Master's Degree Programme in Gender Studies
University of Turku
Key Information
Campus location
Turku, Finland
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 10,000 / per year *
Application deadline
22 Jan 2025
Earliest start date
Aug 2025
* free for citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland, for citizens of non-EU/EEA countries €10,000/academic year
Introduction
Discover all degree programmes of the University of Turku
Become an expert in gender and sexuality
This Master’s Degree Programme in Gender Studies is a great choice, especially for students who wish to pursue a career in research, politics, equal opportunities policies and human rights institutions. Organisations in the private and public sectors, as well as non-governmental organisations and civil society, are other possible career paths.
Organised in cooperation with Tampere University, the programme has a strong research connection. At the University of Turku, Gender Studies has a distinctive humanities profile, operating within the School of History, Culture and Art Studies, whereas at Tampere University Gender Studies is situated within the Faculty of Social Sciences.
At the University of Turku, we specialise in feminist media and cultural studies, queer and trans studies, history of gender and sexuality, memory studies, art and politics as well as affect and emotion studies. The programme offers versatile learning options that include seminars, lectures, group work, online learning, and independent assignments.
Academic Excellence & Experience
The multidisciplinary master’s degree in gender studies provides you with advanced training in this field. The programme is aimed at both Finnish and international students with a variety of academic backgrounds and career plans.
It is built around the interdisciplinary study of gender and sexuality, bridging the divide between social sciences and arts and humanities. You will get to address the latest debates, using cutting-edge research from this exciting and growing area of study.
The curriculum incorporates local, cross-cultural and transnational emphases. It will encourage you to develop innovative, intersectional and interdisciplinary ways of expanding knowledge about gender and sexuality in global, local and historical contexts.
The degree engages the wide-ranging and multidisciplinary perspectives associated with gender studies:
- feminist studies,
- queer studies,
- transgender studies,
- sexuality studies,
- race and ethnicity studies,
- disability studies,
- area and global studies,
- cultural studies,
- postcolonial and transnational studies.
The Master’s Degree Programme in Gender Studies will give you competence in gender policies and politics. You will also acquire the ability to work independently on central issues related to gender, feminism, gender equality, and the production of power and knowledge. These competencies include the use of gender as an analytic category and a critical perspective on crucial questions within science, politics, art and culture, and social issues.
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Admissions
Curriculum
Program Structure
The MA in Gender Studies deepens your perspectives on gender studies and feminist thought. The curriculum incorporates Nordic and cross-cultural and transnational emphases. It will encourage you to develop innovative, intersectional, and interdisciplinary ways of expanding knowledge about gender and sexuality in contemporary and historical contexts.
Program-specific mandatory courses provide you with in-depth knowledge of the key debates, concepts, and authors thinkers within gender studies. Elective courses enable you to specialize in your areas of interest and develop your own specialization within the wider field of Gender Studies. Courses on feminist epistemology, feminist methodologies, and research design and ethics provide you with tools for thesis work supported by individual and group supervision. You will also have two semesters of MA seminars where you will read other students’ work and present your thesis at different stages.
In addition to the courses available through the University of Turku, you can take their elective courses via Hilma, the national network of Gender Studies units, or at other Finnish universities, including the Åbo Akademi University as a special local option.
Master's Thesis & Topics
In the master’s thesis (40 ECTS), you will prove your ability to do scientific work and manage research methods, knowledge of the research field, and skills in scientific writing.
At the University of Turku, Gender Studies offer supervision in feminist media and cultural studies, queer and trans studies, history of gender and sexuality, memory studies, art and politics as well as affect and emotion studies.
You will be encouraged to engage with established and emerging approaches to gender studies
- feminist studies,
- queer studies,
- transgender studies,
- sexuality studies,
- race and ethnicity studies,
- disability studies,
- area and global studies,
- cultural studies,
- postcolonial and transnational studies,
- environmental studies.
Program Outcome
Competence Description
Master’s Degree Programme in Gender Studies will provide you with high-quality and extensive expertise on issues related to gender, sexuality, gender equality and equal opportunities in society. In the Programme, you learn:
- To analyse how gender and sexuality organise social structures, cultural practices, human interaction and people’s identities.
- To apply feminist conceptualisations and research approaches.
- To formulate relevant research problems.
- To promote gender equality and human rights in various kinds of jobs and tasks.
- To generate new knowledge and to work for gendered and sexualised equality in society.
- Skills for critically examining power relations in connection to marginalised or oppressed groups.
You acquire the following practical skills:
- Collecting and using various kinds of research data.
- Presenting your analysis textually and orally in a scientific way.
- Justifying your analytical choices.
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Written and oral communication skills.
- Collaborative work skills and organisational skills.
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarship Opportunities
The University of Turku supports merited and motivated students with generous scholarships. The university offers these scholarships to students pursuing Master's level studies who are subject to tuition fees.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, and you can apply for a scholarship by simply answering “yes” to the corresponding question in the online application form when you apply for the programme.
One type of scholarship covers whole tuition fees for two years for Master’s degree programmes. In addition to that, there is a scholarship for the best applicants that covers tuition fees and includes an additional grant of €5,000.
Approximately 30 % of the admitted students are awarded a scholarship by the University of Turku.
Gallery
Career Opportunities
Job Options
This programme is a great option for students who wish to pursue a career in:
- National and international research
- National and international politics
- Equal opportunities policies
- Human rights institutions and organisations in private and public sectors as well as in non-governmental organisations and civil society
- Arts, writing and media careers
Graduates’ knowledge of power relations and social justice issues prepares them for government and jurisprudence positions. Due to the interdisciplinarity of the Programme, the graduates will be well-prepared for a research career.
You will also be encouraged to complete an internship during the programme. The internship is optional but can be included in the degree
Career in Research
You will be closely integrated into ongoing research in the area. The programme will also provide you with eligibility for scientific postgraduate degree studies.
You will be able to apply for a position at University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS), which consists of doctoral programmes that cover all disciplines and the approximately 2,000 doctoral candidates of the University.