Explore UCD

UCD Home >

MA European Politics & Policy

MA (NFQ Level 9)
Internships Available

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

Contact Us
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. 

This MA European Politics & Policy programmme aims to equip students with a deep and comprehensive knowledge of European politics and international relations, to critically appriase events and developments in European integration, and to establish a basis for students' professional development as European policy specialists

  • Students will gain a well-grounded knowledge of the issues facing European governance and the manner in which different European political systems have sought to address the challenges they face in an increasingly Europeanized and globalized world.
  • MA students have the option of writing a masters thesis or doing an internship
  • UCD School of Politics & International Relations is ranked in the top 100 QS worldwide rankings 2024

About This Course

The MA European Politics and Policy is a 90-credit programme. Full-time students must take a total of 60 credits between core and optional taught modules. Students must also submit a thesis worth 30 credits that will be written during the summer trimester. MA students have the option of pursuing an internship in lieu of a thesis.

SPIRe part time programmes run for 2 years and students normally do 1 -2 modules per semester. The final 30-credit module is completed during the second year of the programme. PT students should complete the research design module in year 2.

Please note that our part-time programmes run during the day and are not timetabled in the evenings or at weekends.

  • Analyse topics in European politics with both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
  • Prepare clear and concise written work and presentations across a range of political subject areas relating to European and EU politics.
  • The key learning outcome for the proposed masters will be that Students have demonstrated specialized, detailed or advanced theoretical and conceptual knowledge and understanding of European and EU politics.
  • Understand the structure and actors of European politics
  • develop students' research and writing skills
  • enhance students' understanding of European policy debates

Graduates can work within European institutions, with international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations. Organisations including the European Union, the United Nations and IMF are all potential employers, with students having the skills to compete for roles such as Government Social Researcher, Diplomatic Advisor, and Public Affairs Consultant.

The UCD School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) has established an internship programme for graduate students undertaking MA programmes in Politics, International Relations, International Political Economy, International Development, Peace and Conflict, MEconSc European Public Affairs and Law, MSc Human Rights and MSc Politics and Data Science. You can either opt for a Masters thesis, or an internship of at least 480 hours, typically undertaken from June to August. 


See this page for more information.


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
 POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL42330 Research Design Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)1 of:
Students must pick either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module
 POL42300 SPIRe Internship Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A)1 of:
Students must pick either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module
 POL42310 Thesis Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL36200 Democracy, Elections and Campaigns Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL42530 Politics of International Trade and Investment Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 HRM40720 Work & Employment in the Global Economy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL30840 Electoral Systems and their Consequences Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL40610 EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Pol. Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL41910 Political Violence Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C)3 of:
Choose 3 of:
 POL42350 Connected_Politics 2 Spring  10

Liam Kiernan

This master’s programme gave me a clear understanding of politics in Europe, with multidisciplinary modules offering in-depth analyses of political science, public policy and European governance. A diverse range of high-quality and challenging modules were available to choose between.

The programme provided me with the opportunity to use my own initiative in studying the topics that interested me most, while supporting my learning along the way. I particularly enjoyed the hands-on elements of the programme that combined theoretical learning with practical applications. Completing this programme served to kickstart my career and provided me with a clearer view of my professional interests and ambitions.

MA European Politics & Policy (W346) Full Time
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600
EU          fee per year - € 10350

MA European Politics & Policy (W347) 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
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


The masters programs in European Politics and Policy-making aim to attract students interested in understanding European Politics and the challenges faced by European states in the 21st century. 
Print this page

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MA European Politics & Policy:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W346
MA European Politics & Policy
Master of Arts

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W347
MA European Politics & Policy
Master of Arts

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page
Contact UsOpen Days & EventsDownload Brochure
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.