- 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
This course is available through the following application route(s)
World Top 100 in the QS Ranking 2024 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.
Visit Our Website for Further Information such as Entry Requirement and Application Documents.
The Grad Dip in International Development is designed to provide you with an interdisciplinary understanding of the process of development by bringing together expertise in politics, economics, agriculture, political economy and other areas.
- The Graduate Diploma in Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector, and other fields who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations while continuing their employment.
- It also serves as a pathway to the MA/MSc International Development. Applicants who did not achieve their full potential in their primary degree (e.g., did not obtain a 2H1) can be admitted to the Graduate Diploma and have the opportunity to transfer to the MA/MSc midway through.
Please see the SPIRe Graduate Studies Handbook for further informaion.
About This Course
Graduates of the programme have found employment with the official Irish aid programme, in Irish and international non-governmental organisations such as Trocaire, Goal, Action Aid and Oxfam, and with agencies of the European Union and the United Nations as well as in journalism, education, local community development, and many other areas such as:
- Public administration
- Journalism
- Media
- Civil society organisations
- Voluntary sector
- Academic institutions
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 |
POL40100 | Politics of Development | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
DEV40020 | Gender and Development | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40050 | Theories of International Relations | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40950 | Introduction to Statistics | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40970 | Politics of European Governance | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41020 | Politics of Human Rights | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41510 | Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41980 | Peace & Conflict Studies | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL42040 | Gender & the Political System | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL42330 | Research Design | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
LAW42290 | Gender, Conflict-related Harm & Transitional Justice | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL30820 | Political Risk and Foreign Direct Investment | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40140 | Theories of Global Justice | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40160 | Comparative Public Policy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40370 | International Political Economy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL40540 | Comparative European Politics | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41030 | Theory of Human Rights | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41640 | Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41720 | Gender, Peace, and Security | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL41910 | Political Violence | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL42050 | Quantitative Text Analysis | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL42060 | International Security | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A)5 of: Option Modules |
POL42340 | Programming for Soc Scientists | Spring | 10 |
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!
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!
Graduate Diploma International Development (W299) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 8010
nonEU fee per year - € 15070
Graduate Diploma International Development (W300) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 5300
nonEU fee per year - € 7540
***Fees are subject to change
EU fee per year - € 8010
nonEU fee per year - € 15070
Graduate Diploma International Development (W300) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 5300
nonEU fee per year - € 7540
***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.
- 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/.
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.
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
Each application is considered on its individual merits. The applicants should have earned an undergraduate 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/international law etc.
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Graduate Diploma International Development:
| ROWCLASS | Apply to |
|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W299 Graduate Diploma International Development Graduate Diploma Full-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught |
| showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | W300 Graduate Diploma International Development Graduate Diploma Part-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught Not available to International applicantsApply |
* you can change options at the top of the page