MA in Sexual Dissidence

Queer studies have become global. Issues like human rights and gay identities, neo-liberalism, globalisation, border security and immigration, international development and war, particularly the war on terror, have become more prominent. We have reached a point where it is not possible to think queer without thinking global queer.”cYNTHIA WEBER
Professor of International Relations

The MA in Sexual Dissidence broke new ground when it was founded in 1990 it was the first of its kind in the UK, and one of the first in world. It transformed the field of queer studies and the lives of many of its students. It remains a course that is unique, internationally recognised, and an important part of the University’s past, present, and future. It offers an interdisciplinary training in the study of sexuality, a field also known as “queer studies."

The course is convened within the School of Media, Arts and Humanities and provides an interdisciplinary programme with a contemporary, global approach. This broad base of sexual dissidence studies encompasses options from across the university, as well. It also brings a broad array of academic colleagues to our teaching and a more diverse cohort of students to the course.

The MA provides a firm foundation in queer theory and also allows you to take courses in a wide range of topics, fields, and disciplines. You also attend numerous research and arts events, such as our reading group and visiting speaker series.

If you are looking for an interdisciplinary training in the fields of queer theory and sexuality studies, then the MA in Sexual Dissidence is for you. Find out more

Course information

The MA involves one required core module: Critical Issues in Queer Theory (in the School of Media, Arts and Humanities). This gives you a thorough grounding in issues and approaches in queer studies.

Three optional modules allow you to tailor the course to your interests and could cover topics such as social research methods, gender studies, queer popular cultures, queer digital cultures, and queer literatures and art history. You can study these in the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, the School of Global Studies, or the School of Law, Politics, and Sociology.

The full-time course of study is one full academic year. Part-time students complete the degree within two years. After finishing their coursework, students complete the degree by preparing a research dissertation of 15,000 words. You can explore our people page to see some of the faculty that might teach or supervise you on the course.

The students, the teachers and the politics were excellent. It is not only about sexuality. I was taught about race, about class – I learned what power really is ... The MA taught me a lot about desire. I also learned that sexuality is not only about LGBT issues, that it is about norms and how people live around them and challenge them.”JHe xiao
Sex Diss MA graduate