Gain formal qualifications in an area that directly or indirectly impacts your work or research.

You don’t need previous knowledge or academic training in gender studies, simply an interest in better understanding the key issues of gender and development, whether they be global or specific to a region.

The course opens up a range of opportunities in the areas of development studies, international relations and politics.

Gender issues shape political, cultural and social institutions, as well as personal identity and relationships. The interdisciplinary field of women’s studies reflects this wide scope by including social, cultural and political perspectives. It introduces you to the theoretical and empirical analysis of a wide range of issues and helps you to develop flexible skills suited to a variety of situations and contexts.

This course is designed to give you an appreciation of this diverse and rapidly growing area of study. It extends your critical understanding and practice within a discipline area, develops your capacity to apply interdisciplinary approaches to feminist questions, and will help you develop the conceptual, analytical thinking, research and writing skills necessary to complete a successful thesis or research project.

This course provides you with specialist knowledge which can be applied in the gender and development field or associated areas of employment and/or research. Graduates are suitable for careers in environments that specialise in gender or women’s issues. Women’s Studies will expand your horizons. Graduates are suitable for careers in international development programs, non-government organisations, the public service, foreign affairs, journalism and teaching.

Potential occupations include:

• gender mainstreaming specialist
• women’s project coordinator
• fundraising program officer
• international development officer
• human rights advocate
• women's rights advocate
• writer
• media creator
• women's services worker.

Potential employers include:

• government departments
• non-government organisations
• international development consultancies
• organisations and private sector industries with a gender equality or equal opportunity policy and strategy
• media outlets
• schools and universities.