European Politics & Policy

MSc European Politics & Policy
Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)

The MSc is structured around a set of courses dedicated to different aspects of European politics, both EU and comparative European.

- Students will gain a well-grounded knowledge of the issues facing European governance and the manner in which different European political systems have sought to address the challenges they face in an increasingly Europeanized and globalized world.

- MSc students will learn skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and use these skills to analyse questions of substantive interest in a rigorous and systematic manner.

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

The masters programs in European Politics and Policy-making aim to attract students interested in understanding European Politics and the challenges faced by European states in the 21st century.

Vision and Values Statement
This programmme aims to equip students with a deep and comprehensive knowledge of European politics and international relations, to critically appriase denates around European integration and to establish a basis for students' professional development as European policy specialists.

The MSc European Politics and Policy is a 90-credit programme. Full-time students must take a total of 60 credits between core and optional taught modules. Students must also submit a thesis worth 30 credits that will be written during the summer trimester.

Core and Option Modules for MSc European Politics and Policy

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

POL40950 Introduction to Statistics (Autumn)
POL40970 Politics European Governance (Autumn)
POL40540 Comparative European Politics (Spring)
POL41640 Qual Research Methods for Pol (Spring)

Option Modules

Autumn

LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU
POL40050 Theories of Internat.Relations
POL40140 Global Issues in Pol Theory
POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
POL41510 Middle East & North Africa
POL41650 Global Political Econ ofEurope
POL41800 Theories of Int'l Rels Stream2
POL41860 Governance, Pol, Dev 10cr
POL42040 Gender & the Political System
POL42440 Political Economy of Security

Spring

POL40610 EU Foreign, Security, and Defence Policy
POL41780 The Politics of Inequality
POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
POL42350 Connected_Politics
POL42440 Political Economy of Security
POL42480 Contemporary Election Campaigns: Democratic Norms and Empirical Research
POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism
POL42510 Party Organisation in the 21st Century
Summer Trimester Core Module

POL42310 Thesis (30 credits)

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:

MSc European Politics & Policy FT (W344)
Duration 1 Years
Attend Full Time
Deadline Rolling*

MSc European Politics & Policy PT (W345)
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

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.

Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.

Careers & Employability
Graduates can work within European institutions, with international private-sector employers, government agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations. Organisations including the European Union, the United Nations and IMF are all potential employers, with students having the skills to compete for roles such as Government Social Researcher, Diplomatic Advisor, and Public Affairs Consultant.