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MA Politics & International Relations

MA (NFQ Level 9)
Internships Opportunity
Scholarships Available

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

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 100 in the QS Ranking 2026 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 Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector and other areas who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations whilst continuing their employment.

  • 90-credit, part-time programme including one core module and five optional modules.
  • MA students have the option of pursuing an internship in lieu of a thesis.

About This Course

  • 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

Graduates work with a wide variety of international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations such as:

  • Public Affairs Consultant 
  • Government Social Researcher
  • Diplomatic Advisor
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Political Advisor

Recent graduates of UCD School of Politics & International Relations now work in:

  • European Parliament
  • OSCE
  • European Institute for the Media
  • Korean Delegation to the OECD
  • KPMG Management Consulting
  • Queen's University Belfast

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 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Year 2 Core Module: Select this module in your Year 2.
 POL42330 Research Design Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40050 Theories of International Relations Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40130 Poverty, Development and Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40370 International Political Economy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41860 Political Economy of Aid and Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42620 Global Governance & International Organizations Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42640 Crisis of the Liberal World Order Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42650 Comparative Political Representation Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 DEV40040 Corruption, Governance & Dev Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 DEV42600 Global Affairs & Sust Futures Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40100 Development and Postcolonial Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in the Middle East Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42430 Conflict and Identity in International Relations Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Option Modules: Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.
 POL42530 Politics of International Trade and Investment Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Year 2 Summer Core Module: Year 2 students must select either the thesis or the internship.
 POL42300 SPIRe Internship Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Year 2 Summer Core Module: Year 2 students must select either the thesis or the internship.
 POL42310 Thesis Summer  30

MA Politics & International Relations (W292) 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.

  • Non-EU citizens are ineligible for part-time study except for those holding a valid non-student residency visa.
  • UCD Global offers several graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students who have received an offer for a UCD graduate degree programme. For further details, please visit the International Scholarships.
  • SPIRe operates the  SPIRe Graduate Scholarship Scheme. 

For further information, please visit our comprehensive FAQ page.

A primary degree with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2H1). 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.
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.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MA Politics & International Relations:

ROWCLASS Apply to
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W292
MA Politics & International Relations
Master of Arts

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W292
MA Politics & International Relations
Master of Arts

Part-Time
Commencing September 2027
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsOpens 01 Oct 2026
* you can change options at the top of the page
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