Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development

Admission requirements

Applicants must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution. However, the Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The course aims to offer a structured program of study in the field of gender and development to students with little or no previous knowledge or academic training in either the principal subject area or in gender studies.

The course will introduce students to a comprehensive set of topics dealing with the principal issues in the area of gender and development and will be multidisciplinary.

The program aims to introduce students to the theoretical and empirical analysis of a wide range of issues and will focus on the development of skills relevant to the following educational aims:

to meet the requisite academic standards and skills for entry into the Master of Arts (Women's Studies)
to provide students with the basic skills and specialist knowledge which can be applied in the gender and development field or associated areas of employment and/or research.

Learning outcomes

Students successfully completing the course will be able to:

analyse and explain gender differences and disadvantages for women in national and international contexts
identify, summarise and evaluate different approaches to understanding gender and development
research a range of issues in gender and development
improve or develop writing and other communication skills.

Program of study

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Except with permission of the Dean (Education):

the program must be completed full-time within two consecutive semesters or part-time within six consecutive semesters;
no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 12 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 topics

WMST8003 The Global Woman: Introduction to Gender and Development (4.5 units)*
WMST8004 Introduction to Women's Studies: Sex, Gender & Identities (4.5 units)*

plus six of the following option topics #:

Option - Year 1 topics

DVST8010  Development Problems, Policies and Programs (4.5 units)*
DVST9022  Theory and Evidence in Contemporary Development (4.5 units)*
DVST9031  Gender Analysis (4.5 units)*
DVST9032  Gender Mainstreaming (4.5 units)*
LLAW3266  Women's Rights and the International Protection of Human Rights (4.5 units)
WMST7019 Sexualities: Politics and Theories (4.5 units)
WMST7021  Feminist Political Perspectives: the Challenge to Political Theory (4.5 units)*
WMST7022 Media and Cultural Identities: Representing Relations of Power (4.5 units)
WMST7028  Sex, Gender & the Law: Gender Rules (4.5 units)
WMST8005  Indigenous Women's Voices: Negotiating Differences (4.5 units)
WMST8006  Gender Issues in Development Reading Topic (4.5 units)
WMST8011  Memory and the Politics of Difference: Gender, Race and Nations (4.5 units)
WMST8020  Researching Women's Life Stories (4.5 units)

#Not all topics may be offered in any one year. Students should consult with the Program Coordinator to find out which topics are available in the year of their enrolment.