Politics & International Relations - 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.

Programme Outcomes

- acquaint students with cutting edge development issues
- allow students to comment critically on development interventions
- develop oral presentation skills
- enhance group work skills
- enhance students' abilities to assess development practice on the ground
- equip students with the skills to work in the field of international development

Subjects taught

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 (credits in parentheses)

Please note that these are subject to change

Autumn Trimester

Core Modules
POL42330 Research Design (10)
POL40100 Politics of Development (10)
POL41860 Governance, Pol, Dev (10)

Option Modules
LAW40760 NGO Law (10)
POL40050 Theories of Internat.Relations (10)
POL40140 International Political Theory (10)
POL40950 Introduction to Statistics (10)
POL40970 Politics European Governance (10)
POL41020 Politics of Human Rights (10)
POL41650 Global Political Econ ofEurope (10)
POL41800 Theories of Int'l Rels Stream2 (10)
POL41910 Political Violence (10)
POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in MENA (10)
POL42040 Gender & the Political System (10)
POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists (10)

Spring Trimester

Option Modules
GS40100 Gender, Harm and Justice (10)
POL40160 Comparative Public Policy (10)
POL40370 International Political Econom (10)
POL40540 Comparative European Politics (10)
POL40610 EU Foreign and Security Policy (10)
POL41030 Theory of Human Rights (10)
POL41640 Qual Research Methods for Pol (10)
POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security (10)
POL41780 The Politics of Inequality (10)
POL41870 Econ & Policy Analysis 1 10cr (10)
POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies (10)
POL42000 Political Theory and the EU (10)
POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis (10)
POL42060 International Security (10)
POL42070 Politics of (mis-)information (10)

Summer Trimester
POL42300 SPIRe Internship (30)
or
POL42310 Thesis (30)

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.

Application dates

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

Duration

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

Post Course Info

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: