Curriculum

• 40 EC Core Curriculum in the course planner: V), including Research Design Seminar I or II (in the course planner: VK)
• 10 EC Research School  (in the course planner: T1)
• 20 EC Electives A (in the course planner: T1)
• 20 EC Electives B: 
  • non-compulsory modules offered by the RMA programme in Gender Studies;
  • modules offered by other RMA programmes within the Humanities at the Utrecht Faculty of Humanities (check the website);
  • modules from the one-year MA Gender Studies (on condition that the number of EC from that master does not exceed 10 EC).
• 30 EC Research Master's Thesis (in the course planner: V)

Track 1 courses

• 40 EC Core Curriculum (in the course planner: V), including Research Design Seminar I or II (in the course planner: VK)
• 10 EC Research School (in the course planner: T2)
• at least 12.5 EC Electives A (in the course planner: T2)
• up to 12.5 EC Electives B: 
  • non-compulsory modules offered by the RMA programme in Gender Studies;
  • modules offered by other RMA programmes within the Humanities at the Utrecht Faculty of Humanities (check the website);
  • modules from the one-year MA Gender Studies (on condition that the number of EC from that master does not exceed 10 EC).
• 15 EC Internship (in the course planner: T2)
• 30 EC Research Master's Thesis (in the course planner: V)

Track 2 courses

• 40 EC Core curriculum (in the course planner: V), including Research Design Seminar II (in the course planner: VK)
• 5 EC Research School (in the course planner: T3)
• at least 7.5 EC Electives A (in the course planner: T3)
• up to 7.5 EC Electives B: 
  • non-compulsory modules offered by the RMA programme in Gender Studies;
  • modules offered by other RMA programmes within the Humanities at the Utrecht Faculty of Humanities (check the website);
  • modules from the one-year MA Gender Studies (on condition that the number of EC from that master does not exceed 10 EC).
• 30 EC Study Abroad (in the course planner: T3)
• 30 EC Research Master's Thesis (in the course planner: V)

Track 3 courses

• The general course Humanities Today familiarizes students from ICON Research Master's programmes with the foundations of the humanities (history of science, epistemology, methodological and social aspects of humanities research).
• The introductory courses Advanced Introduction to Gender Studies and Contemporary Feminist Debates cover the current state of affairs in Gender Studies and form a critical introduction to the multiple approaches, methods, and topics currently addressed by scholars in this field.

The compulsory courses are core research seminars in "Gender Theory" and "Gender Research Methods and Skills". They provide in-depth engagement with theory and methodology in the field of Gender Studies:

• Theory and Critical Research I and Theory and Critical Research II build on one another by delving into cutting-edge research in feminist, queer, critical race, and/or postcolonial studies.
• Researching Intersectionally, Digital Humanities in Intersectional Research, and Research Design Seminar further train students in methodological, theoretical, and critical epistemological research skills.

The Netherlands Research School of Gender Studies (NOG), hosted by Utrecht University, offers the course Gender Studies Now in block 3. This course creates a conversation between the current research undertaken in the research school at the various partner universities in the Netherlands. In this module of the study porgramme, students can also follow courses from other research schools.

The elective courses, seminars, and tutorials will train you for independent research in a specialized topic or theme within the field of Gender and Postcolonial Studies.

• Elective courses in “Gender Studies in Context” are
  • Issues in Postcoloniality
  • Postsecular Perspectives
  • Feminist and Queer Studies: Special Topics
  • Gender and Social Inclusion
  • The Body Course
  • Contemporary Cultural Theory
• Elective courses in “Gender Theory” are
  • Gender, Art and Activism
  • Tutorial Gender Studies (I/II), in which you discuss a reading list focusing on a specific topic with a specialist in this area

Next to the above named electives from the Research MA Gender Studies, you may choose to attend courses outside this curriculum, both within and outside the Faculty of Humanities of Utrecht University, as well as at other (Dutch) universities. Courses taken at other universities must be relevant to the developing study and research interests in the Research MA Gender Studies.

You are strongly encouraged to spend a semester at a university abroad and to participate in the International NOISE Summer School for Advanced Interdisciplinary Women's Studies, organized every year by the Graduate Gender Programme at Utrecht University (unfortunately the NOISE Summer School will not take place this year due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus).

You must complete Gender Studies by writing a Research Master's thesis (30 EC) that is based on original research. You can only start your Master's thesis after you have successfully completed at least 55 EC of the core curriculum and/or electives.

If you wish to deviate from the curriculum, you must first ask your programme’s Board of Examiners for approval or exemption. In case your request is granted, the changes will be processed in OSIRIS and integrated into your exam programme and Study Progress Review.

In order to graduate, you will need to meet your programme's exam requirements as described in the Education and Examination Regulations. Based on these criteria and your Study Progress Review, the Board of Examiners determines whether you have graduated. The courses that are listed on your Study Progress Review will appear on the International Diploma Supplement (IDS), the attachment that you receive with your diploma. Note that courses listed under the heading ‘Results-Other’ are not part of the examination syllabus and do not appear on the IDS.

If you have questions about your Study Progress Review or find errors in it, contact the Student Information Desk Humanities.