International Development

MA International Development
Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)
The MA in International Development is designed to provide you with an interdisciplinary understanding of the process of development by bringing together expertise in politics, economics, agriculture, political economy and other areas.

• Oldest and largest school of its kind in Ireland with over 150 years of experience in political studies

• World-renowned staff drawn from many countries.

Vision and Values Statement
This programme aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to work in international development - either as a practictioner or as an academic/policy specialiist. Learning is designed to be participatory and a critical, but constructive, approach to interdisciplinary development issues (ecconomic, politival and other) is encouraged.

The MA International Development is a 90-credit programme. Full time students must take three 10-credit modules in the autumn trimester, and three 10-credit modules in the spring trimester. Students must also submit a thesis worth 30-credits or pursue an Internship instead.

Core and Option Modules for MA International Development
These are the current modules for 2022/23 but are subject to change. Each of the following modules carries 10 credits unless otherwise specified.
Core Modules
• POL41860 Governance, Pol, Dev (Autumn)
• POL42330 Research Design (Autumn)
• POL40100 Politics of Development (Spring)

Option Modules
Autumn
• GS40100 Gender, Harm and Justice
• LAW40760 NGO Law
• POL40050 Theories of Internat.Relations
• POL40140 Global Issues in Pol Theory
• POL40950 Introduction to Statistics
• POL40970 Politics European Governance
• POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
• POL41510 Middle East & North Africa
• POL41650 Global Political Econ of Europe
• POL41800 Theories of Int'l Rels Stream2
• POL42040 Gender & the Political System
• POL42440 Political Economy of Security

Spring
• POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
• POL40370 International Political Econom
• POL40540 Comparative European Politics
• POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
• POL41640 Qual Research Methods for Pol
• POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security
• POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
• POL41870 Pol Economy & Comparative Dev
• POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in MENA
• POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies
• POL42000 Political Theory and the EU
• POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
• POL42060 International Security
• POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists
• POL42430 Social Theory & IR

Please note, to be enrolled on POL42430 in Spring, students must have taken and passed either of the following two modules: POL41800 or POL40050.

Summer Trimester Core Module
• POL42300 SPIRe Internship (30 credits) or
• POL42310 Thesis (30 credits)

Entry Requirements
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.

The following entry routes are available:
MA International Development FT (W301)
Deadline: Rolling*

MA International Development PT (W302)
Deadline: Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised.

Who should apply?
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

Each application is considered on its individual merits. The applicants should have earned an undergraduate degree 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/international law etc.

W301: 1 year full-time
W302: 2 years part-time
Mode of delivery: Face-to-Face

Careers & Employability
Graduates of the programme have found employment with the official Irish aid programme, in Irish and international non-governmental organisations such as Trocaire, Goal, Action Aid and Oxfam, and with agencies of the European Union and the United Nations as well as in journalism, education, local community development, and many other areas such as:

• Public administration
• Journalism
• Media
• Civil society organisations
• Voluntary sector
• Academic institutions