SPIRe has a series of upcoming webinars relating to our suite of masters' programmes.
The webinar below is a general information webinar, focusing primarily on application submission broad questions about the programmes.
You can register for this webinar by scanning the QR code or by (opens in a new window)clicking this link.
The below webinars are taking place on the 29th and 30th of April and are programme specific webinars.
The details and registration links are below:
SPIRe Graduate Programmes Webinar 1
When: Apr 29, 2024 02:00 PM Dublin
MEconSc European Public Affairs and Law
MSc European Governance
MA / MSc European Politics and Policy
MA / MSc International Political Economy
MSc Politics and Data Science
(opens in a new window)Please click here to register for this webinar
SPIRe Graduate Programmes Webinar 2
When: Apr 30, 2024 01:00 PM Dublin
MA / MSc International Development
MA / MSc Gender, Politics and International Relations
MA / MSc Peace and Conflict
MA Middle East Politics
MSc Human Right
(opens in a new window)Please click here to register for this webinar
SPIRe Graduate Programmes Webinar 3
When: Apr 30, 2024 03:00 PM Dublin
MA / MSc Politics
MA Political Theory
MA Politics and International Relations PT
MA / MSc International Relations
(opens in a new window)Please click here to register for this webinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
If you wish to be notified of other webinars, please fill out our (opens in a new window)Webinar Sign Up Sheet
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The graduate programme in the UCD School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) encompasses master’s degrees and graduate diplomas in a wide range of areas, including development studies, European affairs, human rights, international relations, Irish and European politics, peace and conflict, and political theory. In particular, we offer both MSc and MA programmes in four subject areas, three interdisciplinary master’s degrees, and two graduate diplomas.
Basic information on all these programmes is available below, with further details available by clicking on the various programmes’ titles.
Our graduates work at leading universities and in governments, EU institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, the media, business and the voluntary sector. They are known for their ability to communicate clearly and effectively about complex issues, their ability to analyse and resolve difficult problems and their contribution to cutting-edge scholarship.
If you have any queries, please use the 'Ask a Question' button on the programme of your choice or email (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie.
Some courses have the option of either an MA or MSc version of the same programme
Students opting for the MSc variation of the programme will, in addition, take core modules in research methods and statistics. This will provide a solid understanding of doing research and critically evaluating claims made by academics and other researchers. Those considering further study at PhD level or a career in research, policy analysis or journalism should certainly consider the MSc variant.
The MA track is broader and most will allow you to choose to complete a thesis or to apply for an internship to develop your professional skills in the field.
In general, all MSc programmes require a thesis, with the exception of the MSc Human Rights and the MSc Politics and Data Science, both of which offer the option of undertaking a thesis or internship .
Please take a look at the core/optional modules available on your chosen programme structure to determine the requirements.
Applications are made online. See this page for information.
For applications to SPIRe programmes, the following is required:
You are also encouraged to submit a CV or any other documentation that may help your application e.g. volunteer or work experience in a relevant field.
An application FAQ can be found here
No, SPIRe does not require an academic reference.
You just need to supply the details of one academic referee.
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.
Please note that our part-time programmes run during the day and are not timetabled in the evenings or at weekends.
Other Frequently Asked Questions can be found on this page.
The MA/MSc Politics degree was developed for those who wish to understand the role of politics in shaping the great issues of our day including power and conflict, distribution and inequality, relations between nations, and the new challenges of globalisation, financial crisis, national security, and climate change.
MA: For more information on this programme click (opens in a new window)here
MSc: For more information on this programme click (opens in a new window)here
This programme is designed to deepen knowledge and understanding of the domestic and regional politics of the Middle East. It is structured around a set of thematic modules that encourage students to explore political dynamics in the region from a number of different perspectives.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector and other areas who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations whilst continuing their employment.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA/MSc International Relations probes into the causes and consequences of phenomena such as war, trade, regional integration, migration and terrorism.
MA: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
MSc: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA/MSc European Politics and Policy is structured around a set of courses dedicated to different aspects of European politics, both EU and comparative European.
MA: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
MSc: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
As a crucial part of understanding our human condition, political theory has always been held to be a valuable activity. More recently, however, changes in contemporary societies have made such systematic thinking about politics indispensable to understanding and participating in the life of our own state and a newly global world.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
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.
MA: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
MSc: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA/MSc 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.
MA: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
MSc: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
An intensive, multi-disciplinary and tightly-focused programme of study on the European Union; its development, structures, decision-making and law as well as a major focus on the Union’s growing international role and capacity.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA/MSc International Political Economy explores the international trade, monetary and finance systems, the processes of globalisation, the impact of emerging economies, and the causes and consequences of economic underdevelopment.
MA: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
MSc: For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MSc in Human Rights is an intensive course that prepares you for a career in human rights research, policy or advocacy in international organisations, governmental and non-governmental bodies, or academia.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The MA/MSc Gender, Politics and International Relations programme investigates the ways in which gender is implicated in the structure, practice, and theorising of politics. The programme explores the ways in which gender identity impacts on individual and group interactions with the domestic political system and global politics. It also recognises that national and international political structures are gendered and that this effects power relations, political behaviour, and public policies.
For more information on the MA programme click (opens in a new window)here
For more information on the MSc programme click (opens in a new window)here
The digital revolution has confronted politics and society with a multitude of new challenges and upset the traditional balance of power between Government, individual citizens, and broader society. The explosion of online and social media, the proliferation of digitised information, and improved electronic access to political decision-making processes provide new opportunities to study existing and emerging political processes. The simultaneous development of cutting-edge data science methods to study digital text, audio, and video provide the tools we need to take advantage of these opportunities. The MSc Politics and Data Science is designed to equip students with the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills necessary to examine and understand politics in the digital age.
For more information on this programme click (opens in a new window)here.
This 2-year programme is a double degree programme run in conjunction with the University of Utrecht School of Governance. Students will develop interdisciplinary skills, working in the domains of law and politics, with an enhanced capacity for problem solving. The distinctive contribution of the UCD programme is that it brings legal insights into questions of European governance, exploring law as a framing and constraining device and looks at the EU as an actor from a global perspective paying close attention to political economy questions.
For more information on this programme click here.
This programme is fully online and has the unique ability to address the large range of issues covered by the SDG agenda that will equip students to solve some of the most pressing issues of our times.
Information Session Webinars for this programme are now available!
(opens in a new window)Register in advance for one of the webinars by clicking here.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For more information on this programme click here.
The digital revolution has confronted politics and society with a multitude of new challenges and upset the traditional balance of power between Government, individual citizens, and broader society. The explosion of online and social media, the proliferation of digitised information, and improved electronic access to political decision-making processes provide new opportunities to study existing and emerging political processes. The simultaneous development of cutting-edge data science methods to study digital text, audio, and video provide the tools we need to take advantage of these opportunities. The Grad Dip Politics and Data Science is designed to equip students with the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills necessary to examine and understand politics in the digital age.
For more information on this programme click (opens in a new window)here.
The Grad Dip Politics and International Relations is designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals in government, journalism, the NGO sector and other areas who wish to deepen their education in politics and international relations whilst continuing their employment.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The Grad Dip 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.
For more information on this programme (opens in a new window)click here
The SPIRe Professional Certificate is designed for motivated and professional students in the public and private sectors. The Professional Certificate in Programming for Social Scientists provides an introduction to computer programming using the Python language.
For more information on the ProfCert programme click (opens in a new window)here
The SPIRe Professional Certificate is designed for motivated and professional students in the public and private sectors. The Professional Certificate in Quantitative Text Analysis introduces students in a hands-on fashion to a variety of methods and tools in the booming fields of quantitative text analysis and natural language processing.
For more information on the ProfCert programme click here
In addition to the programmes above, SPIRe collaborates within the college to offer various Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Graduate Programmes.
This inter- and multidisciplinary programme will examine the socio-economic changes and political issues which influence policy making, the challenges associated with effective regulation and administration of public services and ensuring that policy decisions are evidence based. If you are interested in public policy research you can take a number of specialist modules on this issue. We also provide a number of optional streams which will enable you to examine different policy fields in depth.
For more information on this programme click here.
This inter- and multidisciplinary programme harvests the benefits that come with a more openly structured, interdisciplinary approach that is based on a wider contextual appreciation of political and social ideas. It will provide students with a deeper understanding of how ideas play out in practice and develop the knowledge base and critical skills required to think beyond disciplinary boundaries when addressing contemporary social and political problems.
For more information on this programme click here.