Peace & Conflict
MA Peace and Conflict
Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)
This programme uses comparative political science models and methods to analyse patterns of conflict and settlement, with a focus on internal violent conflicts, past and present.
- This course allows analysis of the different ways that religion, ethnicity and inequality combine to generate violence.
- Specialist resources in the study of theories of ethnicity, identity, conflict; comparative ethnic conflict; Northern Ireland, Western Europe and relevant cognate specialisms in civic republicanism, justice and human rights, international security, European politics, and development studies.
- Over 150 years of experience in political studies and a world-renowned faculty drawn from many countries.
Subjects taught
The MA Peace and Conflict 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.
SPIRe part time programmes run for 2 years and students normally do 1 -2 modules per semester. The final 30-credit module is completed during the second year of the programme. PT students should complete the research design module in year 2.
Please note that our part-time programmes run during the day and are not timetabled in the evenings or at weekends.
Core and Option Modules for MA Peace and Conflict
These are the current modules for 2023/24 but are subject to change. Each of the following modules carries 10 credits unless otherwise specified.
Core Modules
POL42330 Research Design (Autumn)
POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies (Autumn)
Core Option Modules (Choose 2):
POL40610 EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Policy (Spring)
POL41720 Gender Peace and Security (Spring)
POL42060 International Security (Spring)
POL42440 Political Economy of Security (Spring)
Option Modules (Choose 2):
Autumn
AMST40030 Media and US Foreign Policy
GS40100 Gender, Conflict-related Harm & Transitional Justice
POL40050 Theories of International Relations
POL40140 Theories of Global Justice
POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
POL40540 Comparative European Politics
POL40950 Introduction to Statistics
POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa
POL41650 The Global Political Economy of Europe
POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions and Comparative Development
POL42040 Gender & the Political System
Spring
GS40120 Gender: Global Concepts
POL40100 Politics of Development
POL40370 International Political Economy
POL40970 Politics of European Governance
POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
POL41640 Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science
POL41720 Gender Peace and Security
POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
POL41860 Governance, Politics and Development
POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
POL42060 International Security
POL42340 Programming for Social Scientists
POL42440 Political Economy of Security
SOC40620 Nationalism and Social Change
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 International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information: https://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/int%20pmp/
- These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes.
Application dates
How to apply?
The following entry routes are available:
MA Peace and Conflict FT (W410)
Duration
1 Years
Attend
Full Time
Deadline
Rolling*
MA Peace and Conflict PT (W411)
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
Duration
1 Year Full-Time (W410) or 2 Years Part-Time (W411). Mode of Delivery: Face-to-Face.
Enrolment dates
NEXT INTAKE: 2024/2025 September.
Post Course Info
Careers & Employability
Graduates work with international bodies, non-governmental organisations and state agencies in roles such as: government social researchers, diplomatic advisors and public affair consultants.
Recent graduates of UCD School of Politics & International Relations now work in:
United Nations
World Trade Organisation
IMF
European Commission
Asia Development Bank