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Master in Gender Studies


Why to conduct the MA Program in Gender Studies?
In the last decades, within scientific research and academic education, gender has become the key notion for understanding of the overall area of knowledge. It does not belong to one scientific discipline, but implies the substantial quality of interdisciplinary approaches and enables the transfer of methods and episteme over the boundaries of particular disciplines. On this way it opens perspectives where issue of scientific is possible to place on the new and higher promising bases, which are aware of limiting gender prejudices deeply hidden and functioning in all so called objective scientific paradigms.

Development of gender studies in Europe and wider (almost all well-known universities through its curriculum had confirmed importance and innovativeness of the gender approach) deeply opened the process of academic networking of various research scientific cultures and academic traditions. It is particularly important to emphasize that gender is not only huge and important reflexive category, but gender studies as such together with other forms of interdisciplinary research are successfully involved in serious scientific discussions in relation of power and science, politics and culture.

Within Bologna process at BiH universities, those documents that obliged EU universities that in their educational programs take into consideration gender perspective of the education as well as gender aspects of contemporary interdisciplinary knowledge have been neglected. MA Program of interdisciplinary gender studies is seen as correction of this serious absence in the process of university reform. Support of the University of Sarajevo to start this MA Program within the Center for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies presents the possibility for equal involvement into international academic community which recognizes gender studies as legitimate qualitatively significant and important area of interdisciplinary knowledge.
In addition, realization of this MA program is directly contributing to the development of the human potential which is necessary for implementation of the Action Plan for Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Program represents part of the realization of aforementioned plan and it has been conducted in cooperation with the Agency for Gender Equality in B&H.

The Aim of the Study
The MA Program in Gender Studies is a two year interdisciplinary program with the aim of providing education on methods, theories and concepts which are necessary for the study of gender, general and specific contexts, as well as to conduct of research within this interdisciplinary area.
The MA Program aims to contribute to the set up of experts’ network ready to work in domestic, regional, international governmental and non-governmental, academic institutions etc., with the common motive to promote gender research, gender interdisciplinary knowledge and gender equality within their communities. The structure of lectures and lecturers emphasizes regional approach in the study of gender.

Therefore, specific goals of this MA program are:

• advanced level of education about gender theories, gender research and contemporary debates within this field of knowledge
• to provide multiple perspectives (interdisciplinary, international, regional and critical) on the debates within gender studies
• to reveal diversity of feminist approaches and significance of „diversity“ in the contemporary feministic thought
• to provide adequate intellectual and practical conditions for original research on the subject matter within the field of gender
• training for achieving excellence within gender research
• to provide conditions for this MA Program to be completed in two year period
• to establish the network of experts within the domain of gender
• to promote the results of the Program towards academic community within the target countries and wider

Teaching Staff

The Master's teaching staff is composed of university professors, experts from the field of gender and experts from international and local non-governmental and governmental organizations. Besides teaching staff from the University of Sarajevo, teachers from numerous universities of South-East Europe, Europe and wider will participate in the realization of the program.

University of Sarajevo will establish cooperation with many partner universities/institutes such as: University of Vienna (Austria), University of Belgrade (Serbia), University of Novi Sad (Serbia), University of Zagreb (Croatia), Faculty for Postgraduate Humanistic Studies (Slovenia), Center for Gender Studies, EuroBalkan Institute (Macedonia), University Lodz-u (Poland), Birkbeck College (Great Britain), Linkoeping University (Sweden), Nordian Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, University Drexel (USA) etc.

Program Structure/Mode

The Master Program „Gender Studies“ is a two year interdisciplinary postgraduate program (4 semesters x 30 ECTS = 120 ECTS). The curriculum of this MA Program consists of five educational modules (lectures and seminars), five optional seminars, the course from Methodology of research within the field of gender, internship, writing and public defense of the MA thesis.

The total amount of classes is 300 (90 ECTS), which means 50 hours per module during the two semesters, 20 hours of methodology (of research), 30 hours of seminars in the third semester and four weeks of internship.

For each of these modules one professor will be responsible and in addition, guest professors from the region and European partner universities will be involved in the implementation of the curriculum. Each module, except lectures which are related to particular topical units, is consisted of three seminars out of which one is suppose to be chosen per module. The third semester is foreseen for the research work and development of the master thesis and therefore students will be provided with the five topical seminars, among which they would be obliged to choose two. In addition, along with the third semester students are suppose to carry out short internship in one non-governmental organization, international organization, government institution or partner universities. Internship as well as the seminars which are supposed to be related to the chosen topic of the MA thesis and it is estimated to last at least four weeks. After completion of the internship student are supposed to submit the short report. Along with the fourth semester writing of the MA thesis is suppose to be finalized and after that, students should approach to its public defense.

Knowledge Evaluation

Grade for each of the module is cumulative and based on the evaluation of one or more research papers (length 12-15 pages) or preliminary exam or oral exam or some other kind of evaluation and in addition, there is a possibility of combination of all aforementioned. Decision on the evaluation methods for each of module is responsibility of the coordinator who is in charge for the given module as well as the confirmation given by the Scientific Council. Methodology of conducting the curriculum includes lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, presentations, working visits and in addition interactive teaching methods. In what way the group work will be implemented: through seminars, workshops and other. Each of these activities will be evaluated during the semester. However, student’s work and activity (besides lecturers) will be followed up and coordinated by specially selected tutors. Students are supposed to write their MA thesis in coordination with their supervisors and after that they are suppose defend it publicly. It will be evaluated by the Scientific Council of the MA Program. The supervisor is the member of the Committee for evaluation and defense of the MA thesis. Attendance of all components of the Program is compulsory for issuance of MA diploma by the University of Sarajevo.

Bologna's standards will be applied in the implementation of the program: mobility (of students, lecturers, researchers), ECTS, partnership among universities (participation of foreign lecturers in the realization of modules, work on the development of teaching plan and program) and in addition, European dimension of higher education.

Modules

The MA program consists of the following modules:
1. Gender Theories
2. Gender, Ideology, Culture
3. Gender, Human Rights and Mechanisms of Implementation and Protection
4. Gender and Politics
5. Gender and Development

Course: Research methodology in the field of gender

To Whom This Study is Intended? The Program is intended for persons who have already completed their undergraduate studies. People who work or would like to work, not only in academic institutions, but also in other kind of institutions, such as state administration, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, media, etc. can apply/are welcome to apply for the Program. The Course will be mainly promoted within the ex Yugoslav countries, with the possibility of participation of students from the region who can actively use one of the official B&H languages and the English language. The program is foreseen for a maximal number of 35 students, out of which minimum 20 should be B&H citizens and approx. 10 foreign citizens who can actively use one of the official B&H languages and English language.

Admission Requirements

Criteria for the selection of candidates are the following: academic quality (the grade point average should be at least 8 or equivalent with some other systems of grading), active knowledge of English language, adequate professional experience, strong motivation, high communication skills.

The Program is foreseen for a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 35 students. The selection of candidates will be performed by Scientific Council of this MA Program on the basis of submitted applications and required documents (university diploma-certified copy; academic record-original or copy; documentary evidence (certificate of proficiency etc.) of the knowledge of the English language; Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English, a letter of Motivation in English and two recommendation letters (to be submitted in one of the official B&H languages or in English). There is a possibility for candidates to be invited for an interview.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for the first generation of students will be paid by donors that are supporting this MA Program.

Scholarships
There are three kinds of scholarships within the Program:

• tuition fees (all accepted candidates will receive it –not necessary to submit special application for this)
• monthly grants (for travel and living costs in Sarajevo during the weekend when lectures are being held) for students who live in other B&H cities (except Sarajevo) as well as for students who live out of Bosnia and Herzegovina. All accepted candidates are eligible for this grant and hence, it is not necessary to submit special application for it.
• foreign students (who do not live in Sarajevo), but they want to reside in Sarajevo while lectures are being held can apply for the monthly grant (for living costs in Sarajevo). This application is suppose to be submitted with all other documents when applying for the Program.

Donors.
The preparation and realization of the first generation of this studies is financially supported by the following institutions: Swedish Government through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Austrian Development Cooperation implemented by the WUS Austria.