Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Graduate Diploma Public Policy

GradDip (NFQ Level 9)
Scholarships Available

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

Duration:
1 Year
Attendance:
Full Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Graduate Diploma
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.

Duration:
2 Years
Attendance:
Part-Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Graduate Diploma
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

The Graduate Diploma in Public Policy is aimed primarily at students who have an undergraduate qualification in a non-cognate discipline. 

Students can choose modules from the broad list of Master of Public Policy Course. Depending on their performance, aspirations and selection of modules, students can transfer from the graduate diploma into the Master of Public Policy in the stream in which they specialised.

Public policy making has become more challenging in recent years in the context of the increasing complexity of clients’ needs, growing expectations regarding appropriate service quality and diminishing public spending in many countries. The Master of Public Policy is specifically designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to meet these challenges.

We examine the socio-economic changes and political issues which influence policy making, the challenges associated with effective regulation and administration of public services and ensuring that policy decisions are evidence based. If you are interested in public policy research you can take a number of specialist modules on this issue. We also provide a number of optional streams which will enable you to examine different policy fields in depth.

About This Course

  • Understand the political, ethical, social and economic factors that influence policymaking, along with the challenges associated with effective policy implementation and regulation
  • Take a critical view of policy analysis, recognizing the variety of considerations that shape policy outcomes and the variety of ideas, expectations, and norms that shape debates about appropriate policy solutions and the assessment of policy outcomes
  • Demonstrate advanced theoretical and conceptual knowledge of public policy and governance
  • Develop an understanding of current debates within public policy and governance
  • Critically appraise and reflect on the role of the policy analyst within the democratic and policy-making process
  • Apply advanced theory to problem-solving and public policy challenges, drawing on a range of disciplinary approaches and analytical tools
  • Systematically analyse public policies comparatively in an international, national, and subnational context, to apply the latest in public policy research
  • Critically appraise and reflect on the role of the policy analyst within the democratic and policy-making process
  • Articulate concepts, knowledge, debates and research to peers, specialist and non-specialist audiences from an inter-disciplinary perspective, contributing to evidence-based policy-making
  • Exercise effective group and team-based approaches to learning, research, and presentation
  • Articulate concepts, knowledge, debates and research to peers, specialist and non-specialist audiences, from an interdisciplinary perspective
  • Contribute to evidence-based policy-making
  • Source and synthesize different kinds of data, textual and source material 
  • Engage in independent research and analysis
  • Write to a good academic standard

Graduates work in the public sector, across a variety of businesses, and in voluntary sector bodies. The positions they have gone on to, in Ireland and internationally, include policy analysts, policy advisors, communications and public affairs managers, policy officers, among many others.

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 Core Modules
 SPOL41020 Data & Methods for Policy Analysis Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 SPOL41060 Public Administration & Policy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 SPOL40450 Evidence-Based Policy Making Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GEOG40970 Critical Geographies: Spatialising Power and Inequalities Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40640 Advances in Criminological Theory Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40760 NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GS40030 Gender, Inequality and Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40620 The Prison: Contemporary Challenges Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Citizenship Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL40440 Housing and Social Cohesion Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SOC41160 Global Solutions and Applied Social Change Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL40470 Comparing Healthcare Systems Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL41130 Drugs & Drug Policy Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 PHPS40040 Public Health Practice and Policy Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 PHPS40300 Health Promotion Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Community, Drugs, Health Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL40440 Housing and Social Cohesion Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON41840 Microeconomics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON42600 Development Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON42660 Behavioural Economics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ENVP40100 Environmental & Behavioural Economics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 EQUL40390 Critical Political Economy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON42190 Health and Welfare Economics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON42360 Energy Economics and Policy Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ECON42650 Experiments in Economics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 HRM40770 International HRM Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Economics Policy Stream. Admission to ECON modules requires prior training in Economics. Students wishing to take an ECON module must consult with the Module Coordinator and MPP Programme Director first. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 POL40370 International Political Economy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 ENVP40100 Environmental & Behavioural Economics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 ENVP40180 European Environmental Policy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GEOG40860 Practical Environmental Assessment Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40120 Foundations of Environmental Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 ENVP40040 Sustainability Lab Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW41090 Climate Change Law and Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SOC41120 Human Development Challenges in the Global South Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Environmental Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL41120 Sustainable Futures and Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 ENVP40180 European Environmental Policy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 LAW40120 Foundations of Environmental Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 LAW40780 Law of the ECHR Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 GEOG40450 Critical Geopolitics and Diplomacy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 HRM40770 International HRM Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 LAW40360 Advanced Issues in European Competition Law Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - E) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the European Union Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30. As spaces are limited, any student wishing to take HRM40770 MUST contact Dominic Shellard in the School Office for manual registration. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
 POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - F) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Regulatory Governance Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40120 Foundations of Environmental Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - F) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Regulatory Governance Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW40760 NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - F) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Regulatory Governance Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - F) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Regulatory Governance Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW41090 Climate Change Law and Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - F) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Regulatory Governance Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 LAW41150 Online Regulation Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 IS40840 Data & Society Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL42540 Applied Data Wrangling and Visualisation Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SOC40640 Social Simulation: Methods and Models Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SOC40330 Workshop in Qualitative Research Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - G) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Research Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 STAT40150 Multivariate Analysis Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GEOG40860 Practical Environmental Assessment Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GEOG40970 Critical Geographies: Spatialising Power and Inequalities Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 GEOG41050 Globalization, Empire and Race: Economic Geography Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 PLAN4000W Gov the City: Admin & Transp Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 PLAN40390 Sustainable Cities Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - H) Min 0 of:
Only for students in the Urban Policy Stream. The total credit amount of option modules must be 30.
 SPOL40440 Housing and Social Cohesion Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - I) Min 0 of:
These modules are available as option modules for students on all tracks. The maximum number of credits of option modules a student may select is 30
 SPOL41200 Evaluation for Public Policy Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - I) Min 0 of:
These modules are available as option modules for students on all tracks. The maximum number of credits of option modules a student may select is 30
 SPOL41120 Sustainable Futures and Public Policy Spring  10

Graduate Diploma Public Policy (W315) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 7020
nonEU    fee per year - € 15070

Graduate Diploma Public Policy (W316) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4540
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.

Each application is considered on its individual merits. The applicants should have earned a honours bachelors degree (NFQ Level 8)  from a recognised university in a relevant social science subject such as Political Science, International Relations, Social Policy, Sociology, Geography, Economics, Global Studies, Public Policy, Public Administration, EU Studies, Law/International Law, Accounting & Finance, Business etc. with at least Upper Second Class Honours, or its equivalent (an overall GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher in the American system). Relevant professional experience will also be taken into account. 


Note that meeting the requirements do not guarantee admission. Applicants in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted conditional on satisfactory completion of their undergraduate degree.

N.B. Click here  for the admission requirements for the Economics Policy Stream.

 

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


Print this page

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Graduate Diploma Public Policy:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W315
Graduate Diploma Public Policy
Graduate Diploma

Full-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W316
Graduate Diploma Public Policy
Graduate Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page
Contact UsEvents
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.