This programme aims to provide a solid grounding in interdisciplinary women's studies, emphasizing gendered aspects of social and cultural life, representation and textual enquiry; to expose students to an interdisciplinary range of conceptual, theoretical and methodological approaches to and debates within women's studies; to familiarize students with the epistemological and philosophical underpinnings of research methodologies, the politics and ethics of research, the principles of research design and to enable them to evaluate and apply a range of methodologies to women's studies research questions; to foster the development of a critical, self-reflexive and independent approach to research and scholarship, as well as the acquisition of transferable skills.