Apply Now 
The Master of Arts in Women, Society and Development (MAWSD) is a two-year interdisciplinary program focusing on issues related to women in the context of social and economic development in the Middle East, as well as women’s various roles in the advancement of their communities and societies in the region.
It draws on a variety of disciplines in social sciences and humanities, ranging from economic and social theory, to development and policy studies, to history and communication studies.
The program fulfills Qatar’s aspiration to contribute to global sustainable development goals relating to issues of women and gender and the role of women in social and economic development. It also provides the nation with a think-tank capability on women-related issues that can be used for developing coherent national policies that cross the commercial, health, education, and family sectors.
The program is open to all those interested in developing expertise in a wide variety of issues relating to women, society, and development in the Middle East.
- Students are taught by CHSS faculty who are leading scholars and researchers in their fields, and by distinguished visiting professors specialized in Middle Eastern studies.
- Students are introduced to professional activity through a local or international internship at a renowned institution.
A two-year full-time program that requires 39 credits with three departmental core courses, three program core courses, three electives, an internship (or an independent research project), and a thesis.
All courses are taught in English.
Total of 39 credits hours
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| ME 611 | History, Politics and Cultures of the Middle East |
| ME 613 | Social, Economic and Development Theory |
| SS 612 | Research Methods |
| WSD 621 | Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies |
| WSD 622 | Women, Work and Economic Development in the Middle East |
| WSD 623 | Research Methods in Women’s and Gender Studies |
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DHS 623 | Methods in Digital Humanities |
| DHS 660 | Digital Disinformation and Propaganda in the Middle East and North Africa |
| DHS 661 | Digital Writing |
| SS 600 | Thinking and Practicing Interdisciplinarity in the Humanities and the Social Sciences |
| WSD 651 | The Anthropology of Gender in the Middle East |
| WSD 652 | Women, Law and Citizenship |
| WSD 653 | Gender and Digital Cultures |
| WSD 655 | Women, State and Modernity in the Arab World |
| WSD 656 | Family and Kinship in the Middle East |
| WSD 657 | Women, Media and Communication |
| WSD 658 | Special Topics in Women Studies |
| WSD 660 | Women in Comparative World Religions |
| WSD 661 | Women in World History |
| WSD 662 | Women and Gender in the Literature and Cinema of the Middle East and North Africa |
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DHS 691 | Internship |
OR
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DHS 669 | Independent Research Project |
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| WSD 695 | Master’s Thesis Hours |
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| 699 | Thesis Defense |
Graduates of this program will be equipped to:
- engage in local and regional knowledge production, and enhance their skills in understanding and responding to women’s issues that are specific to the Middle Eastern context.
- pursue careers in different fields and entities such as research, higher education, consulting, media, diplomacy, and national, regional, and international non-governmental organizations.
- pursue advanced research at the PhD level.
Applicants seeking admission to the MAWSD program should have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a strong academic record (minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4) from a recognized university.
Applicants are required to submit an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 79 in order to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Applicants can be exempt from this requirement if they meet one of the conditions listed below:
- The applicant completed their studies at an institution in a country where English is the official language.
- The applicant provides an official letter from the university where they completed their studies, confirming that they obtained their degree from an institution where the medium of instruction is English (if not otherwise exempt).
- The applicant’s first language is English.
Tuition Fees
| Program | Master of Arts in Women, Society and Development |
|---|---|
| Total Program Tuition Fees | QAR 95,000 |
| Tuition Fees per Credit Hour | QAR 2,436 |
| Total Program Credit Hours | 39 |
| Program Duration | 2 years |