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Taught M.Phil. in Gender and Women's Studies

Coordinator: Dr Gillian Frank

The taught M.Phil. in Gender and Women's Studies can be studied full-time over one year, or part-time over two years. The programme offers a historically and theoretically rich study of gender and sexuality in society. The course is both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, drawing on the three disciplines in the School of Histories and Humanities: Classics, History, and History of Art and Architecture. Our students acquire a deep understanding of the historical and cultural contexts in which gender and sexuality are produced, performed and negotiated. The programme hones analytical, written and verbal communication skills, providing a solid foundation for a range of careers.

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Is This Course For Me?

The taught M.Phil. is aimed at students interested in historically and theoretically nuanced approaches to studying women, gender and sexuality that are offered through the three disciplines in the School of Histories and Humanities: Classics, History, and History of Art and Architecture. By emphasizing a rigorous multidisciplinary perspective in our teaching and research, our faculty offer students a range of analytical and methodological skills to think historically and contextually about gender and sexuality. Through our modules, students will consider the social, political, and economic aspects of gender and sexuality and have opportunities to analyse the ways in which these modalities relate to other categories such as race, ethnicity, nationality, class, age and dis/ability.

Awards and Scholarships

Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships are awarded to high calibre students from non-EEA countries to study in Ireland for a period of one year. They provide a €10,000 stipend towards living costs and Trinity provides a full fee-waiver to recipients for one year. Further information is available here.

All applicants will automatically be considered for the following internal awards:

1. The Constantia Maxwell Faculty Studentship, with a value of 3000 euro, is usually offered to a student in any of the School's MPhil programmes.
2. The School of Histories and Humanities also offers one bursary of 1000 euro, to be deducted from the course fees, for each of its MPhil programmes.

Awards will be made on academic merit. All completed applications with an unconditional offer by the deadline of May 30th will be considered for the internal awards.

More information about funding can be found here and here.

What should I include in my personal statement?

Your statement should highlight the ways in which you are a standout candidate and why our MPhil is right for you. Here are some things we will look for in your application:

Specificity: Give clear and concise reasons as to why you want to complete an MPhil in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Trinity College Dublin. Show us that you have researched the course and our faculty. Identify two or three faculty members in the School of Histories and Humanities who you want to study with or who you believe would be good conversation partners as you develop your dissertation.

Compatibility: Explain your relevant academic and/or professional background. Be sure to mention your research projects, dissertations, essays, and publications related to women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Spotlight relevant classes that you have taken and how they have prepared you for this degree. Be sure to discuss any related professional experience.

Ability: Show that you have the ability to complete this MPhil by giving examples of your independent research, critical thinking, communication, and time-management skills.

Should I contact members of the WGSS faculty before submitting my application?

All faculty members in WGSS work with our MPhil students. Unless you are applying for a PhD, there is no need to write to them to ask whether they are accepting new advisees.

Because many of your questions will be best answered after admission decisions are made, it is not necessary to email our faculty. Please be aware that our faculty members are busy with many responsibilities. They are supporting our already-enrolled students, and are inundated with a tremendous amount of email, including numerous queries from prospective graduate students. As such, they may not be able to respond to your inquiry.

Should I email the Director of WGSS before submitting my application?

You are welcome to email the Director if you have specific questions about our program or the admissions process that you cannot answer after carefully reviewing the material on the following websites:

• Important information for applicants is available on the School of Histories and Humanities website. 


• Information about the application process is available here and here.


• Please find more information about the MPhil program in WGSS here.


• You can also find general information about TCD’s faculty here. 


• Information about funding can be found here and here.