Middle East Politics

World Top 100 in the QS Ranking 2024 in Politics | Oldest and Largest School of its Kind in Ireland.

UCD School of Politics & International Relations is the oldest and largest school of its kind in Ireland with over 150 years of experience in political studies and a world-renowned faculty drawn from many countries.



The MA Middle East Politics provides students with a rigorous understanding of one of the most important regions in global politics. The Middle East has long been the site of political upheaval with significant impacts within the region and beyond. The long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict, the rise of political Islam, the invasion of Iraq, and, more recently, the popular uprisings of 2011, which challenged autocratic regimes across the region, have transformed the Middle East.



The programme is designed to deepen knowledge and understanding of the domestic and regional politics of the Middle East. It is structured around a set of thematic modules that encourage students to explore political dynamics in the region from a number of different perspectives



The key learning outcomes will be that students have demonstrated specialised, detailed or advanced theoretical and conceptual knowledge and understanding of Middle East Politics, which is based on current debate and controversy at the forefront of the field and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research contect.

Module Trimester Credits



Stage 1 Core Modules

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

POL42330 Research Design Autumn 10



Stage 1 Options - 1)1 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 - A)40CR:

Pick 40 credits. If choosing Arabic, both modules must be selected.

POL40100 Politics of Development Autumn 10

POL40130 Poverty, Development and Global Justice Autumn 10

POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn 10

POL40970 Politics of European Governance Autumn 10

POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn 10

POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn 10

POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn 10

LANG10080 Arabic General Purposes 1(CEFR A1.1) Aut and Spr (separate) 5

LANG10710 Arabic General Purposes 2 Spring 5

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring 10

POL40370 International Political Economy 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

POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists Spring 10

POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism Spring 10

POL42580 Arab Perceptions of Conflict 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 percent, 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 90 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. Further info view -

https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at-ucd/undergraduate/entryrequirements/



Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element ) or equivalent. 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



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



Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EEA) applicants: No



Application Deadlines

Deadline for EU applicants: Monday, 7 September 2026 (The first day of the term)

Deadline for non-EU applicants: The end of August, 2026



Deadline for non-EU applicants who require an entry visa in advance:

In some countries, it takes a few months to process visa applications. We strongly advise that you apply well in advance, ideally as early as March. Please contact the Irish Embassy in your country or the UCD Global Regional offices for further information.



Non-EU citizens who have been living in Ireland or the EU must go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their applications can be assessed. This process takes a few weeks.

1 Year Full-Time (W393) or 2 Years Part-Time (W394).

W393 MA Middle East Politics

Master of Arts Full-Time

Commencing September 2026



W394 MA Middle East Politics

Master of Arts Part-Time

Commencing September 2026

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 including:



Public administration

Journalism

Media

Civil society organisations

Voluntary sector

Academic institutions