- Develop writing skills in the form of academic articles and a thesis.
- Establish contacts with political and economic actors and policy-makers.
- Gain critical reading skills in the area of Geopolitics and Global Political Economy.
- Learn field-based investigation methods and techniques.
- Learn research techniques and methodologies.
- Obtain knowledge of current affairs and historical events as related to international affairs.
Geopolitics & the Global Economy
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
- Duration:
- 2 Years
- Attendance:
- Part-Time
- Delivery:
- 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
The MA in Geopolitics & the Global Economy equips students with an in-depth understanding of international relations, war, and conflict resolution as well as national, local and regional economic development, global economic processes, global political events and the knowledge economy.
The course includes fieldwork in an overseas location such as Berlin or Madrid. Students acquire a solid grounding in the key knowledge and skills required by a geographer specialising in political or economic geography. Students can choose whether to study the political geography of Europe or US foreign policy in detail and can select a number of optional courses to focus on subject areas that interest them. These optional courses introduce the opportunity for interdisciplinary study with courses offered in political science, history and American studies.
About This Course
Graduates work in government agencies, international aid agencies, global multilateral agencies, human rights institutions, think-tanks, research bodies and private firms in roles such as researchers, lecturers, aids workers, GIS specialists, planners and local government officials.
Graduates now work in organisations such as:
- UN
- World Bank
- UNICEF
- Amnesty International
- Human Rights Watch
- Deloitte & Touche
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.
Trimester | Credits | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
GEOG41140 | Dissertation | 2 Trimester duration (Spr-Sum) | 35 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
GEOG40390 | Research Design | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
GEOG40450 | Critical Geopolitics and Diplomacy | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
GEOG40700 | International Fieldwork | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 1 of: Students must choose at least 10 credits from the below list - you can choose up to 30 credits. |
GEOG40760 | Development and the Global South | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 1 of: Students must choose at least 10 credits from the below list - you can choose up to 30 credits. |
GEOG40820 | GIS Principles and Applications | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 1 of: Students must choose at least 10 credits from the below list - you can choose up to 30 credits. |
GEOG40970 | Critical Geographies: Spatialising Power and Inequalities | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
AMST40030 | Media and US Foreign Policy | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
AMST40310 | Challenges in US Foreign Policy | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
AMST40580 | News Media Today | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
AMST40590 | Trump's America | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
ECON42600 | Development Economics | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
GEOG41050 | Globalization, Empire and Race: Economic Geography | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
PLAN40060 | Urban and Regional Development | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL41510 | Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
AMST40560 | The Global Politics of Cyber Security | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
ECON42730 | Global Economic History | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
GEOG40830 | Global South Fieldwork: Vietnam | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
GEOG41120 | Geopolitical Risks and Crises | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL40140 | Theories of Global Justice | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL40160 | Comparative Public Policy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL40370 | International Political Economy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL40540 | Comparative European Politics | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL40610 | EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Pol. | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL41030 | Theory of Human Rights | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of: Remaining credits can be chosen from the below list. |
POL42060 | International Security | Spring | 10 |
Natalie Norris
Aon Ireland
Client services for global cyber solutions
“The MA Geopolitics & Global Economy programme was one of the few master’s programs that let me tailor the program and modules specifically to my passions and career goals, allowing me to take an interdisciplinary approach to a new field of study. I was eager to have the opportunity to build off of my politics and security background and expand further into the field of geography by studying not only geopolitics but also GIS, the economy and pursuing fieldwork.”
Ryan McCarrel, US,International Research Fellow at The Caucasus Research Resource Center – Azerbaijan
Getting my MA in Geopolitics and the Global Economy at UCD gave me an opportunity to study with some leading academics in their field. Lectures were engaging and thoughtprovoking, challenging me to think critically about some of the most prescient issues confronting the world today.
EU fee per year - € 9330
nonEU fee per year - € 22600
MA Geopolitics & the Global Economy (W420) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 5600
nonEU fee per year - € 11300
***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on www.ucd.ie/fees. Please note that the costs of travel and subsistence for some fieldwork modules are borne by the student.
UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD masters programme. Please see www.ucd.ie/global/scholarships/ or https://www.ucd.ie/geography/study/scholarships/ for further information.
- This programme is intended for applicants with an honours bachelors degree (NFQ Level 8) or international equivalent in any discipline including geography, political science, history, anthropology, economics and sociology, or professionals working in related fields.
- Applicants should have a minimum of an upper second class honours (2:1) degree or international equivalent at bachelors level. Applicants with a 2.2. may be considered after interview in exceptional circumstances.
- Applicants whose first language 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
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
Applications are welcome from graduates from any discipline, though undergraduate disciplines with a thematic link to geography, political science, history, economics or sociology may be advantageous. The programme would also be suitable for those with a professional background in related fields who might wish to develop and broaden their skillset.
Please be aware that the modules for the part-time route are only available during working hours, from Monday to Friday. This course is not offered in the evenings or online. Instead, it is designed to spread your learning requirements over two years, which is ideal for those who are currently employed and can only attend campus for one day per week. If you are worried about managing your work and study commitments, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Geopolitics & the Global Economy:
ROWCLASS | Apply to |
---|---|
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W262 Geopolitics & the Global Economy Master of Arts Full-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught |
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W420 Geopolitics & the Global Economy Master of Arts Part-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught Not available to International applicantsApply |