International Public Policy & Diplomacy

Course Outline
The MSc in International Public Policy and Diplomacy is an innovative, interdisciplinary, taught master's course that provides graduates with the expertise and work experience required for successful careers in international policy environments.

The course is offered by UCC's Departments of Government and Politics, History, Law and Management and Marketing and will give you access to expertise across a diverse range of subjects. The MSc International Public Policy and Diplomacy is strongly orientated toward vocational skills training, through coursework and the opportunity to undertake a work placement.

The work placement will give you a unique opportunity to develop important professional skills and to immediately apply your learning to the professional world.

The course will be of interest to you if you aspire to a career in, or are already working in, departments of foreign affairs and other government ministries, international political and financial organisations, the armed forces, aid agencies, non-governmental organisations, think-tanks, and international businesses.

Why Choose This Course
Key features of this MSc include its focus on policy issues and the way in which it gives you the practical skills necessary to work in international policy environments.

In this programme you will engage with the most contemporary debates and issues facing the global policymaking community and have direct interaction with current and retired policy-makers through classes, guest lectures, and department seminars. These features afford our graduates a competitive edge: past students repeatedly comment on the value of the skills component of the course in exposing them to international environments and in engendering a deep understanding of this exciting and evolving field.

Placement or Study Abroad Information
Uniquely, the MSc International Public Policy and Diplomacy offers you the choice of either a traditional minor thesis or the opportunity to undertake a work placement for between three and five months.

Students take work placements in a variety of organisations/institutions working in areas related to international affairs, such as government ministries, international organisations, the offices of elected representatives, think-tanks and non-governmental organisations.

Students are placed in major international cities, such as Brussels, London and Washington DC, as well as in Cork and Dublin. We have relationships with a variety of organisations who take students from the course and students are provided with expert support in sourcing and applying for work placements.

Placement or Study Abroad Information
Uniquely, the MSc International Public Policy and Diplomacy offers you the choice of either a traditional minor thesis or the opportunity to undertake a work placement for between three and five months.

Students who undertake a work-based research dissertation, do so with a variety of organisations/institutions working in areas related to international affairs, such as government ministries, international organisations, the offices of elected representatives, think tanks and non-governmental organisations. Students have been assigned placement opportunities in major international cities, such as Brussels, London, and Washington DC, as well as in Cork and Dublin.

Please note that the programme is working within national public health guidelines as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to Covid-19, work-from-home advisories apply in many sectors and international travel restrictions apply across many countries. These parameters shape the extent and format of placement offerings.

Specialist career advice is available to students through a Work Placement Manager and support is provided in the planning for and application to work placement organisations. Classes offering career talks, advice, and skills also form part of the course delivery.

The MSc in International Public Policy and Diplomacy is divided in two parts.

Part 1:
In Part 1, students take a combination of compulsory and elective modules.

The core modules of Part 1 invite you to engage with:
the contemporary global challenges facing policymakers

processes of government decision-making in relation to international affairs

international economic policies and institutions

international law

the institutions and policies of the European Union (EU).

In addition, you will develop practical and analytical skills relevant to working in international affairs and gain an insight into personal and group dynamics associated with leadership.

You will also choose from a range of electives offered by the Departments of Government and Politics, Law and History.

Part 2:
Part 2 of the course challenges you to apply the skills acquired in Part 1 either by undertaking:

an independent piece of policy-oriented research or

a work placement in an international policy environment. The length of the work placement may vary from three to five months.

Specialist career advice is available to students through the Work Placement Officer and support is given in the planning for and application to work placement organisations. Our graduates have found the work placement to be an extremely valuable first step in their professional careers giving them unrivalled opportunities to make professional contacts and gain first-hand experience of the international policy world.

On completion of the course, you will be able to identify and assess global policy challenges and global policymaking processes and will have gained expertise in analysis and evaluation, report writing, oral presentation skills and leadership.

Further details on the content and modules are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar

Modules
Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our book of modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar
You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Requirements
The minimum requirement for applicants is a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in any subject;

Candidates who hold a Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) will also be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) subject to their 'motivation statement' and references;

In Exceptional circumstances, substantial professional experience in a relevant field may be accepted as compensating for the absence of an undergraduate degree, subject to approval by the programme director and the College of Arts Celtic Studies and Social Science.

All applicants will be required to submit a 'personal statement' (indicating why they are interested in taking the MSc (International Public Policy and Diplomacy) and why they think they would be suited to the programme.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements available here.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements, please find our grades comparison by country here.

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Additional Requirements
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Please enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees.

How Do I Apply
1. Choose Course
Firstly choose your course. Applicants can apply for up to two courses under one application. Details of taught courses are available on our online prospectus.

2. Apply Online
Once you have chosen your course you can apply online at the online application portal. Applicants will need to apply before the course closing date. There is a non-refundable €50 application fee for all courses apart from the Education - Professional Master of Education - (Secondary School/Post-Primary Teacher Training) which has a €100 application fee.

Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing must apply on the PAC website when the programme opens for applications.

3. Gather Supporting Documents
Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded to the online application portal in support of your application. Applicants may need to produce the original documents if you are accepted onto a course and register at UCC.

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC
Any supplementary items requested for your course.
Please log into the online application portal for more details.

4. Application processing timeline
Our online application portal opens for applications for most courses in early November of each year. Check specific course details.

5. Rounds
For courses that are in the rounds system (Irish and EU applicants), please check the rounds closing dates via link below.

Questions on how to apply?
Please use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

After the application is submitted, you will be required to enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees and request 2 references from the application portal.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 15 June.

During the taught part of the course, students have approximately 8-10 hours per week of lectures/seminars. This is supplemented by recommended reading, preparation of presentations and other group work and time spent completing assignments (essays, policy reports, research projects, etc.). During the taught part of the course you will also take classes in preparation for the work placement.

In part 1, the course is assessed through a variety of course work assignments, including
research projects
policy reports
presentations
group work.

The assessment is designed to help you to develop both the understanding of issues and the practical skills necessary to work in international affairs.

In part 2 of the course, the assessment involves
-a detailed work placement portfolio if you are undertaking the work placement, or
-researching and writing a 15,000-20,000-word dissertation (if you are completing the dissertation).

The course is taught by staff of the Departments of Government and Politics, Law and History. Our staff have expertise in areas such as global governance/international organisations, foreign policies and foreign policy decision-making, the European Union, international law and human rights, as well as in more specialised areas such as US foreign policy, European security and migration.

1 year Full-time; 2 years Part-time.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Start Date 7 September 2020

Skills and Careers Information
We recognise the importance of equipping our students with the skills they need to progress following graduation. You will be given expert advice on career development by a dedicated work placement officer and also have access to UCC's Careers Service.

The work placement option gives you a unique opportunity to obtain professional experience as part of your studies and the course has established links with important international policy institutions from which you will benefit. Having completed the course, you will be a skilled analyst of international affairs and have the confidence and experience to apply that expertise in the real world.