MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation

This distinct interdisciplinary programme focuses on integrating the theoretical analysis of gender with questions of globalisation and development.

The programme is designed to provide you with a solid understanding of the economic and social processes that shape the contemporary global world and their gendered outcomes. It uses diverse analytical tools and theoretical approaches to analyse development and globalisation from a uniquely gendered perspective.

Throughout the MSc, you’ll analyse and theorise political, socioeconomic, institutional, and spatial aspects of change and inequality - particularly changes in labour, work and employment patterns, economic restructuring, environmental justice, technological transformations, and other critical policy issues. You’ll also engage with case studies, interdisciplinary academic readings and policy texts that address a range of global, regional and local contexts.

Studying Gender, Development and Globalisation will be of great intellectual value if you're seeking to understand gender issues in a global and transnational context, or if you plan on contributing to policy-making, or further research in the field. It provides the necessary analytical understanding to inform policy-making and independent research and is designed to prepare you for a career in policy-making institutions and NGOs, as well as in academia.

After graduating, you’ll be able to bring highly desirable gender analysis skills to a wide variety of settings, including: government departments; international institutions (including the EU and World Bank); the media and publishing; charities; non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and private consultancy firms. Likewise, many of our graduates continue to study for PhDs and go on to work in academia (browse our graduate outcomes, collected by HESA and collated at the five-year aggregate level).

• L Beneria, Gender, Development and Globalisation: economics as if all people mattered (Routledge, 2003)
• S Chant (ed). International Handbook of Gender and Poverty: concepts, research, policy (Edward Elgar, 2010)
• M Evans, C Hemmings, H Marsha, H Johnstone, S Madhok, A Plomien and S Wearing, The SAGE Handbook of Feminist Theory (Sage, 2014)
• M Marchand and A Runyan, Gender and Global Restructuring (2nd edition) (Routledge, 2011)
• N Kabeer, Reversed Realities: gender hierarchies in development thought (Verso, 1994)
• S Cantillon, O Mackett, and S Stevano, Feminist Political Economy. A Global Perspective (Columbia University Press, 2023)
• S Cook and N Kabeer, Social Protection as Development Strategy (Routledge, 2010)
• S Rai. Rai, Gender and the Political Economy of Development: from nationalism to globalization (Polity 2013).

Established in 1993, the Department of Gender Studies is an internationally renowned hub of research and teaching in the field of Gender Studies. In terms of staff and student numbers, we're considered one of the largest standalone department of our kind in Europe, and our teaching team includes world-class academics and thought leaders exploring the tenacity of gender power relations and gendered inequalities in a period of global transformation.

Currently, we offer eight master's programmes and a stimulating PhD programme, attracting around 150 talented students each year from a huge array of different academic backgrounds and countries. We pioneer intersectional, interdisciplinary and transnational teaching, and students can expect to engage with a wide range of themes during their studies, from established gender theories to emerging topics and current debates. Graduates find rewarding careers in a variety of government, non-government, international NGOs, academic and private-sector organisations.

We have a vibrant research culture, with resident research fellows, visiting scholars as well as multiple public lectures and conferences. Our research is variously positioned in relation to different fields of study within the social sciences and humanities and falls under five broad clusters.

As a department we provide a focus for gender research at LSE and work closely with other departments, centres and institutes within the School, as well as foster links and promote collaboration between policymakers, practitioners and academics around the globe.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Gender Studies

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

For this programme, the tuition fee is different for home and overseas students depending on their fee status.

For this programme, the tuition fee is different for home and overseas students depending on their fee status.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.

The interdisciplinary nature of gender studies means that graduates are equipped with a broad range of knowledge and skills that can be applied in a variety of areas. They're able to bring highly desirable gender analysis skills to a wide variety of settings, including government departments, international institutions (including the EU and World Bank), the media and publishing, charities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private consultancy firms, education and research. Many of our graduates continue to study for PhDs and go on to work in academia.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.