European Governance

The programme was developed for graduates in the social sciences and related disciplines who are interested in, or working in, the area of European governance.



In the MSc European Governance programme students will learn to analyse issues of European governance from different angles, involving law, and public administration in an interdisciplinary environment.



This innovative two-year double-masters degree from University College Dublin and the Utrecht University investigates vital questions facing European countries today.

Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to answer these questions and formulate appropriate responses to the challenges they pose.



In Year 1 students study in UCD with a particular focus on Law and Governance of the EU, and European Political Economy.



In Year 2, you study in the Utrecht University in the Netherlands and complete a research internship as part of your masters thesis, which is co-supervised by both universities.



Internship with organisation that deals with European governance issues

Students graduate with two masters degrees – an MSc in European Governance from UCD and an MSc in European Governance from the Utrecht University

Stage 1 Core Modules

LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU Autumn 10

POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn 10



Stage 1 Options - B) Min 4 of:

Students must choose 4 option modules from the following list in year 1 of the programme.



LAW40120 Foundations of Environmental Law Autumn 10

LAW40140 International Economic Law Autumn 10

LAW40150 International Competition Law Autumn 10

LAW40670 Corporate Governance Autumn 10

LAW40780 Law of the ECHR Autumn 10

LAW42230 Natural Resources Law Autumn 10

LAW42280 International Refugee Law Autumn 10

POL40050 Theories of International Relations Autumn 10

POL40100 Politics of Development Autumn 10

POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn 10

POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn 10

POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn 10

POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn 10

SPOL41060 Public Administration & Policy Autumn 10

LAW40360 Advanced Issues in European Competition Law Spring 10

LAW41090 Climate Change Law and Policy Spring 10

LAW41150 Online Regulation Spring 10

LAW41200 Cross-Border Litigation: European and International Perspectives on the Conflict of Laws Spring 10

LAW41790 Data Protection Governance Spring 10

LAW42020 Law of Armed Conflict Spring 10

LAW42170 Behavioural Laws Spring 10

LAW42310 AI Regulation Spring 10

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring 10

POL40540 Comparative European Politics 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

POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring 10

POL42060 International Security Spring 10

POL42430 IR Theory: Conflict and Identity Spring 10

POL42530 Politics of International Trade and Investment Spring 10



Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0 of:

Students should choose the European Governance Dissertation in year 2 in Utrecht

LAW42330 EG Thesis(Internship) Summer 30

You will need:

If English is not your native language, unless you have done your primary degree through English in an English speaking country, an English language qualification is required for all programmes. Exceptional cases will be decided on a case-by-case basis.



MSc European Governance:

You will need:

This programme is intended for applicants with an upper second class honours or international equivalent in a primary degree in a relevant subject such as archaeology, development studies, economics, EU studies, geography, global studies, history, international relations, law, philosophy, political science, public policy, social science, sociology, .



Relevant professional experience may also be taken into account.



Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.0 (with no band less than 6.0 in each element) or equivalent.

Please apply directly to Utrecht University:



http://www.uu.nl/masters/en/european-governance/admission-and-application



Note application is directly via Utrecht University and not through the online application system in UCD



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://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/

Apply online



Who Should Apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

2 years full-time.

W351 MSc European Governance

Master of Science Full-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught

Careers & Employability

The skill set acquired in this double degree opens up a wide-range of job opportunities in local, regional and national governments; EU institutions; other European organisations; non-profit and for-profit organisations; and consultancy firms that deal with issues of European governance.