Institute of Public Administration - IPA

In the first year - the Postgraduate Diploma in Policy Analysis -students attend lectures on one evening and one full day over the course of the academic year and occasional tutorials. The second year - during which students attend scheduled seminars - is devoted to the preparation of a dissertation.

The Master of Economic Science in Policy Analysis (MEconSc) is a two-year, part-time programme that addresses the tangible need for the development of policy analysis skills across the wider public service. Including the interim award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Policy Analysis, it explores subjects that are crucial to the expert assessment of contemporary public policy, including project management, economic and financial analysis, social policy analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. Students will appreciate the role that such policy analysis plays in promoting economic and social progress and understand the tools and methodologies that should be applied in such analysis.

Audience
This programme is open to public servants of all grades who are concerned with policy analysis.

Delivery and Duration
The first year of the MEconSc follows the syllabus of the Postgraduate Diploma in Policy Analysis and is delivered through lectures at the IPA in Dublin and can be taken one day per week over two years or two days per week over one year. In the second and final year of the programme, students complete a dissertation on a policy analysis issue, building on the knowledge and skills that they have obtained in the Diploma year. Students will also attend scheduled seminars at the IPA.