- develop methodological research expertise
- develop student's research and professional development skills
- develop students' presentational skills
- develop understanding of the importance of interests and influence
- enhance group work skills
- enhance students' problem solving power
- equip students with the skills necessary to understand and critically assess issues in politics and international relations
MSc Politics
This course is available through the following application route(s)
- Duration:
- 1 Year
- Attendance:
- Full Time
- Delivery:
- NFQ Level:
- 9 (90 credits)
- Level:
- Graduate Taught
- Award:
- Master of Science
- Next Intake:
- September
- Country Specific Entry Requirements:
- Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
- Other School Leaving Requirements:
- See www.ucd.ie/admissions
- Duration:
- 2 Years
- Attendance:
- Part-Time
- Delivery:
- NFQ Level:
- 9 (90 credits)
- Level:
- Graduate Taught
- Award:
- Master of Science
- Next Intake:
- September
- Country Specific Entry Requirements:
- Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
- Other School Leaving Requirements:
- See www.ucd.ie/admissions
World Top 100 in the QS Ranking 2024 in Politics | Oldest and Largest School of its Kind in Ireland.
UCD School of Politics & International Relations is the oldest and largest school of its kind in Ireland with over 150 years of experience in political studies and a world-renowned faculty drawn from many countries.
Visit Our Website for Further Information such as Entry Requirement and Application Documents.
The MSc Politics degree was developed for those who wish to understand the role of politics in shaping the great issues of our day including power and conflict, distribution and inequality, relations between nations, and the new challenges of globalisation, financial crisis, national security, and climate change.
- The course focuses on the two traditional pillars of the discipline – political theory and comparative politics.
- Comparative politics looks at the European nation-states in a comparative perspective.
- Political theory— the reflection on the nature and morality of politics.
About This Course
Graduates work with a wide variety of international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations, in roles that include:
- Government Social Researcher
- Diplomatic Advisor
- Public Affairs Consultant
- Public Relations Officer
- Political Advisor
Recent graduates of UCD School of Politics & International Relations now work in:
- United Nations, New York and Geneva
- World Trade Organisation
- IMF
- OSCE
- Asia Development Bank
- Saatchi & Saatchi
- Credit Suisse First Boston
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
Trimester | Credits | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
POL40950 | Introduction to Statistics | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
POL40540 | Comparative European Politics | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
POL41640 | Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
POL42310 | Thesis | Summer | 30 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
DEV40020 | Gender and Development | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
GS40110 | Gender, Sexuality, and the Body; The Politics of Belonging | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40050 | Theories of International Relations | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40970 | Politics of European Governance | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41020 | Politics of Human Rights | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41510 | Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41980 | Peace & Conflict Studies | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42040 | Gender & the Political System | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
SPOL41060 | Public Administration & Policy | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
SPOL41110 | Ideas, Ideology in Public Pol. | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
GS40030 | Gender, Inequality and Public Policy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40100 | Politics of Development | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40140 | Theories of Global Justice | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40160 | Comparative Public Policy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40370 | International Political Economy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL40610 | EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Pol. | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41030 | Theory of Human Rights | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41720 | Gender, Peace, and Security | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL41910 | Political Violence | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42050 | Quantitative Text Analysis | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42060 | International Security | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42340 | Programming for Soc Scientists | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42350 | Connected_Politics 2 | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
POL42430 | IR Theory: Conflict and Identity | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
SOC40620 | Nationalism and Social Change | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of: Option modules |
SPOL40450 | Evidence-Based Policy Making | Spring | 10 |
Coral Richardson
Hello, my name is Coral and I am originally from California in the US. When looking at potential programs, the UCD Politics program stood out because it offered unique elective options and featured faculty members with expertise and current research in fields that interested me.
Starting a degree in a new field was daunting at first, however, the faculty, peers, and courses have overwhelming highlights of my time at UCD and I feel more than adequately prepared for future work in research and academia. I have had the chance to work with several faculty members in my own courses and as a tutor through the Master’s Graduate Scholarship program. Each professor has been engaging and passionate about their research as well as willing to help me narrow my academic interests.
In addition to the uplifting academic environment, I have met so many new friends from Europe and abroad that have introduced me to new customs and ideas that have expanded my worldview and made my time in Dublin even more enjoyable. Academically speaking, this course offered a balance of elective and required courses that simultaneously improved my research abilities and general understanding of modern politics without restricting opportunities to further my research interests in more specific subfields such as development politics. The optional elective courses are diverse and can accommodate most research interests with focuses on major political subfields: international relations, comparative politics, and political theory while the required courses were engaging and invaluable to building my confidence in research methods.
EU fee per year - € 10350
nonEU fee per year - € 22600
MSc Politics (W234) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 6580
nonEU fee per year - € 11300
***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.
SPIRe operates a Graduate Scholarship programme, which normally opens in late Spring. To access details, see SPIRe Graduate Scholarship Scheme. Please note that not all programmes are eligible for this Scholarship.
-
A primary degree with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2H1). 2H1 is equivalent to 60 per cent, B minus or 3.08 GPA - in American system: B or 3.00 GPA.
-
Your application will be considered on its individual merits and relevant professional experience will also be taken into account.
- English language requirements: applicants whose first language is not English should have met TOEFL, IELTS, or computer-based TOEFL requirements (600, 6.5, or 250 respectively), or the Cambridge English Test (Certificate in Advanced English at a minimum of Grade B, or Certificate of Proficiency in English at Grade C). Applicants who obtained a previous degree from an English-speaking university may be exempted from this requirement. Click here for further info.
- Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements, may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/
- These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes
Part Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MSc Politics:
ROWCLASS | Apply to |
---|---|
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W233 MSc Politics Master of Science Full-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught |
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W234 MSc Politics Master of Science Part-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught Not available to International applicantsApply |