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Professional Certificate Digital Policy

ProfCert (NFQ Level 7)

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

The course will run ONLINE, Wednesday afternoons 2pm - 4pm, starting in September...

The Professional Certificate 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.

The innovative programme mixes the abstract and the applied with core modules from the School of Information and Communication Studies and optional modules from other Schools in the College of Social Sciences and Law (COSSL) and Computer Science. 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, information analytics, interface critique and software studies.

 

Content will include lectures and hands-on exercises by academics, representatives from digital industries, and representatives of of civil society.

 

About This Course

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

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
 IS40920 Digital Policy Issues & Trends Autumn  5

Some fee waivers are available for human rights, NGO and community organisation works and people in the global south who email a one paragraph statement of interest to: elizabeth.farries@ucd.ie.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes


The course is designed as a brief overview to some of the academic, government, civil society, and industry perspectives on contemporary digital policy issues.  Individuals with professional experience who wish to get a broader perspective on digital policy issues and trends would benefit from this course.


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Professional Certificate Digital Policy:

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showAudience-audienceEU W569
Professional Certificate Digital Policy
Professional Certificate		 Commencing 2024/2025 September Undergraduate Cert and Diploma Apply
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