GradDip Digital Policy

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 60)

Graduate Diploma Digital Policy will be hybrid learning of online & face-to-face - from September 2022/23

With support from Microsoft Ireland, UCD’s School of Information and Communication studies has estabished the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme with the goal of building digital policy training and capability in Ireland and Europe.

The innovative programme mixes the abstract and the applied with core modules from the School of Information and Communication Studies. This programme introduces students to basic concepts and issues in digital policy, giving a historical and critical understanding of how to theorise digital objects and environments by learning to situate them in perspectives such as platform capitalism, governance, data infrastructures and information analytics.

The Grad Dip in Digital Policy is designed to prepare graduates for careers in evaluating, implementing, and studying core topical, theoretical, and methodological issues that arise in digital policy today. The course will take a multi-disciplionary approach to investigating the institutional and public policy dimensions of the prevalence of digital technology, as well as the underlying social conditions (economic, political, and cultural) and public/private sector contexts that give rise to such technologies and their governance.

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. No

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

We welcome applicants:

  • Who present with a primary (bachelor's) degree in any subject with an overall score of 2.1 or higher - or have equivalent professional qualifications;
  • Who present names and contact details of two referees who can assess their intellectual ability, maturity and motivation;
  • Whose first language is not English but demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7 (no band less than 6.5 in each element), or equivalent; and
  • Who apply up to September of the year of entry. Please note owever that offers are made to suitably qualified candidates on a first-come-first-served basis and so early application is recommended. Entry to the programmes is very competitive and the number of places is limited.

This Graduate Diploma is available full time (one year) or part time (two years). The programme's core course modules are are taylored to for blended delivery format.

Knowledge and understanding

• Understand both theoretical and applied issues in digital policy

• Demonstrate advanced conceptual knowledge of digital technologies and their implications for socio-political life

• Understand the dilemmas and tensions involved in regulating digital technologies

Applying knowledge and understanding

• Critically appraise evidence from research papers concerning topics in digital policy

• Critically evaluate existing digital policies and policy proposals and their limitations

Making judgements

• Systematically analyse the research literature in a key area of digital policy as part of their dissertation

• Decide, under guidance, on appropriate methodology and materials to be analysed for their dissertation

Communications and working skills

• Articulate theoretical concepts, current debates and research findings to both specialist and non-specialist

audiences from a digital policy perspective

• Work effectively with peers in learning, research, and presentation

Learning skills

• Collect or source data using research methodologies taught on the programme

• Engage in independent research and analysis under supervision

• Write to a high academic standard

GradDip Digital Policy (W508) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 7280
nonEU    fee per year - € 7090

***Fees are subject to change

A primary degree NFQ Level 8 with at least upper second class honours (2.1) or international equivalent in any discipline is required.  

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.0 (no band  less than 6.5 in each element) or equivalent

 

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To represent actors who are impacted by and contribute to the digital policy cycles, our programme in previous years has welcomed guest lecturers from other academic schools, government, industry, special interest groups and civil society organisations.

The following entry routes are available:

Graduate Diploma Digital Policy FT (W507)
Duration
1 Years
Attend
Full Time
Deadline
Rolling*
Graduate Diploma Digital Policy PT (W508)
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