As set out by the requirements of UCD Graduate Studies, QCSS students are required to complete a minimum of 35 credits of course works in Stage 1, followed by a programme of original research leading to the award of Doctoral degree by research. More information can be found here.
Modules
All students must take the following module:
All students take at least one of the following three modules:
- SOC40640 Social Simulation: Methods and Models
- POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis
- ECON50580 PhD Econometrics
In addition, all students take at least three modules, totalling to at least 15 credits. Students with a technical background (computer science, engineering, statistics) take these modules from relevant offerings in the social sciences, while students with a social science background (incl. business and law) take these modules from relevant offerings in computer science, mathematics, and/or statistics.
- ACM40290 Numerical Algorithms
- COMP40730 High Performance Computing
- PLAN40220 Geographical Information Systems
- POL42340 Programming for Soc Scientists
- SOC40640 Social Simulation: Methods and Models
- STAT40400 Monte Carlo Inference
- STAT40680 Stochastic Models
- COMP47670 Data Science in Python
- COMP40610 Information Visualisation
- COMP41680 Data Science in Python
- COMP47470 Big Data Programming
- SOC40690 Demographic Analytics: T & A
- SOC41030 Sciences, Technologies & Societies
- STAT30270 Statistical Machine Learning
- STAT40150 Multivariate Analysis
- SOC41070 SocThinking in the Digital Age
- SOC41130 AI and Society
- SOC30380 Social Dynamics and Networks
The range of modules is subject to change.
The students may register for other modules depending on their research theme with permission from their Supervisor and the Module Coordinator.
The College of Social Sciences and Law schools also make a range of modules available to graduate research students outside their school each year. For a sample of such modules, click here.
Please see this page for PhD module registration information.
A formal Stage Transfer Assessment (STA) takes place in order to progress from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the PhD. The STA should be completed within 5 trimesters for a full-time student or 7 for a part-time student. Students must submit a body of written work to a review panel, who will conduct an interview on the work submitted, and must also complete a Research and Professional Development Planning (RPDP). For more information on the RPDP click here.
The PhD may take the form of a traditional thesis, or a collection of papers (including published papers or papers submitted or prepared for submission) describing a coherent programme of research that has been published or prepared for publication in peer-reviewed journals of international standing, accompanied by a critical and theoretical overview of the work presented in the papers.
UCD/TCD Collaboration
SPIRe collaborates with the Department of Political Science in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). We currently share modules on quantitative and qualitative research methods. In addition, TCD operates a Maths and Coding Bootcamp for incoming students, as a preparatory course for Quants I.
Students enrolling on the QCSS programme are welcome to attend one or both camps. These usually take place prior to the start of term.