The UCD School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) is the oldest and largest school of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, UCD School of Politics and International Relations is ranked in the top 100 in the world.
PhD Politics and International Relations
This is a structured PhD programme offering training in research methods and coursework in the two subject areas of politics and international relations. Applicants to this programme must have completed and earned a minimum of a 2.1 (GPA: 3.6) grade in a taught Masters (MA, MSc, MLitt, etc.) programme in the area of politics and international relations or a cognate field, and articulate a research interest that fits with the expertise of SPIRe’s academic staff. If you are interested in exploring your research plans further with a member of staff, please feel free to contact staff individually. For more information on the PhD Politics and International Relations click here.
Details of SPIRe staff research interests can be found here.
Thematic PhD Programmes
SPIRe also hosts the thematic programmes below. These programmes are interdisciplinary in nature and involve co-supervision with other schools/universities.
PhD Quantitative and Computational Social Science
This structured PhD programme is built around quantitative and computational social science methods and tools applied to substantive and methodological research questions in the social sciences. The programme brings together the perspectives and research methods of various disciplines such as Economics, Politics, Sociology and Statistics. It includes (1) extensive training in cutting-edge research methods, (2) regular contact with a Research Studies Panel composed of academic staff with expertise related to the student’s interests, and (3) the writing of a doctoral thesis based on original research. For more information click here
PhD Global Human Development
The PhD in Global Human Development is a 3-4 year full time ‘sandwich’ programme jointly offered by UCD and one of a number of other universities in Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and China. (University of Dar Es Salaam, University of Malawi, University of Zimbabwe and Xiamen University), or any other university in a ‘developing country’ willing to accept students for their obligatory research stay. The programme has been developed for government personnel and public servants (such as Higher Education academics, research institutes) mainly in East Africa. For more information click here