Birkbeck has a strong tradition in interdisciplinary gender and sexuality studies, and encourages research students to think in innovative and critical ways about the topics they are investigating. Your study can take a wide variety of forms and may cover themes from across the social sciences, arts and humanities. Researching for an MPhil or PhD in gender/sexuality studies will enable you to develop advanced conceptual skills and knowledge that can be applied within or beyond an academic context.

Studying for our MPhil or PhD involves working closely with a small group of staff on an independent research project. This means that we are only able to accept students whose proposed research project lies within the areas of expertise of our staff. We strongly encourage all applicants to identify a potential supervisor and to discuss your proposed topic and research plan with them before applying.

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. Assessment is by submission of this dissertation and oral (viva voce) examination. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck.

In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, Sociology at Birkbeck was ranked 13th in the UK. Our research interests include: queer theory; feminist theory and research; masculinities; lesbian and gay writing and film; gender and generation; paid domestic work; food consumption habits; gender and geography; gender and education; gender, class and citizenship; histories and theories of sexuality and gender; socio-legal dimensions of gender, sexuality and HIV/AIDS.

• Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.
• Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the most recent Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
• The programme has close links with the Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality (BiGS), part of the Birkbeck Institute for Social Research.