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MA Middle East Politics

MA (NFQ Level 9)
Internships Opportunity
Scholarships Available
Sustainable Development Goals

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

Duration:
1 Year
Attendance:
Full Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (90 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Master of Arts
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 (90 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Master of Arts
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 150 in the QS Ranking 2025 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 MA Middle East Politics provides students with a rigorous understanding of one of the most important regions in global politics. The Middle East has long been the site of political upheaval with significant impacts within the region and beyond. The long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict, the rise of political Islam, the invasion of Iraq, and, more recently, the popular uprisings of 2011, which challenged autocratic regimes across the region, have transformed the Middle East.

The programme is designed to deepen knowledge and understanding of the domestic and regional politics of the Middle East. It is structured around a set of thematic modules that encourage students to explore political dynamics in the region from a number of different perspectives

The key learning outcomes will be that students have demonstrated specialised, detailed or advanced theoretical and conceptual knowledge and understanding of Middle East Politics, which is based on current debate and controversy at the forefront of the field and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research contect. 

About This Course

  • develop oral presentation skills
  • develop student's research and professional development skills
  • develop students communication skills
  • enhance group work skills
  • enhance students' learning skills in a continuous and automous manner
  • equip students with the skills necessary to understand and critically assess issues in Middle East politics

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 including:

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

Instead of writing a thesis, students may opt to complete an internship in a role directly relevant to their field of study. The internship requires a minimum of 480 hours and may be undertaken anytime after the end of the teaching term until the third week of August. Students are responsible for securing their own internship placements. The School provides a list of potential host organisations. UCD Careers offers support with application writing and related resources. 


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
 POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL42330 Research Design Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - 1)30CR:
Students must pick either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module.
POL42300 SPIRe Internship Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - 1)30CR:
Students must pick either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module.
POL42310 Thesis Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40100 Politics of Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40130 Poverty, Development and Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 LANG10080 Arabic General Purposes 1(CEFR A1.1) Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 LANG10710 Arabic General Purposes 2 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40370 International Political Economy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)40CR:
Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.
 POL42580 Arab Perceptions of Conflict Spring  10

UCD is strongly committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), embedding sustainability in teaching, research, operations, and community engagement. Sustainability principles are integrated into this programme, ensuring students graduate equipped to address global challenges. UCD’s leadership in this area is internationally recognised, ranking 49th globally and 1st in Ireland in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2024. UCD also leads impactful research in areas such as climate action, clean energy, and social equity, supported by a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy focused on reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering a sustainable campus culture.

Here are the SDGs which align more visibly with this programme:

SDG10 SDG 16

Fahmi Shihabi

My experience in the Middle East Politics program has been truly enriching and enjoyable. The program's modules are shared with other social science courses and the professors teaching the modules are well immersed in their fields. Three core modules must be taken for this program; the other modules can be chosen depending on the interest and goals of the student. I chose to study Theories of Human Rights, Peace & Conflict Studies and International Security in the second semester. I have no regrets in choosing those modules and the knowledge I have gained is significant and I will put it to good use after graduation.

I stayed on campus for half of the course and I enjoyed my stay. The campus had all my needs from grocery shops, sport clubs, green spaces, etc. The James Joyce library is one of my favourite places to study at.

MA Middle East Politics (W393) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 10555
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MA Middle East Politics (W394) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 6710
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 percent, 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 90 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.

Applicants whose first langauge is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element ) or equivalent. 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


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 MA Middle East Politics:

ROWCLASS Apply to
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W393
MA Middle East Politics
Master of Arts

Full-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W394
MA Middle East Politics
Master of Arts

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page
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