MA/PGDip Gender, Sexuality and Culture

Year of entry: 2024

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.

Full entry requirements

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

  • Join the UK's first dedicated research facility focusing exclusively on the relationships between sexuality, culture and history
  • Discover new approaches to gender studies and sexuality studies as theoretical, social, cultural, political and historical fields of investigation
  • Challenge current understandings of gender and sexuality by interrogating cultural identities, such as queer, heterosexual, homosexual, gay, straight, bisexual and transgender
  • Examine cultural production and cultural theory in relation to other power systems, such as race, ethnicity and class.
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Study MA Gender, Sexuality and Culture

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 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MA (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £12,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £26,000
  • MA (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,250
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,000
  • PGDip (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £8,333
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £17,333
  • PGDip (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,250
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £8,666

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

Each year the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures offer a number of  School awards  and  Subject-specific bursaries  (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year. Details of all funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the  School's funding page  where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also  the University's postgraduate funding database  to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities.

For University of Manchester graduates, the   Manchester Alumni Bursary  offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a 1st within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught masters course.

The   Manchester Master's Bursary   is a University-wide scheme that offers 100 bursaries worth £3,000 in funding for students from underrepresented groups.

Postgraduate 1+3 funding   is available from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for students to pursue postgraduate study through a master's (one year) leading into a PhD (3 years). It requires a project proposal as part of the application. Information is available here:

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Contact name
PG Taught Admissions
Facsimile
+44 (0)161 275 3098
Email
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

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .

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

Applications are mainly considered on the basis of an assessment of past and predicted academic achievements and the required supplementary evidence that supports the application. Once we have an application that is ready for a decision, the admissions tutor (often the Programme Director) will relay the decision to the admissions team, who will send you this decision.

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

The University will take into account the academic standing of a candidate's University, as advised by our international office using published world and country rankings.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

Our innovative and highly interdisciplinary MA Gender, Sexuality and Culture master's course is designed specifically for students interested in investigating gender and sexuality within culture.

Our approach is unique within the UK, bringing together scholars who offer options in a range of academic disciplines, including English and American studies, art history and visual cultures, politics, history, modern languages, religions and theology, history of medicine, sociology, social anthropology, as well as others.

On top of this, the research culture of The University of Manchester is unusually rich for the study of gender and sexuality.

In close consultation with the course directors, you'll opt for a range of MA units drawn from offerings across the humanities and social sciences. You will also be able to take up training in research methods.

This approach allows you greater flexibility and the opportunity to pursue research in new areas.

Special features

Cultural Manchester

Manchester enjoys a dynamic cultural scene. Annual festivals celebrate everything from contemporary literature to gay rights.

Thriving research culture

The University's interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research  Centre for the Study of Sexuality and Culture  (CSSC) is the UK's first research facility to focus exclusively on the relationships between gender, sexuality, culture and history. As a graduate student, you can take advantage of its stimulating research environment.

The  Morgan Centre for the Study of Relationships and Personal Life  , based in the School of Social Sciences, also works to foster interdisciplinary projects in the field of relationships, family and personal life, including issues on gender and sexuality.

Other centres include the  Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts and Languages  (CIDRAL), the Feminist Theory Network, and the Cultural Theory Institute.

Sexuality Summer School

The  Sexuality Summer School  is an annual event intended for postgraduates working in the area of sexuality.

The Summer School addresses current debates within queer studies, emphasising in particular its implication for the interdisciplinary study of culture.

It provides an opportunity to discuss queer debates with researchers in the CSSC, as well as with international scholars brought in for the event.

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:

Jackie Stacey - Professor of Media and Cultural Studies

Dr Monica Pearl -  Lecturer in 20th Century American Lit, English and American Studies

Dr Gareth Gavin - Lecturer in Creative Writing

Dr Noelle Gallagher - Senior Lecturer in18th C British Literature, English and American Studies

Dr Ben Nichols -  Lecturer in Gender and Sexuality Studies

Daniela Caselli - Professor of Modern Literature, English and American Studies

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

You will undertake units totalling 180 credits. Core and optional units combine to make 120 credits, with the remaining 60 credits allocated to the dissertation.
You can see the full information online for our module 'Trans Theory' ENGL71831

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.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/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
The AIDS Crisis: American Cultural Representation AMER62032 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
Key Issues in Literary and Critical Theory ENGL70032 30 Optional
Literature and the Contemporary Literary Industry ENGL71212 30 Optional
Approaches to Literary Studies: Historicism and the Archive ENGL71821 30 Optional
Trans Theory ENGL71831 30 Optional
Gender, Sexuality & the Body HIST65182 15 Optional
Gender, War and Peace POLI70961 15 Optional
Critical Ecologies SALC61082 15 Optional
Religion and Gender Theory SALC62312 15 Optional
Sociology of Consumption SOCY60552 15 Optional
Theories of Gender and Sexuality SOCY60992 15 Optional
Urban Sociology SOCY70061 15 Optional
Postcolonial Theory and Politics SOCY70111 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 20 course units

What our students say

My first semester at UoM has seen me negotiating between what I assumed to be the ultimate truth and the very, many theoretical knowledge that scholars over decades have developed.

The programme has given me language, histories and methods to think about my position in this world as a black woman from the Caribbean.

Kristina / MA Gender, Sexuality and Culture Student

'The MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture is unique in the UK, and Manchester offers a great variety of study resources.

Furthermore, the city's cultural offering complements my course extremely well.'

Anne Engels

Read all about student Kristina's experience on the MA Gender, Sexuality and Culture course here at Manchester in this blog post .

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

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

Whether you're presently employed, are looking for inspiring new career opportunities by furthering your knowledge, are passionate about research, or simply wish to explore a subject you adore in much greater detail, our MA will help you to develop a wealth of transferable skills.

Our graduates have gone on to take up a diverse range of careers in both the public and private sectors.

Some have progressed to postgraduate research, and several have taken up jobs as teachers.

Read more about our graduate career destinations .

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 .