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University College Cork

International Relations

Course Outline
The MA in International Relations is a one-year comprehensive course. It draws on international relations, conflict/peace studies and international history. The course explores issues such as war and peace, the international order, international crises, counterinsurgency, terrorism and foreign policy. It combines an exploration of the contemporary world with a study of the past. This one-year master's course has both taught and research phases.

Programme Requirements
Students take modules to the value of 90 credits comprising taught modules to the value of 45 credits (Part I) and a dissertation to the value of 45 credits (Part II).

Why Choose This Course
This is one of the first MA courses in Ireland to offer you the opportunity to expand your knowledge of international relations. The course has a very successful track record, and has produced many high-calibre graduates who have gone on to enter the worlds of international diplomacy, academia, government and business. It offers a unique combination of contemporary and historical approaches to analysing international relations.

Entry requirements

Requirements
To be considered for registration an applicant will normally have; (a) a primary degree of at least Second Class Honours Grade I level in a suitable subject or the equivalent (b) Applications from students with a Second Class Honours Grade II degree in a suitable subject may also be considered. These applicants may be requested to submit a proposal and/or attend an interview.

All candidates must satisfy a Selection Committee who may request applicants to provide letters of reference.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements available here.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements, please find our grades comparison by country here.

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Duration

1 year, full-time, 2 years, part-time.
CKE45 Full-time; CKD22 Part-time.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Careers or further progression

Skills and Careers Information
Past graduates of the course over the last decade have gone on to further study, academia, diplomatic service, international organisations, the EU, international think tanks, non-governmental organisations and public service. Others have embarked on careers in multinational companies, as well as in traditional sectors such as teaching, journalism and the civil service.

Further enquiries

Dr. Mervyn O'Driscoll
mervyn.odriscoll@ucc.ie
+ 353 21 490 3477
https://www.ucc.ie/en/history/graduatestudies/maininternationalrelations/

Deirdre O'Sullivan/Geraldine McAllister
deirdre@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 4902755

Subjects taught

Part I
HI6026 US Foreign Policy and Contemporary History (10 credits)
HI6056 Issues in World Politics (5 credits)
HI6092 International Relations Theories and Approaches (10 credits)
HI6035 Foreign Policy and Diplomacy: Case Studies in Crises and Decision-making (10 credits)

Plus 10 credits from:
HI6045 War and Peace: the European State System from 1648 to 1990 (10 credits)
HI6060 The Politics of Terrorism (10 credits)
GV6115 European Security (10 Credits)
LW6XXX Public International (5 Credits) and LW6656 Contemporary Issues in Public International Law (5 credits)*
HI6063 Work Placement and Portfolio (10 Credits)

Part II
HI6100 History Dissertation (45 credits): A dissertation of a maximum of 20,000 words must be submitted by a specified date in September. Your thesis will be on a relevant topic within the broad areas of international relations, including international history and conflict/peace studies.

Note: All electives are chosen in consultation with the Programme Director and are subject to availability and timetable requirements

*The two 5 credit LW modules must be studied as a 10 credit package

Postgraduate Certificate in History (International Relations)
Candidates who pass at least 30 credits of taught modules may opt to exit the programme and be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in History (International Relations).

For further details and module descriptions, see the Postgraduate College Calendar.

Modules
Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our book of modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar
You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Comment

Course Practicalities
You will be expected to attend 144 lecture/seminar hours in UCC.

The taught half of the course is centred on continuous assessment such as long and short essays, the compilation of portfolios, policy papers, in-class exercises, analysis of international texts, class participation, and oral presentations. There is one formal written examination.

The 50% weighting for the thesis reflects the importance of independent research.

Who teaches on the programme
Dr Mike Cosgrave: military history, leadership in history and international organisations.

Dr David FitzGerald: specialist in American military and foreign policy, especially counterinsurgency warfare and 'small wars'.

Dr Detmar Klein: nineteenth- and twentieth-century French and German history.

Dr Mervyn O'Driscoll: nuclear history, foreign policy, European integration and IR theory.

Professor Geoffrey Roberts: specialist in international history, Soviet and Russian foreign policy and IR theory.

Professor David Ryan: specialist in contemporary history, American history and US foreign policy.

Assessment method

The 50% weighting for the thesis reflects the importance of independent research.

Application date

Applications for academic year 2020/2021 are open.

EU Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught courses, which means offers are made four times a year on a rolling basis. Some courses have one specific closing date, please check your course prospectus page for this information.

The UCC rounds closing dates for postgraduate taught courses are below. Applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of full applications:
For all completed applications received by January 10th 2020
Offers will be made by January 24th 2020

For all completed applications received by March 2nd 2020
Offers will be made by March 16th 2020

For all completed applications received by May 1st 2020
Offers will be made by May 15th 2020

For all completed applications received by July 1st 2020
Offer will be made by July 15th 2020

Late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity.

Non-EU Closing Date: 15 June
Non-EU Applicants: Information for Non-EU applicants may be found on the International Office Website https://www.ucc.ie/en/international/