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Graduate Diploma International Development

GradDip (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

Duration:
1 Year
Attendance:
Full Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Graduate Diploma
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Duration:
2 Years
Attendance:
Part-Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Graduate Diploma
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Apply Now
Visit our comprehensive FAQ page for immediate answers about the application procedure, required documents, and more.
World Top 100 in the QS Ranking 2026 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.

The Grad Dip  in International Development is designed to provide you with an interdisciplinary understanding of the process of development by bringing together expertise in politics, economics, agriculture, political economy and other areas.

  • The Graduate Diploma in Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector, and other fields who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations while continuing their employment.
  • It also serves as a pathway to the MA/MSc International Development. Applicants who did not achieve their full potential in their primary degree (e.g., did not obtain a 2H1) can be admitted to the Graduate Diploma and have the opportunity to transfer to the MA/MSc midway through.

For more details, please see the relevant section in the SPIRe Graduate Studies Handbook on our Current Students webpage.

About This Course

  • acquaint students with cutting edge development issues
  • allow students to comment critically on development interventions
  • develop oral presentation skills
  • enhance group work skills
  • enhance students' abilities to assess development practice on the ground
  • equip students with the skills to work in the field of international development

Graduates of the programme have found employment with the official Irish aid programme, in Irish and international non-governmental organisations such as Trocaire, Goal, Action Aid and Oxfam, and with agencies of the European Union and the United Nations as well as in journalism, education, local community development, and many other areas such as:

  • Public administration
  • Journalism
  • Media
  • Civil society organisations
  • Voluntary sector
  • Academic institutions

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.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL40100 Development and Postcolonial Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Module for MA Transfer: If you wish to transfer to the MA programme, you must take POL42330 Research Design in the Autumn trimester.
 POL42330 Research Design Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 10CR:
Core Option: Students must select at least one module from this section. Note: DEV42610 is delivered online.
 DEV40020 Gender and Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 10CR:
Core Option: Students must select at least one module from this section. Note: DEV42610 is delivered online.
 DEV42610 Economics of Sustainable Dev Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 ECON42600 Development Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 GEOG41050 Globalization, Empire and Race: Economic Geography Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 LAW40760 NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL30820 Political Risk and Foreign Direct Investment Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL40130 Poverty, Development and Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL40370 International Political Economy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41860 Political Economy of Aid and Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL42620 Global Governance & International Organizations Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 DEV40040 Corruption, Governance & Dev Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 DEV42600 Global Affairs & Sust Futures Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 ECON42780 Social Protection & Labor in Developing Countries Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 LAW42290 Gender, Conflict-related Harm & Transitional Justice Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in the Middle East Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 20CR:
Option Modules: Select the remaining modules here to bring your total credits to 60. Note: ECON modules are for those who studied Economics at the undergraduate level. Two ECON modules must be taken together.
 POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism Spring  10

Graduate Profile
Ayesha Azeem, Pakistan,
Senior Project Officer, Church World Service – Pakistan/Afghanistan
With the knowledge I learned during my masters in UCD, I am confident that I can fulfil my role with the utmost professionalism and confidence as Senior Project Officer in Capacity Institutionalisation Project (CIP) in Church World Service – Pakistan/Afghanistan, a donor-funded project which deals with initiatives on capacity building of local NGO’s and CSO’s. Living abroad for a year on my own enhanced my ability to interact and communicate with people of diverse backgrounds and collaborate effectively within a team and manage varied projects. That one year in UCD and Dublin taught me much more about life beyond a masters degree!

Graduate Diploma International Development (W299) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 8170
nonEU    fee per year - € 15070

Graduate Diploma International Development (W300) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 5405
nonEU    fee per year - € 7540

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website.

Non-EU citizens are ineligible for part-time study except for those holding a valid non-student residency visa.

For further information, please visit our comprehensive FAQ page.

  • This programme is intended for applicants at least a lower or upper second class honours (2.2) or international equivalent in their primary degree.
  • 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/.
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

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


Application Deadlines




  • Deadline for EU applicants: Monday, 7 September 2026 (The first day of the term)

  • Deadline for non-EU applicants: The end of August, 2026 

  • Deadline for non-EU applicants who require an entry visa in advance: 

    • In some countries, it takes a few months to process visa applications. We strongly advise that you apply well in advance, ideally as early as March. Please contact the Irish Embassy in your country or the UCD Global Regional offices for further information.

    • Non-EU citizens who have been living in Ireland or the EU must go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their applications can be assessed. This process takes a few weeks. 




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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Graduate Diploma International Development:

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W299
Graduate Diploma International Development
Graduate Diploma

Full-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
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W300
Graduate Diploma International Development
Graduate Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
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