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 equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to work in international development - either as a practictioner or as an academic/policy specialiist.  Learning is designed to be participatory and a critical, but constructive, approach to interdisciplinary development issues (ecconomic, politival and other) is encouraged.

• acquaint students with cutting edge development issues
• allow students to comment critically on development interventions
• develop oral presentation skills
• enhance group work skills
• enhance students' abilities to assess development practice on the ground
• equip students with the skills to work in the field of international development

View All Modules Here

The Graduate Diploma in International Development 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 may be able to transfer from the graduate diploma into the MA International Development after the first trimester.

Current Core and Option Modules for Graduate Diploma in International Development

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

• POL41860 Governance, Politics and Development (Autumn)
• POL40100 Politics of Development (Spring)

Option Modules

Autumn

• GS40100 Gender Harm and Justice
• LAW40760 NGO Law
• POL30820 Political Risk and Foreign Direct Investment
• 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

Spring

• DEV40020 Gender and Development
• POL40370 International Political Economy
• 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
• POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
• POL42060 International Security
• POL42340 Programming for Social Scientists
• POL42440 Political Economy of Security

GradDip International Development (W299) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 7440
nonEU    fee per year - € 14350

GradDip International Development (W300) 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

Graduate Profile
Ayesha Azeem, Pakistan,
Senior Project Officer, Church World Service – Pakistan/Afghanistan
With the knowledge I learned during my masters in UCD, I am confident that I can fulfil my role with the utmost professionalism and confidence as Senior Project Officer in Capacity Institutionalisation Project (CIP) in Church World Service – Pakistan/Afghanistan, a donor-funded project which deals with initiatives on capacity building of local NGO’s and CSO’s. Living abroad for a year on my own enhanced my ability to interact and communicate with people of diverse backgrounds and collaborate effectively within a team and manage varied projects. That one year in UCD and Dublin taught me much more about life beyond a masters degree!

• MA International Development FT
• MSc International Development 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