MEconSc European Public Affairs & Law

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)

An intensive, multi-disciplinary and tightly-focused programme of study on the European Union; its development, structures, decision-making and law as well as a major focus on the Union’s growing international role and capacity.
  •  designed to equip graduates with strong expertise in contemporary European affairs, based on a genuinely inter-disciplinary approach to the comparative study of Europe and the European Union. 
  • core modules in the internal and external affairs of the European Union, paying particular attention to contemporary changes in political and economic governance of the Euro area.

Careers & Employability

Whether working in the private, public or voluntary sectors, the ability to explain Europe’s past, to analyze it’s present and to advise on its future is of crucial importance. The MEconSc qualifies students to work in variety of spheres, including the institutions of the EU and other international organizations; national government structures; think tanks and other policy-oriented research groups.

Curricular information is subject to change


Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

The applicants should have earned an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as political science, international relations, social science, sociology, history, geography, economics, global studies, public policy, development studies, EU studies, law/international law with at least Upper Second Class Honours, or its equivalent (an overall GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher in the American system). Relevant professional experience will also be taken into account. 

This programme aspires to nurture first-rate specialists in European public affairs and law capable of decisively intervening in some of the most urgent and practical areas  of public policy of our day

  • To fully appraise students of key issues in European public affairs and law
  • develop methodological research expertise
  • develop oral presentation skills
  • develop students' capacities for critical reflection on European policies and processes
  • enhance group work skills
  • enhance students' research and writing skills

View All Modules Here

The MEconSc European Public Affairs and Law is a 90-credit programme. Full time students must take three 10-credit modules in the autumn trimester, and three 10-credit modules in the spring trimester. Students must also submit a thesis worth 30-credits or pursue an Internship instead.

Core and Option Modules for MEconSc & Law 

These are the current modules for 2022/23 but are subject to change. Each of the following modules carries 10 credits unless otherwise specified. 

Core Modules

  • LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU  Autumn
  • POL40970 Politics European Governance  Autumn
  • POL41650 Global Political Econ of Europe  Autumn

Option Modules

Autumn

  • LAW40120 Foundations of Enviro Law
  • POL40050 Theories of Internat.Relations
  • POL40140 Global Issues in Pol Theory
  • POL40950 Introduction to Statistics
  • POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
  • POL41510 Middle East & North Africa
  • POL41800 Theories of Int'l Rels Stream2
  • POL41860 Governance, Pol, Dev
  • POL42040 Gender & the Political System
  • POL42330 Research Design
  • POL42440 Political Economy of Security
  • SPOL41060 Public Administration & Policy

Spring

  • POL40100 Politics of Development
  • POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
  • POL40370 International Political Econom
  • POL40540 Comparative European Politics
  • POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
  • POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security
  • POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
  • POL41870 Pol Economy & Comparative Dev
  • POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in MENA
  • POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies
  • POL42000 Political Theory and the EU
  • POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
  • POL42060 International Security
  • POL42090 Engaging Brussels
  • POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists
  • POL42430 Social Theory & IR

Please note, to be enrolled on POL42430 in Spring, students must have taken and passed either of the following two modules: POL41800 or POL40050.

Summer Trimester Core Module

POL42300 SPIRe Internship (30 credits)

or

POL42310 Thesis (30 credits)

MEconSc European Public Affairs & Law (W216) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9310
nonEU    fee per year - € 21520

MEconSc European Public Affairs & Law (W264) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 6110
nonEU    fee per year - € 10760

***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 opens on May 1st. To access details, see SPIRe Graduate Scholarship Scheme. Please note that not all programmes are eligible for this Scholarship, please check the T&C's carefully when they become available.

A primary degree with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2H1) in a relevant subject such as political science, international relations, social science, sociology, history, geography, economics, global studies, public policy, development studies, EU studies, law. 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

Ivana Jagar, Croatia, Graduate

"This master’s was a great choice primarily due to its multidisciplinary design of modules, which offered in-depth and integrated understanding of contemporary issues of the EU. The programme provided an overview of the European economic integration on which the analytical approach to the EU politics and policies was further developed while, at the same time, the implications of these processes on EU law were explored. In my experience the underlying value of this course is in the dynamic academic environment that encourages students to use critical thinking - helping them to acquire knowledge and develop skills that can be applied in both a professional career and further academic studies".

The following entry routes are available:

MEconSc European Public Affairs & Law FT (W216)
Duration
1 Years
Attend
Full Time
Deadline
Rolling*
MEconSc European Public Affairs & Law PT (W264)
Duration
2 Years
Attend
Part Time
Deadline
Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised

A comphrensive FAQ can be found here