in their approach while demonstrating advanced research and critical thinking skills. An intensive training program runs alongside the project to help students further develop transferable skills. Altogether, the course blends rigorous academic study with flexible, interdisciplinary pathways, allowing students to explore gender issues in ways that are personally meaningful and professionally relevant.