European Politics & Policy

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.



This MSc European Politics & Policy programmme aims to equip students with a deep and comprehensive knowledge of European politics and international relations, to critically appriase denates around European integration and to establish a basis for students' professional development as European policy specialists



Students will gain a well-grounded knowledge of the issues facing European governance and the manner in which different European political systems have sought to address the challenges they face in an increasingly Europeanized and globalized world.



MSc students will learn skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and use these skills to analyse questions of substantive interest in a rigorous and systematic manner.

Module Trimester Credits



Stage 1 Core Modules

POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn 10

POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn 10

POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring 10

POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring 10

POL42310 Thesis Summer 30



Stage 1 Options - A)2 of:

Choose 2 of:

LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU Autumn 10

POL36200 Democracy, Elections and Campaigns Autumn 10

POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn 10

POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn 10

POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn 10

POL42530 Politics of International Trade and Investment Autumn 10

HRM40720 Work & Employment in the Global Economy Spring 10

POL30840 Electoral Systems and their Consequences Spring 10

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring 10

POL40610 EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Pol. Spring 10

POL41910 Political Violence Spring 10

POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring 10

POL42350 Connected_Politics 2 Spring 10

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 Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/



These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes.



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. https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.

Commencing September 2025

Careers & Employability

Graduates can work within European institutions, with international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations. Organisations including the European Union, the United Nations and IMF are all potential employers, with students having the skills to compete for roles such as Government Social Researcher, Diplomatic Advisor, and Public Affairs Consultant.