Disclosure: Human Rights Careers may be compensated by course providers.
Key information
University United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UN Mandated University for Peace
Country Costa Rica
Learning mode Blended
Pace Full-time
Duration 12 months
Application deadline(s) May 31, 2024
Official Website Click here 

Are you interested in an international career and learning more about the relationship between gender and development? Apply now for the UPEACE – UNITAR Master of Arts in Gender and Development. 

This Master of Arts, jointly offered by the UN Mandated University for Peace (UPEACE) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on Gender and Development, allows students to develop critical knowledge in gender studies in its intersections with development studies. In addition, this programme equips students with the required soft skills for a successful international career in this field.

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The programme focuses on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, women’s empowerment, queering development, gender in its intersections with environment and development, the interplay of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, and other factors. Students will also attend skills development sessions designed to support their professional careers and employability.

Careers in this field can be very broad. Prospective employers include governments, international and regional organizations, think tanks, academia, human rights organizations, and civil society.

The programme is designed for graduate students, diplomats, government officers, NGO representatives, international civil servants, professionals, or anyone interested in, and willing to strengthen their knowledge of, gender and development. It also brings essential skills and insights that allow participants to excel in roles across various fields – from diplomacy and policy analysis, to teaching and research.

UPEACE-UNITAR programmes have the unique advantage of combining the academic strength of UPEACE with the world-class executive-style training of UNITAR. This programme is taught by practitioners, UN staff, diplomats, and academics). Students also have the chance to participate in optional field visits to Geneva, Switzerland, and/or The Hague, the Netherlands where the UN maintains a significant presence, to give students first-hand experience in the fields of diplomacy and international affairs and prepare them for an international career.

The programme is offered in hybrid format (online + face-to-face on the UPEACE campus in San José, Costa Rica), which allows students to accommodate their needs for flexibility by offering diverse optional modules and weekly seminars, and the ability to immerse themselves in the full Costa Rican/UPEACE experience, on campus.

At the end of the master’s programme, students should be able to:

  • Identify how gender functions in a variety of contexts and at different levels
  • Engage with the intersections of gender and development
  • Design and critically assess gender mainstreaming work
  • Develop an in-depth understanding of the United Nations System and related organizations
  • Critically analyse existing research

Limited Fellowships are available for nationals from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), for this UPEACE-UNITAR programme. More information can be found on the programme page under the tab, “Pura Vida Fellowships“. UN Staff and Costa Rican Nationals are eligible for partial fee waivers. Please email admissions@upeace.org for more details.

Apply by 30 April 2024

Apply now