Despite anti-discrimination legislature and policies, our society is still not free of inequalities in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, language, religion, health status, ability level, sexual orientation, age, and body size. Gender Studies challenges deeply normalized power structures and fixed patterns of thinking, providing tools to understand how these structures and patterns work and how they can be dismantled, at local as well as global levels. The subject offers insights into a variety of societal and cultural phenomena and teaches critical, creative, analytical thinking around questions of marginalization and empowerment.

Gender Studies participates in international collaboration in terms of research as well as teaching, and our courses are taught in Swedish or English. During studies, there are many excellent opportunities for student exchange abroad, especially within the EU and the Nordic countries. Many students who major in Gender Studies take minors in philosophy, study of religions, art history, history, folkloristics, musicology, comparative literature, organisation and management, international law, sociology, political science and languages. There is a lot of choice available in terms of specialization in particular topics within Gender Studies and through the selection of minor subjects. Gender Studies is also a popular minor subject among students from several different faculties, particularly arts and cultural studies, social studies, economics and psychology, but also science and technology.

We are a part of the national network in gender research, Hilma. Through the network, our students have the opportunity to take national online courses in Gender Studies (mostly in Finnish and English).