MSc Peace and Conflict

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)

This programme uses comparative political science models and methods to analyse patterns of conflict and settlement, with a focus on internal violent conflicts, past and present.
  • This course allows analysis of the different ways that religion, ethnicity and inequality combine to generate violence. 
  • Specialist resources in the study of theories of ethnicity, identity, conflict; comparative ethnic conflict; Northern Ireland, Western Europe and relevant cognate specialisms in civic republicanism, justice and human rights, international security, European politics, and development studies.
  • Includes additional research components and is particularly suitable if you want a career in research or academia..

Careers & Employability

Graduates work with international bodies, non-governmental organisations and state agencies in roles such as: government social researchers, diplomatic advisors and public affair consultants.
Recent graduates of UCD School of Politics & International Relations now work in:

  • United Nations
  • World Trade Organisation
  • IMF
  • European Commission
  • Asia Development Bank

Curricular information is subject to change


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

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. 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.

The understanding of issues concerning peace and conflict is vital to the broader understanding of issues of war, peace and conflict resolution in the world.  This programme develops that understanding on the part of students and familiarises them with cutting edge debates on the issues from various parts of the world. The vision of this programme is to nurture people capable of constructively intervening on these debates - either as practicitooners or as academic/policy specialists.

  • Enhance students' abilities to undertake research/policy analysis
  • Enhance students' capacities for critical thinking vis-à-vis ethnic identity
  • Allow students participate in debates around nationalism and ethnic conflict
  • Develop oral presentation skills
  • Enhance group work skills
  • Develop methodological research expertise
  • To impart a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the causes, and issues arising around, all aspects of nationalism and ethnic conflict

View All Modules Here

The MSc Peace and Conflict 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 that will be written during the summer trimester.

Core and Option Modules for MSc Peace and Conflict 

These are the current modules for 2022/23 but are subject to change. Each of the following modules carries 10 credits unless otherwise specified. 

Core Modules

  • POL40950 Introduction to Statistics (Autumn)
  • POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies (Spring)
  • POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Politics (Spring)
  • POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in the Middle East (Spring)

Option Modules

Autumn

  • AMST40030 Media and US Foreign Policy
  • GS40100 Gender, Harm and Justice
  • POL40050 Theories of Internat.Relations
  • POL40140 Global Issues in Pol Theory
  • POL40970 Politics European Governance
  • POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
  • POL41510 Middle East & North Africa
  • POL41650 Global Political Econ ofEurope
  • POL41800 Theories of Int'l Rels Stream2
  • POL41860 Governance, Pol, Dev 10cr
  • POL42040 Gender & the Political System
  • POL42440 Political Economy of Security

Spring

  • POL40100 Politics of Development
  • POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
  • POL40370 International Political Econom
  • POL40540 Comparative European Politics
  • POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
  • POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security
  • POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
  • POL41870 Pol Economy & Comparative Dev
  • POL42000 Political Theory and the EU
  • POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
  • POL42060 International Security
  • POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists
  • POL42350 Connected_Politics
  • POL42430 Social Theory & IR
  • SOC40620 Nationalism and Social Change

Please note, to be enrolled on POL42430 in Spring, students must have taken and passed either of the following two modules: POL41800 or POL40050.

 

Summer Trimester Core Module

  • POL42310 Thesis (30 credits)

MSc Peace and Conflict (W408) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9310
nonEU    fee per year - € 21520

MSc Peace and Conflict (W409) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 6110
nonEU    fee per year - € 10760

***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.

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 International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information: https://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/int%20pmp/
  • These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes

Graduate Profile
Takashi Asakawa,Japan,

Graduate
Lectures in previously named "Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict" not only introduce you to what debates have been crucially discussed in each academic area, but also offer you numerous approaches to understanding the themes and questions posed, all with the warm assistance of the lecturers. I like the teaching style in UCD as it highlighted for me the significance of theory. Without that, I would not have been able to know what ‘research’ truly means.

The following entry routes are available:

MSc Peace and Conflict FT (W408)
Duration
1 Years
Attend
Full Time
Deadline
Rolling*
MSc Peace and Conflict PT (W409)
Duration
2 Years
Attend
Part Time
Deadline
Rolling*

* 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