The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) requires two semesters of full-time, or its equivalent in part-time, study. It entails a structured programme of postgraduate coursework and, in some instances, a piece of supervised research that counts for one or two of the required papers. The normal admission requirement is a completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the major of the proposed programme. Graduates are employed in administration, business, education, government, industry and journalism where their advanced knowledge of an academic area, ability to solve problems, research and writing skills are valued. It is also a recognised qualification for admission as a candidate for the Master of Arts (MA) and, if a dissertation is included, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The programme may be taken by full-time candidates in one year, or by part-time candidates over more than one year. Any paper in which a candidate is enrolled in any year shall be examined in that year. Gender is a complex element of social and cultural existence with far-reaching implications for the course of our lives. It shapes the work we do and how we spend our leisure time, our income, our family relationships and friendships, the value and meanings we attach to other people and activities, what we eat and how we dress, and even how we speak and move. In the last few decades, theoretical and everyday notions of gender have undergone dramatic changes, influenced both by changes in the organization of society and by a rapidly expanding field of critical inquiry. This new field of inquiry concerns broad questions of difference - race, class and sexuality, for example, as well as gender. It is at the forefront of significant critical and theoretical developments in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Our students currently combine their Gender Studies major with subjects such as English, History, Political Studies, Law, Anthropology, Art History, Education, and others. The staff work in an interactive way, and prefer informal teaching methods. Our Research Seminar series, bringing together research from across the University and from visiting speakers, is open to students. Level of Award of the Diploma The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit. Diploma in a Second Subject A student who has obtained the diploma in one subject may become a candidate for the diploma in any other subject.