Mission

The M.A. in Women and Gender Studies (WGST) provides students with a high quality education that is interdisciplinary in nature, where students take courses in a wide range of disciplines such as literature, political science, history, sociology, psychology, and economics all with a gender perspective.  It prepares students for doctoral studies, and/or a variety of professional careers by engaging them in the discovery and production of knowledge.

Program Objectives

Students who complete the M.A. in Women and Gender Studies program will:

1. Prepare graduates to pursue studies at the Ph.D. level in Women and Gender Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Literature, Psychology, History, or other fields in the humanities or social sciences.
2. Offer students an interdisciplinary program that integrates gender, class, race, religion, culture, ethnicity, and sexualities and enables students to generate interdisciplinary and quality research in the field of women and gender.
3. Seek to connect academic work with the social and political world outside the university.
4. Prepare qualified graduates to assume leadership roles in regional and international agencies, and to conduct quality research in the field of women/human rights.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of this program, students can:

1. Explore and evaluate major theories and concepts related to women and gender.
2. Identify and evaluate research methodologies appropriate to inter-disciplinary inquiry.
3. Think holistically and critically.
4. Acquire effective communication skills and leadership techniques.  
5. Write research papers, analytical reports, policy briefs, and give public presentations.
6. Work effectively as team members to design, develop, and implement awareness campaigns.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Master’s program should hold an undergraduate degree of high standing within the field of the humanities, communication, history, anthropology, or social sciences and pass the university’s language proficiency exam. Students with no background in women and gender studies will be required to take up to three undergraduate courses in WGST at LAU.

Graduation Requirements

A total of 30 credits are required to graduate, based on:

Program Requirements

A thesis is required for all students in addition to successful completion of the course of study.

Core Requirements (21 credits)

• WGST760 / Research Methods in Studies of Women & Gender (3 cr.)
• WGST730 / Theories of Gender and Global Feminism (3 cr.)
• WGST732 / Arab and Islamic Feminisms (history and theory) (3cr.)
• WGST725 / Gender and Public Policy (3 cr.)
• WGST780 / Internship (in local, regional, or International NGO working on women’s issues in the Middle East) (3 cr.)
• WGST799 / Thesis (6 cr.)

Elective Courses (9 credits)

• WGST744 / Topics in Women and Gender Studies (3 cr.)
• WGST815 / Gender and Migration (3 cr.)
• INA814 / Topics in Middle East International Relations (3 cr.)
• CLT880 or CLT830 / Graduate Seminar in Comparative Literature or Masculine Identity in Modern Arab Literature of the Near East (3cr.)
• INA813 / Topics in International Relations (3 cr.)

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the M.A. Program in Women and Gender Studies can pursue several career options where they can:

1. Assume leadership positions in national, regional, and international agencies operating in the field of human rights, education, migration, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.
2. Work as consultants for international development agencies, UN agencies, human rights organizations, local non-governmental organizations, as well as governmental organizations, and ministries.
3. Acquire expertise in gender, race, sexuality, and class relations, which are areas in demand in a number of fields and professions.