Master of Arts in Gender and Development

The Master of Arts in Gender and Development (hybrid and online) is a graduate programme that offers critical knowledge in gender studies in its intersections with development studies.

The M.A. in Gender and Development is offered by the internationally recognized Department of Peace and Conflict Studies of the University for Peace (UPEACE) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). During this programme, students will analyze different perspectives, which is necessary for nurturing gender consciousness in development work, focusing on a variety of topics, including but not limited to women’s empowerment, queering development, gender in its intersections with environment and development, the interplay of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability among other factors with development work. Students will also attend skills development sessions that are designed to support their professional careers and employability. Careers in this field can be very broad. Prospective employers include governments, international and regional organizations, think tanks, academia, human rights organizations, and civil society. This programme is available in two modalities, online or hybrid (based at the UPEACE Campus in San José, Costa Rica).

Students can also pursue a shorter programme, namely the Certificate in Gender and Development (hybrid) or sign up for individual online courses offered as part of the Master of Arts in Gender and Development or Certificate in Gender and Development.

Students can also participate in optional field visits to Geneva, Switzerland, and/or The Hague, the Netherlands. During this activity, students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the very heart of diplomacy and international law, visit different international organizations, and network with other diplomats, personnel of permanent missions accredited to the UN, civil servants of international organizations and civil society representatives.

Target Audience

The Programme is open to anyone looking for a comprehensive and practical approach to gaining knowledge and skills related to gender, sustainability, women empowerment, development and others.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the programme, participants should be able to:

Identify how gender functions in a variety of contexts and at different levels
Engage with the intersections of gender and development
Design and critically assess gender mainstreaming work
Develop an in-depth understanding of the United Nations System and related organizations
Critically analyse existing research