Politics & International Relations

MA Politics & International Relations

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)



The MA Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector and other areas who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations whilst continuing their employment.



- 90-credit, part-time programme including six optional 10-credit modules (no particular module is required)



- MA students have the option of pursuing an internship in lieu of a thesis.

Module Trimester Credits



Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:

Students must pick either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module

POL42300 SPIRe Internship Summer 30

POL42310 Thesis Summer 30



Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:

Pick 10 credits in Year 2.

POL42330 Research Design Autumn 10



Stage 1 Options - D) Min 0 of:

Students should select 5 modules over the course of this programme.

POL40050 Theories of International Relations Autumn 10

POL40950 Introduction to Statistics Autumn 10

POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn 10

POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn 10

POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa Autumn 10

POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn 10

POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn 10

POL42530 Politics of International Trade and Investment Autumn 10

POL42550 Feminist Theory Autumn 10

POL40100 Politics of Development Spring 10

POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Spring 10

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring 10

POL40370 International Political Economy Spring 10

POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring 10

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

POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring 10

POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science Spring 10

POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security Spring 10

POL41910 Political Violence Spring 10

POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring 10

POL42060 International Security Spring 10

POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists Spring 10

POL42430 IR Theory: Conflict and Identity 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.



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

2 years part-time.

Commencing September 2025

Careers & Employability

Graduates work with a wide variety of international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations such as:

Public Affairs Consultant

Government Social Researcher

Diplomatic Advisor

Public Relations Officer

Political Advisor



Recent graduates of UCD School of Politics & International Relations now work in:

European Parliament

OSCE

European Institute for the Media

Korean Delegation to the OECD

KPMG Management Consulting

Queen's University Belfast