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

This programme aims to provide a comprehensive and critical grounding in key issues in politics and international relations and to allow students critically engage with cutting edge issues in the discipline.

• develop oral presentation skills
• develop student's research and professional development skills
• develop students' presentational skills
• 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

View All Modules Here

The Graduate Diploma in Politics and International Relations is a 60-credit programme.

Full time students must take three 10-credit modules in the first trimester and three 10-credit modules in the second trimester.

Depending on their performance, aspirations and selection of modules, students can transfer from the graduate diploma into the MA in the subject area in which they specialised.

Current Modules for Graduate Diploma in Politics and International Relations

These are the current modules for 2023/24 but are subject to change. Each of the following modules carries 10 credits unless otherwise specified. 

If you wish to get transferred to MSc Human Rights, or the other MA course, you must take core modules of the course of your choice. Please contact the school administrator for further information before completing your module registration.

Autumn Trimester

• POL40050 Theories of International Relations
• POL40140 Global Justice
• POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
• POL40540 Comparative European Politics
• POL40950 Introduction to Statistics
• POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
• POL41510 Middle East & North Africa
• POL41650 The Global Political Economy of Europe
• POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions and Comparative Development
• POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies
• POL42040 Gender & the Political System
• POL42070 Politics of (mis-)information
• POL42330 Research Design
• POL42470 Gender Identity & Difference
• POL42490 Politics of Ireland North & South

Spring Trimester

• POL40100 Politics of Development
• POL40370 International Political Economy
• POL40610 EU Foreign and Security Policy
• POL40970 Politics European Governance
• POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
• POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science
• POL41720 Gender Peace and Security
• POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
• POL41860 Governance, Politics and Development
• POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
• POL42060 International Security
• POL42340 Programming for Social Scientists
• POL42440 Political Economy of Security
• POL42480 Contemporary Election Campaigns: Democratic Norms and Empirical Research
• POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism

GradDip Politics & International Relations (W231) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 7440
nonEU    fee per year - € 14350

GradDip Politics & International Relations (W232) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4920
nonEU    fee per year - € 7180

***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.

This programme is intended for applicants at least a lower or upper second class honours (2.2) or international equivalent in their primary 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.
•    Professional experience may also be taken into account
•   Applicants whose first language is not English should have met the English language requirements as listed on the following link. Applicants who obtained a previous degree from an English-speaking university may be exempted from this requirement.
English Language Requirements

• MA Politics & International Relations PT

The following entry routes are available:

A comphrensive FAQ can be found here