Prior to becoming a teacher-researcher, Masja completed the Legal Research Master (LLM) at Utrecht University, during which she studied human rights and migration law and developed an interdisciplinary research profile that combines doctrinal, empirical and (critical) philosophical-historical analysis.
During her studies, Masja was a student assistant to the Inclusive Education project at Utrecht University, editor at Verblijfblog, volunteered at Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk and interned at Kennedy van der Laan. Prior to that, Masja chaired the boards of Salvius Julianus and Rechtswinkel Utrecht.