MA Gender Analysis in Global Development
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 1 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2023
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Course Overview
There’s never been a better time to study gender identities and how important they are to international development policies and outcomes. You’ll learn how to use important concepts in gender analysis of development for understanding key problems of social justice, poverty and inequality through a gender lens.
You’ll also tackle gendered approaches to social and human development such as capabilities, social exclusion, human rights, violence, religion and identities, and you will engage with gender and development policies and practices.
We offer a broad training that integrates theory and development policy experience, which is both sectoral (for example, education, land and property, credit and finance, rural livelihoods, sustainable development, environment and conservation) and cross-cutting (such as migration, and masculinities in development). Your optional modules allow you to customise your course towards a focus on particular issues (eg conflict or climate change) or on acquiring skills, or research methods.
You’ll graduate ready to make your impact on the world of international development through taking the first step in your career or moving on to PhD study.
Please note we are changing our name to the School of Global Development from 1 August 2023, as we mark our 50th Anniversary.
This Master’s degree has been taught in the School since 1990. It was born from a need for people with an advanced social science expertise in gender analysis to contribute to development policy formulation, practical development activities and development education and research. The intervening years have certainly shown this to be the case – our graduates have gone on to work with the World Bank, UK DFID, Oxfam and as academics.
You’ll study both the theory and practice of gender in development. This will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to work in an advisory capacity for organisations concerned with integrating gender awareness into their programmes and policies.
The course also emphasises skills in research techniques and methods that are essential not only for further academic research but also in practical development work and policy formulation, such as gender planning and gender policy approaches, including gender mainstreaming.
The School of International Development at UEA (changing to Global Development from 1 August 2023) is a globally renowned department for teaching, research and consultancy on international development.
You’ll benefit from small class sizes, a friendly, open learning environment and added extras such as our series of regular seminars on 'Working in Development', with guest speakers from development agencies.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our Master’s courses require students to undertake 180 credits:
Compulsory and optional modules (120 credits)
Either a Dissertation or a Development Work Placement (both 60 credits)
Your compulsory modules are Gender Perspectives in Global Development (GPGD), in the autumn semester) and Gender Diversity and Social Development (GDSD) in the spring semester. The aim of GPGD is to provide you with a solid grounding in the concepts in the framework of gender analysis of development, as well as to enable you to understand the link between gender and key debates within development studies such as poverty, violence, religion and environmental change.
The module introduces and explains the range of ideas, debates and tools, which are the foundations of gender analysis, within a discussion of key issues in gender analysis of development. These include feminisms, the nature of the household and kinship, power and empowerment, and economic development. It stands alone as a foundation for gender analysis of development, but it also builds the necessary basis for the more applied units, which follow in the spring semester, and for dissertations based on gender topics.
Your second compulsory module, Gender Diversity and Social Development, has a more policy and practice focus which equips you with the knowledge and skills to understand and explore relations between social policies and practice, and key actors in addressing various forms of difference and diversity, with a particular, but not exclusive, focus on gender.
You’ll develop the analytical and conceptual skills needed to critically assess social policies (including gender) and social development at international, national and institutional levels. These skills will also help you consider a range of intersecting inequalities (for example, disability, migrant status) with reference to addressing social exclusion and deficit modes of development. The module has both theoretical and more practical components, and you’ll have the opportunity to work on your own projects through linked seminar sessions.
You have a wonderful, large, range of optional modules available to you (eg in media, development practice, education, rural development, climate change, conflict, economic development), allowing you to pursue particular interests and training strategies. These are all taught in-house, by established scholars in their fields, and your Course Director will help you choose a package of modules to fit your previous training and future needs.
Finally, the dissertation enables you to pursue a topic of special interest to you in greater depth, to develop specific research skills, such as primary data collection where circumstances allow, or secondary data analysis and desk studies. You will also be offered a number of short ‘professional skills’ courses in the semester breaks which give you further employability strengthening competencies for your CV.
Compulsory Modules
Optional B Modules
(Credits: 40)Optional C Modules
(Credits: 40)Optional A Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
In the School of International Development (Global Development from 1 August 2023) , we excel at sharing our enthusiasm and subject knowledge in the classroom with our amazing and diverse postgraduate students from over 40 countries. Alongside this, we have also been building extensive capabilities in the use of technology for online teaching. Teaching is conducted through lectures and seminars, and we have developed methods which sustain our interactive approaches in on-line teaching. We use close reading sessions to explore seminal literature, student-led seminars for group based, in-depth teaching, and video discussions to vary our learning experiences and source material. Through seminar work and presentations, you’ll be able to develop transferable skills such as articulating an argument both orally and presenting academic information in a clear and cogent manner.
Independent study
You’ll read suggested academic articles and books, submitting assignments as specified for each module. Your independent study gives you the chance to prepare for in-class sessions and assignments, to concentrate on the areas that interest you the most, and develop your ability to learn and apply knowledge independently.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed using a variety of methods, including presentations, essays, tests and a dissertation or placement report. Assessment methods will differ depending on the optional modules you choose.
You’ll receive feedback on your arguments and ideas during seminars, which helps you develop skills in articulating an argument orally, and you will be encouraged to prepare essay plans or outlines in advance of essay deadlines, and receive oral and/or written feedback on plans in advance of your deadline for the main coursework assignment.
If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia, please talk to our Student Support Services about how we can help.
Entry Requirements
- Degree Classification
- UK 2.1 or equivalent
- Degree Subject
- Social Science
- English Foreign Language
We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:
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IELTS: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in only two components with 6.0 in the others)
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PTE (Pearson): 64 (minimum 59 in two components only with 64 in the other two)
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests
INTO University of East Anglia
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study one of the International Graduate Diploma programmes offered by our partner INTO UEA. These programmes guarantee progression to selected masters degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details please click here:
International Graduate Diploma in International Development
INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk
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- Intakes
This course is open to UK, EU and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Applicants should normally have a good undergraduate degree from a recognised higher education institution. The University will also take into account the employment experience of applicants where relevant.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study one of the International Graduate Diploma programmes offered by our partner INTO UEA. These programmes guarantee progression to selected masters degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details please click here:
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2023/24 are:
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UK Students: £9,650 (full time)
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International Students: £19,800 (full time)
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of additional course-related costs.
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
Upon completing your MA you’ll be equipped with a range of transferable skills, which means you can pursue a variety of exciting careers both in and beyond international development.
You’ll also be well qualified to enter a PhD programme with a view to continuing to an academic career both in the UK and overseas.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
A career in international development can take you in all kinds of directions such as:
- International organisations
- Governmental and non-governmental organisations
- Local governments
- Private sector
- PhD programmes
Graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as the World Bank, the United Nations, DfID, JICA, Christian Aid, and Save the Children.