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 transform students into specialists in International Political Economy with the capacity to critically appraise cutting edge debates at both national and international level and to be capable to carrying out policy-relevant research therein

• allow students participate in debates around both the theory and practice of IPE
• boost students' research and writing skills
• develop oral presentation skills
• enhance group work skills
• enhance students' skills in policy analysis
• familiarise students with a comprehensive knowledge of leading issues in International Political Economy

View All Modules Here

The MA International Political Economy 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 in the summer trimester.

Core and Option Modules for MA International Political Economy 

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

Core Modules

• POL41650 The Global Political Economy of Europe (Autumn)
• POL42330 Research Design (Autumn)
• POL40370 International Political Economy  (Spring)

Option Modules

Autumn

• 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
• POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions and Comparative Development
• POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies
• POL42040 Gender & the Political System
• POL42070 Politics of (mis-)information
• POL42470 Gender Identity & Difference
• POL42490 Politics of Ireland North & South

Spring

• DEV40020 Gender and Development
• POL40100 Politics of Development
• 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

Summer Trimester Core Module

• POL42300 SPIRe Internship (30 credits) or
• POL42310 Thesis (30 credits)

MA International Political Economy (W290) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 10100
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MA International Political Economy (W291) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 6420
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 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.

SPIRe's MA Internship opportunities 

• 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

Tatjana Krivaltsevits, Netherlands, Technical Project Coordinator at South Stream Transport BV

“Spending one year in fascinating Dublin was a truly fantastic experience. UCD has much to offer: an extremely interesting selection of subjects, an outstanding and competent team of teaching staff, a balanced combination of independent and team work, and, most importantly, an international and multicultural environment. Indeed, it was amazing to share the classroom with wonderful people from all around the world – Italy, Japan, China, United States, Poland, Germany, Norway, Canada, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands and, of course, Ireland.”

• MSc International Relations FT
• MSc Politics FT
• MA Political Theory FT

The following entry routes are available:

* 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