The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
M.A. Gender and Development (in partnership with UPEACE)
- Online, Switzerland
- San José, Costa Rica
MA
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
20 Aug 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 19,500 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
Blended, Distance Learning
* online course (distance learning)
** *Hybrid format $19,500 USD | Online format $8,700 USD
Key Summary
About: The MA in Gender and Development (hybrid), offered by UNITAR with UPEACE, covers gender studies intersecting development and builds soft skills for international careers. You can study online or in blended mode with on-campus sessions at UPEACE in San José, Costa Rica. Optional annual five-day field visits to Geneva and The Hague cost USD 1,500 each (excluding travel). UN staff and Costa Rican nationals receive a 50% waiver; apply for the UPEACE‑UNITAR NFT Fellowship.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue roles as policy analysts, gender advisors, program officers, development consultants, human rights officers across UN agencies, NGOs, governments, research institutes.
The Master of Arts in Gender and Development (hybrid) is a graduate programme that offers 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.
The programme is offered in a hybrid format (online + face-to-face on the UPEACE campus in San Jose, Costa Rica) and online. Students can also participate in optional field visits to Geneva, Switzerland, and The Hague, the Netherlands.
Application Deadline:
-The online course (distance learning)application deadline is 20th August 2026.
-The hybrid course (Blended) application deadline is 31st May 2026.
Course Start Date:
-The online course (Distance Learning) begins the 7th September 2026.
-The hybrid course (Blended) begins 7th September 2026.
Tuition Fees:
-The online course (Distance Learning) $8,700 USD.
-The hybrid course (Blended) fee is $19,500 USD.
UN Staff Members and Costa Rican Nationals are eligible for a 50% waiver. Other applicants are encouraged to apply for the unique UPEACE - UNITAR NFT collection Fellowship, for more information please contact admissions@upeace.org
Optional Field Visits to Geneva and The Hague
Each year, UNITAR will organize two optional 5-day field trips to Geneva (Switzerland) and The Hague (Netherlands) for the students enrolled in the joint UPEACE - UNITAR Master's Programmes and Certificates.
Students can sign up for one field visit or for both (Geneva and The Hague) if they wish to do so.
During this activity, students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the very heart of diplomacy and international law, visit different international organizations and network with other diplomats, personnel of permanent missions accredited to the UN, civil servants of international organizations and civil society representatives.
The fee of each five-day field trip is USD 1,500. The fee does not include travel, accommodation, food or visa expenses. The optional field visit will take place every Summer.
The M.A. in Gender and Development is offered by the internationally recognized Department of Peace and Conflict Studies of the University for Peace (UPEACE) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). During this programme, students will analyze different perspectives which is necessary for nurturing gender consciousness in development work, focusing 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, and disability among other factors with development work. Students will also attend skills development sessions that are designed to support their professional career and employability.
This master’s degree offered by two UN entities (University for Peace and United Nations Institute for Training and Research) combines the best of academic and executive-style education. Students will also gain first-hand experience of the work of the United Nations (UN), as they will have the opportunity to participate in a field trip to Geneva and The Hague, where the UN maintains a significant presence.
Students can obtain the Master of Arts in Gender and Development (hybrid) upon successful completion of 42 credits, including 34 credits for coursework and 8 credits for a master’s thesis or internship assignment. Students who choose Capstone as a Graduation Project must take an additional 3-credit course (37 course credits and 5 Capstone credits).
Careers in this field can be very broad. Prospective employers include governments, international and regional organizations, think tanks, academia, human rights organizations, and the civil society.
Students can also pursue a shorter programme, namely the Certificate in Gender and Development (hybrid) or sign up for individual online courses offered as part of the Master of Arts in Gender and Development or Certificate in Gender and Development.