Gender and Sexuality Studies (PhD / MPhil) - 2012/2013 entry

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 knowledges that can be applied within or beyond an academic context.

Our students benefit from being part of a vibrant research environment which includes internationally renowned scholars and a programme of visiting speakers from around the world. Research students can also take advantage of specialist research training and of postgraduate taught modules offered through the MA Gender, Sexuality and Culture/MSc Gender, Sexuality and Society. 

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.

The programme has close links with the Birkbeck Institute for Gender and Sexuality (BIGS), part of the Birkbeck Institute for Social Research. BIGS seeks to encourage new ideas and forms of understanding in gender studies, and provides a forum for scholarly exchange and collaboration within the College and beyond, bringing together scholars working in the arts and humanities, and the social sciences. BIGS fosters postgraduate teaching and research in gender studies and organises seminars, talks, symposia and postgraduate events. 

Studying for a MPhil or PhD in gender and sexuality studies at Birkbeck 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.  If there is a particular member of staff you would like to work with please contact them to discuss your project before applying.

• Heike Bauer, MA, PhD: Nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century literature and culture, especially sexology, the Fin de Siècle, European (especially German) influences on British sexual debates; Victorian ideas of race and sexuality; histories and theories of sexuality; women and cross-dressing; queer theory; lesbian and gay writing.
• Matthew Cook, BA, PhD: Urban history, especially the history of London; histories of sexuality and gender; Victorian literature and culture, especially Fin de Siècle; lesbian and gay writing and film.
• Rosie Cox, BA, MA, PhD: Social polarisation in London; paid domestic work; food consumption habits; gender and geography.
• Professor Sue Jackson, BA, MA, PhD: Gender and education; feminist theory and research; lifelong learning; gender, class and citizenship.
• Matthew Weait, BA, MPhil, DPhil: Socio-legal dimensions of gender, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. 

There are also many other staff at Birkbeck with research interests in gender and sexuality. Please see the BIGS website for further details.

The range of topics covered by research students in gender and sexuality studies is broad, but is normally characterised by an interdisciplinary approach to their subject. Research topics should normally be close to the research interests of at least one member of staff to ensure that we have the necessary expertise to supervise you successfully.