Gender and International Relations

Entry requirements

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in any discipline.

If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date.

We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.

We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.

If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional work experience or qualifications. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing:

• evidence of significant, relevant work experience in one of the following sectors: NGOs, Government Departments, Think Tanks, Social Research Institutes (minimum of six months in a paid or voluntary role);
• a postgraduate qualification in any discipline.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Undertake a rigorous, master’s-level examination of how gender shapes and is shaped by world politics. Engage with feminist, gender, cultural and sexuality studies alongside interdisciplinary work in international political economy, international security, international development and the study of masculinities.

By combining these perspectives, this programme equips you to interpret current events, critique foreign policy practices, and explain the power dynamics that cut across borders, institutions and identities.

Build a tailored pathway through the degree through taught units. Core teaching introduces the concepts and debates that underpin gender-aware analyses of world politics – optional modules then let you focus on themes such as climate change, transitional justice, development, the digital economy, and advanced research methods. Develop the analytical vocabulary and methodological tools needed to track gendered practices not only in global governance, diplomacy, and development, but also in the everyday.

Design and complete an independent research project that showcases your command of theory and evidence, with one-to-one guidance from an academic expert. Demonstrates your ability to investigate complex international issues and communicate your findings clearly with your dissertation – skills that are valued by government departments, NGOs, think-tanks and academia alike.

Be challenged and inspired by internationally recognised scholars whose work addresses some of the most urgent questions facing contemporary politics, and whose expertise fosters a stimulating classroom environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged and debated.

Join a vibrant, diverse, and innovative postgraduate community committed to understanding and changing the world, where workshops and guest lectures provide additional opportunities for intellectual exchange and professional development.

Start your academic or professional journey with a nuanced, intersectional understanding of international relations and the specialised skills required to analyse policy, influence debate, and contribute to more equitable global outcomes. Whether your next step is doctoral research or a career in diplomacy, advocacy or development, the MSc Gender and International Relations prepares you to engage confidently and creatively with the challenges of twenty-first-century world politics.

Information for international students

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Fees and funding

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.