Overview
- Degree awarded
- MA or PG Dip
- Duration
- 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
- Entry requirements
-
We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Y | Y | N | N |
| PGDip | Y | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Deepen your understanding of gender and sexuality - two of the most powerful concepts shaping contemporary life
- Gain critical insight into the histories and politics of feminist, queer, and trans studies, including the UK’s first dedicated module on ‘Trans Theory’
- Join the vibrant research culture of the Centre for the Study of Sexuality and Culture - home to pioneering projects like the AHRC-funded research network “Beyond Radical: Queer Theory and the UK”
- Connect with leading thinkers and creatives at the Manchester Sexuality Summer School, an annual event exploring cutting-edge debates in the field
- Immerse yourself in Manchester’s dynamic feminist, queer, and trans cultural scene - unmatched anywhere else in the north of England
Open days
Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting us on one of our open days .
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £13,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,000 -
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £6,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,500 -
PGDip (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £8,667
International, including EU, students (per annum): £18,000 -
PGDip (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £4,333
International, including EU, students (per annum): £9,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
For information on available funding, please visit the School's funding pages or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Contact name
- PG Taught Admissions
- Facsimile
- +44 (0)161 275 3098
- MASALC@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/english/
- School/Faculty
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.
English language
We will only consider a minimum overall grade of 7.0 in IELTS with 7.0 in writing and no skill below 6.5 or 100+ in the TOEFL iBT with a minimum writing score of 25 and no skill below 22.
If you have obtained a different qualification, please check our English language requirements to ensure that it is accepted and equivalent to the required standard.
Please note that this course does not make conditional offers on completing a pre-sessional course. You must already meet the minimum requirements as outlined above or your application will be rejected.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
The personal statement in the application form should demonstrates your understanding of the subject and your motivation for wanting to study the programme.
We also require an academic-standard essay (in English) no more than 4,000 words long on subject related to Gender, Sexuality and Culture.
Please upload the writing sample under the 'CV/Resume' option in the Supporting Documents section of the application form.
How your application is considered
Please note that your application is usually received by the School 24 to 48 hours after the time you submit it. If you have not provided documentation that allows the admissions tutor to make a decision, we will contact you.
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture isn’t just a degree, it’s an invitation to rethink the world we live in.
Whether you're passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, feminist theory, queer and trans theory, or the cultural politics of identity, this bold and interdisciplinary course gives you the tools to explore gender and sexuality in powerful, transformative ways. Taught by leading voices in the field, you’ll connect theory with real-world impact — from trans studies and queer cinema to race, pop culture, and political resistance.
What makes us unique?
- Interdisciplinary to the core – Study across English, American Studies, Art History, Politics, History, Modern Languages, Theology, Sociology, Anthropology and more
- Research-rich environment – Home to the Centre for the Study of Sexuality and Culture (CSSC), a national and international centre of excellence for gender and sexuality studies
- Live culture meets academic thought – Manchester’s festivals, museums, and queer arts scenes add fuel to your studies
-
Global perspectives – Tackle debates that matter across borders: intersectionality, trans rights, postcolonial identities, and the legacies of the AIDS crisis
This course is made for the curious and the critical.
Special features
Sexuality Summer School
An unforgettable week-long event bringing together international scholars, artists, and students to explore the cutting edge of feminist, queer and trans theory, culture, and activism.
Dynamic Research Culture
Join a buzzing intellectual community shaped by the CSSC
, t he Morgan Centre
, CIDRAL
, and many scholars working across the University on diverse topics from LGBTQ+ inclusion in healthcare, to the cultural politics of chem sex.
Student Voices
“This course gave me the language, histories, and methods to understand my identity as a Black woman from the Caribbean.”
– Kristina, MA student
Teaching and learning
You will learn through a variety of teaching methods, depending on the units you take, including lectures, seminars and independent study.
Academics that teach on the course include:
Prof. Jackie Stacey - Media and Cultural Studies
Dr Monica Pearl -20th Century American Literature
Dr Gareth Gavin - Creative Writing
Dr Ben Nichols - Gender and Sexuality Studies
Prof. Daniela Caselli - Modern Literature
Coursework and assessment
You will be assessed in a variety of ways depending on the units you take, including written assignments, participation in discussions, and presentations.
Course unit details
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation (MA) | ENGL60000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Critical Thinking in Gender and Sexuality Studies | ENGL60971 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Race, Gender and Power in the American South: From Slavery to Segregation | AMER62002 | 15 | Optional |
| Historicising the Contemporary: Literature and Politics 1970-2000 | ENGL60081 | 30 | Optional |
| Queer Cinema and Beyond | ENGL60152 | 30 | Optional |
| Modernisms | ENGL60451 | 30 | Optional |
| Postcolonial Literatures, Genres and Theories | ENGL60462 | 30 | Optional |
| Before `Sexuality': Bodies, Desires and Discourses, 1660-1900 | ENGL60882 | 15 | Optional |
| Key Issues in Literary and Critical Theory | ENGL70032 | 30 | Optional |
| Twenty-first Century Literature and Literary Culture | ENGL71212 | 30 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 18 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
Facilities
You will have access to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries at Manchester, as well as 24/7 study facilities at the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and cultural assets such as the John Rylands Library, the Whitworth and the Manchester Museum.
Find out more about facilities for master's students .
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
This course opens doors to careers in:
- Policy and government
- Human rights and advocacy
- Publishing and media
- NGOs and non-profits
- Academic research and teaching
You’ll graduate with critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills that employers value - and a deep understanding of cultural change in action.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .