Public Policy

MPP Public Policy

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)



Public policy making has become more challenging in recent years in the context of the increasing complexity of clients’ needs, growing expectations regarding appropriate service quality and diminishing public spending in many countries. The Master of Public Policy is specifically designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to meet these challenges.



We examine the socio-economic changes and political issues which influence policy making, the challenges associated with effective regulation and administration of public services and ensuring that policy decisions are evidence based. If you are interested in public policy research you can take a number of specialist modules on this issue. We also provide a number of optional streams which will enable you to examine different policy fields in depth.



The Master of Public Policy is a 90-credit programme. The duration is one year full time or two years part time. A 60-credit version of the programme is available as a Graduate Diploma without thesis.



Course Description

Core modules introduce you to the key concepts, theories and analytic techniques which underpin public policy analysis.



Core modules are:

SPOL41060 Public Administration & Policy

SPOL41020 Data & Methods for Pol Analys

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy

SPOL40450 Evidence-Based Policy Making



Optional specialist streams which enable you to examine the policy fields which interest you in-depth.

Citizenship, Rights & Policy Stream

Community, Drugs & Health Policy Stream

Economic Policy Stream

Environmental Policy Stream

European Union Policy Stream

Regulatory Governance Stream

Research Methods Stream

Urban Policy Stream



Optional research stream which provides you with the skills to pursue a career in public policy research.



A unique interdisciplinary course where modules are offered by various schools across University (Applied Social Science, Economics,

Geography, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Public Health, Social Justice and Sociology)



A choice of Master’s thesis or Internship.



There is an opportunity to undertake the MA (Public Policy and Management) at the City University of Hong Kong subsequent to MA-Public Policy completion.



There is a possibility of progressing to the PhD in Public Policy.



There is an option of the Graduate Diploma in Public Policy without a dissertation.

Stage 1 - Core

Evidence-Based Policy Making - SPOL40450

Data & Methods for Policy Analysis - SPOL41020

Public Administration & Policy - SPOL41060



Stage 1 - Option

Econometrics - ECON41820

Microeconomics - ECON41840

Health and Welfare Economics - ECON42190

Energy Economics and Policy - ECON42360

Behavioural Economics - ECON42660

Tools for Sust Development - ENVP40040

Environmental Economics & Climate Policy - ENVP40100

European Environmental Policy - ENVP40180

Critical Political Economy - EQUL40390

Critical Geopolitics of Europe - GEOG40450

Physical Geography of Cities - GEOG40780

Practical Environmental Assessment - GEOG40860

Gender, Inequality and Public Policy - GS40030

Work & Employment in the Global Economy - HRM40720

Data & Society - IS40840

Social Networks Online and Offline - IS40980

Environmental Law and Policy - LAW40120

Advanced Issues in European Competition Law - LAW40360

Punishment, Prisons & Public Policy - LAW40620

Advanced Criminological Theory - LAW40640

NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change - LAW40760

Law of the ECHR - LAW40780

Law and Governance of the EU - LAW41040

Climate Change Law and Policy - LAW41090

Online Regulation - LAW41150

Asylum and Refugee: Law, Politics and Rights - LAW41310

Comparative Corporate Governance - LAW42010

Health Policy - NMHS43840

Public Health Practice and Policy - PHPS40040

Health Promotion - PHPS40300

Placemaking: Urban and Rural Design - PLAN40020

Planning, Society and Diversity - PLAN40030

Transport, Environment & Sustainability - PLAN40050

Urban and Regional Development - PLAN40060

Housing Policy and Planning - PLAN40070

Economic and Property Markets - PLAN40080

Geographical Information Systems for Policy and Planning - PLAN40220

Planning, Environ & Public Pol - PLAN40340

Sustainable Cities - PLAN40390

International Political Theory - POL40140

International Political Economy - POL40370

Comparative European Politics - POL40540

EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Pol. - POL40610

Introduction to Statistics - POL40950

Politics of European Governance - POL40970

Politics of Human Rights - POL41020

Theory of Human Rights - POL41030

Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science - POL41640

The Global Political Economy of Europe - POL41650

Political Theory and the EU - POL42000

Quantitative Text Analysis - POL42050

Politics of (mis-)information - POL42070

Policing & Social Conflict - SOC40080

Workshop in Qualitative Research - SOC40330

Social Simulation: Methods and Models - SOC40640

Housing and Social Cohesion - SPOL40440

Comparing Healthcare Systems - SPOL40470

Drug Use, Community & Society - SPOL40530

MPP Thesis - SPOL41040

MPP Internship - SPOL41050

Multivariate Analysis - STAT40150

Each application is considered on its individual merits. The applicants should have earned a honours bachelors degree (NFQ Level 8) from a recognised university in a relevant social science subject such as Political Science, International Relations, Social Policy, Sociology, Geography, Economics, Global Studies, Public Policy, Public Administration, EU Studies, Law/International Law, Accounting & Finance, Business 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.





Note that meeting the requirements do not guarantee admission. Applicants in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted conditional on satisfactory completion of their undergraduate degree.



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

How to apply?

The following entry routes are available:



Master of Public Policy (W279)

Duration

1 Years

Attend

Full Time

Deadline

Rolling*



Master of Public Policy PT (W289)

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.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time. Mode of Delivery: Face-to-Face.

Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.