For years, we have been teaching gender and sexuality studies courses dispersed across various study programs within our faculties. Now, we are bringing together multiple university departments and institutions beyond academia to provide a cultural studies-based yet interdisciplinary education on gender and sexuality. In addition to sharing knowledge, we aim to equip students with the practical skills to apply it in real-life contexts.
The program was created by a team from the Institute of Polish Culture and from the American Studies Center, including its Gender/Sexuality Research Group. It came into being through the cooperation with the broader scholarly community at the University of Warsaw, including its students, as well as experts from outside UW and non-academic institutions.
- the academic ombudsman of the University of Warsaw: http://ombudsman.uw.edu.pl/, https://rownowazni.uw.edu.pl/
- the Foundation for Women and Family Planning FEDERA/Fundacja na Rzecz Kobiet i Planowania Rodziny (organizer of the “Ponton” Group, initiative in the field of sex education): https://federa.org.pl/, https://ponton.org.pl/
- the Association for Infertility Treatment and Adoption Support “Our Stork”/Stowarzyszenie na Rzecz Leczenia Niepłodności i Wspierania Adopcji „Nasz Bocian” (active influence over the policies and practices of infertility treatment in Poland): https://nasz-bocian.pl/
- the Polish Society of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology/Polskie Towarzystwo Psychologii Prenatalnej i Okołoporodowej (runs postgraduate studies at SWPS University “Psychological help, support for couples and pregnant women during pregnancy and after childbirth”): https://ptppo.pl/
- LGBTQ researchers, dr hab. Joanna Mizielińska and dr Agata Stasińska (authors of the largest Polish studies on chosen families): https://www.facebook.com/Rodzinyzwyboru/?locale=pl_PL
- sex educator and popularizer of knowledge about body positivity Barbara Pietruszczak, who in 2024 was included on the list co-created by the editorial team of “Forbes Women” and the SEXEDPL Foundation as one of the most distinguished people in sex education in Poland (Moonka, Ms. Period/Pani Miesiączka projects): https://moonka.pl/, https://moonka.pl/, https://www.facebook.com/PaniMiesiaczka/
The co-authors of the program and program coordinators are supported in academic and strategic matters by the Program Council, which includes scholars with extensive experience in teaching, research, and the applied aspects of gender and sexuality studies.
- Dr Marcin Bogucki
- Prof. dr hab. Bożena Chołuj
- Prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Fuszara
- Dr hab. Agnieszka Graff, prof. ucz.
- Dr hab. Dobrochna Kałwa
- Prof. dr hab. Agnieszka Kościańska
- Dr hab. Karolina Krasuska, prof ucz.
- Dr Anna Kurowicka
- Dr hab. Barbara Namysłowska-Gabrysiak
- Dr Marta Rawłuszko
- Dr Dorota Sosnowska
Year I, semester I
The proseminar prepares students to choose a topic for their master’s thesis, familiarizes them with the master’s thesis requirements and scholarly work toolbox.
Subject introduces a gender framework in cultural studies, including historical and contemporary perspectives.
The class introduces a sexuality framework in cultural studies, including historical and contemporary perspectives.
The class devoted to social practices creating inequality and the strategies of managing equality and diversity.
The class is devoted to the analysis of social knowledge production of sexuality: transformations of expert knowledge and the forms of its institutionalization.
The class is aimed at improving communication skills, both academic and directed at the general public.
Elective courses selected from the modules: Norms and natures, Media and histories, Institutions and practices. During the two years of their studies students are obligated to complete at least 30 hours and obtain 3 ECTS points within each module and complete one elective course in English; the remaining courses are completed according to students’ interests.
The list of courses offered within each module is modified every year.
For the 2025/2026 academic year, the curriculum will include courses on gender and work; queer representations in film and literature; critical approaches to reproduction and sexology; and cultural disability studies
.
Year I, semester II
The first semester of the MA seminar is devoted to selecting a topic for the master’s thesis, writing a research project in accordance with the grant application formula and organizing a student conference, held for students to present their research projects.
Class showcasing gender and sexuality outside the humanities and as a part of interdisciplinary approaches.
Research workshop, divided into two semesters, aimed at introducing select research methodologies – including broadly understood representations and texts of culture.
Course focused on the Polish cultural context: the emergence of gender and sexuality categories in Polish academic thinking and the ways in which these categories are produced by Polish institutions, primarily from a historical perspective.
Selected from the modules: Norms and natures, Media and histories, Institutions and practices.
Any general-access course offered at the University of Warsaw outside the major. 5 ECTS must be obtained from subjects in the field of social sciences.
Year II, semester III
The second semester of the MA seminar is devoted to intensive work on the master’s thesis, which should result in a detailed outline of the thesis and outlining and drafting selected sections.
Research workshop, divided into two semesters (continuation), aimed at introducing and teaching how to apply select research methodologies – including broadly understood representations and texts of culture.
The aim of the course is to discuss new trends, phenomena and readings related to gender and sexuality in culture.
Course devoted to a close reading of one key text from the canon of gender and sexuality studies.
Selected from the modules: Norms and natures, Media and histories, Institutions and practices.
Year II, semester IV
The third semester of the MA seminar focuses on intensive writing and finalizing the thesis: this process is supported by individualized feedback from the supervisor and workshops designed to make the writing process more effective.
Workshop with invited guests, devoted to demonstrating the possibilities of further research activity or professional work in the areas related to gender and sexuality, in Poland and abroad.
Course conducted in a workshop format, led by experts in the fields of equality management, sexology and sex education.
Selected from the modules: Norms and natures, Media and histories, Institutions and practices.
Detailed program in Polish (pdf)
Simplified program in Polish (pdf)