Masters Degrees in International Politics, Ireland

The objective of the course is to develop students' knowledge of international politics with a comprehensive empirical approach to understanding many prominent problems in contemporary world politics, especially topics where domestic and international politics cannot be understood in isolation from each other. These topics include democratisation, international cooperation, development and foreign aid, international conflict as well as the politics of many environmental issues and their implications for the politics of developing countries. Students will also receive training in research methods.

This course aims to provide students with the necessary skills for a range of research-related careers in the fields of applied policy research, business, government, law, media, international aid, and international governmental and non-governmental organizations. It also will provide a solid foundation for progress to research PhDs.

The course is of twelve months duration, on a full time basis. Teachings starts in September and the M.Sc. concludes with the submission of a dissertation the following August.

The M.Sc. course consists of the following modules: International Politics, Democratisation, Development Policy, Principles of Research Design, International Environmental Policy, International Political Economy, International Organisation, International Conflict and Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods. In addition, students will complete a dissertaion of approximately 10,000 words in length. Students who fail to achieve a satisfactory mark for the dissertation element may be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Political Science.

Admission Requirements

Candidates should normally have achieved an upper second class honour degree, or higher from an established university. GPA scores of at least 3.3 out of 4, or equivalent, will be expected from international applicants. A background in a social science will be an advantage but not a necessity. Applications are expected from candidates with a single or joint honours degree in Political Science, Economics, European Studies, History, Sociology, Business and Law.

Applicants must, in addition to the College requirement to provide academic transcripts and two letters of recommendation, provide a motivation letter and one piece of written work (for example an undergraduate dissertation or essay).

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Overview

The LLM (International Justice) provides students with critical insights into the international legal system and how it operates to promote and secure justice. It analyses how the international legal order works and how it seeks to protect vulnerable groups, including minorities, migrants and peoples with disabilities. The programme draws on law and other disciplines, including sociology, anthropology and politics, to provide students with a comprehensive examination of the challenges facing international justice mechanisms today.

Placement opportunities with partner civil society organisations, such as Transparency International (Ireland) will be available.

Teaching is delivered by means of small class lectures, in-class simulations, workshops and masterclasses.

The programme will be very attractive to law graduates who wish to specialise in the field of international law and to non-law graduates who may be interested in undertaking a vocational law programme in the future.


Minimum English language requirements:
•IELTS: 6.5 minimum overall score
•TOEFL (Paper based test): 585
•TOEFL (Internet based test): 95
•PTE (Pearson): 62

National University of Ireland Maynooth’s TOEFL code is 8850

Course Structure

Students must complete 90 credits in total, completing 30 taught credits in each semester. A 30 credit dissertation is completed during the summer. Students may choose any combination of modules they wish, however, they cannot take more than 30 taught credits per semester. Not all modules offered will run every year; offerings are dependent upon demand and other potential constraints.Modules offered include Public International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Criminal law, the rights of Minorities and Indigenous peoples, and Globalisation, Migration and the Law.

Career Options

The programme will prepare students for policy and advocacy work in national, regional, and international organisations with a social and economic justice mandate. Students can gain work experience through optional placements offered as part of the programme.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code

MH65J

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Minimum English language requirements:
•IELTS: 6.5 minimum overall score
•TOEFL (Paper based test): 585
•TOEFL (Internet based test): 95
•PTE (Pearson): 62
National University of Ireland Maynooth’s TOEFL code is 8850

Overview

The LLM (International Justice) provides students with critical insights into the international legal system and how it operates to promote and secure justice. It analyses how the international legal order works and how it seeks to protect vulnerable groups, including minorities, migrants and peoples with disabilities. The programme draws on law and other disciplines, including sociology, anthropology and politics, to provide students with a comprehensive examination of the challenges facing international justice mechanisms today.

Placement opportunities with partner civil society organisations, such as Transparency International (Ireland) will be available.

Teaching is delivered by means of small class lectures, in-class simulations, workshops and masterclasses.

The programme will be very attractive to law graduates who wish to specialise in the field of international law and to non-law graduates who may be interested in undertaking a vocational law programme in the future.

Course Structure

Students must complete 90 credits in total, completing 30 taught credits in each semester. A 30 credit dissertation is completed during the summer. Students may choose any combination of modules they wish, however, they cannot take more than 30 taught credits per semester. Not all modules offered will run every year; offerings are dependent upon demand and other potential constraints.Modules offered include Public International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Criminal law, the rights of Minorities and Indigenous peoples, and Globalisation, Migration and the Law.

Career Options

The programme will prepare students for policy and advocacy work in national, regional, and international organisations with a social and economic justice mandate. Students can gain work experience through optional placements offered as part of the programme.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code

MH64J

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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International Peace Studies examines the sources of war and armed conflict and suggests methods of preventing and resolving them through processes of peacemaking and peacebuilding. The course combines perspectives from international relations, ethics and conflict resolution to reflect critically upon the wide range of social, political and economic issues associated with peace and political violence. A week-long Mediation Summer School provides an opportunity to develop practical skills in the area of conflict resolution and mediation. There is also the option to participate in various field trips in Ireland and abroad. Students are required to take the two core modules as well as four modules from the list of modules. A sufficient number of optional modules must be taken to fulfil credit requirements. A. Core Modules The Politics of Peace and Conflict Research Methods B. Students must take four modules from the following list of options: International Politics Ethics in International Affairs Conflict Resolution and Nonviolence Armed Conflict, Peace-building and Development The United Nations and Peacekeeping Human Rights in Theory and Practice Gender, War and Peace Northern Ireland: Conflict, Religion and the Politics of Peace The Politics of the Idea of Europe Race and Ethnicity, Theoretical Concepts Ethnic Conflict, Peace and the State NGOs in Theory and Practice: Internship Module Some changes to the structure and content of this course may be made during 2012-13. Prospective candidates should contact the Executive Officer for information on new developments. Teaching takes place in Dublin over two terms. A one term, non-degree course is available and is ideal for those on sabbatical, or for those who prefer a shorter period of study. There is also the option of attending single modules. Modules from the M.Phil. in Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies and the M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation are open to students on the M.Phil. in International Peace Studies. Students seeking to be assessed for their work on a module in either of the two other courses must first secure the permission of the relevant course coordinators. Dissertation: A research dissertation (15,000 – 20,000 words) to be supervised by an appropriate member of staff and to be submitted by 16 August.

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A cross-border course - Belfast and Dublin After registration in Dublin at the start of the course, teaching takes place in Belfast over two teaching terms, September to December and January to early April. The second term includes a residential Spring School in Dublin. For the remainder of the programme, including the summer dissertation period, April-September students may be based in either Belfast or Dublin depending on their research interests. A one term (twelve week) programme is available and is ideal for those on sabbatical, or for those who prefer a shorter period of study.
Course Description:
This innovative cross-border programme allows M.Phil. students to take a broader joint course Master in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, or a specialist option for either a Master in Conflict Resolution or a Master in Reconciliation Studies. The Conflict Resolution specialism develops skills in conflict analysis and conflict intervention for both established practitioners and those seeking to develop new expertise in conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation. The Reconciliation specialism offers an inter-disciplinary approach to the challenges of social reconciliation in the aftermath of political conflict, drawing on social research, politics, theology and ethics. Particular attention is given to ethnic conflicts, and the role of religion in such conflicts and in peacebuilding and reconciliation. Case studies typically include: Northern Ireland; South Africa; Zimbabwe; Rwanda; El Salvador; Guatemala; Israel/Palestine; and Sri Lanka. The programme equips graduates for work with local and international organisations, and provides transferable skills for a wide variety of careers, including mediation, diplomacy, policy, advocacy, journalism, teaching and Ph.D. research.

Students are required to take a 10 ECTS core module in Research Skills, a further 50 ECTS of taught modules, and a 30 ECTS research dissertation. In the Conflict Resolution specialism, students are required to take the core module, Conflict Analysis and Models of Intervention. In the Reconciliation specialism, students are required to take the core module, Dynamics of Reconciliation. Optional modules worth 10 ECTS include: Conflict Resolution Skills, Conflict Transformation, Conflict Resolution Lessons from Comparative Peace Processes, Social Research for Transformation, Reconciliation in Northern Ireland, Theology of Reconciliation, Community Learning and Reflective Practice in Northern Ireland, and Post-Conflict Justice and Truth Commissions. Optional modules worth 5 ECTS include: Guided Research Project and South Africa: The Ethics of Truth and Reconciliation. Modules are generally assessed on written work of 3,000-5,000 words, to be submitted according to the internal deadlines distributed at the beginning of each academic year, with final submission date by 1 May. Subject to satisfactory performance in the written work, students may proceed to the submission of the dissertation. Students who do not reach that standard, but who nonetheless are judged by the Court of Examiners to have reached a satisfactory level of performance, may be recommended for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma, without further assessment. The 30 ECTS dissertation is 15,000-20,000 words, and to be submitted by 1 August. The dissertation is required for all M.Phil. students.

Further details on the specialist tracks are available on the School website http://www.tcd.ie/ise/resolution/

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Overview

Societies such as Ireland are adjusting very rapidly to change in the external and internal environments.

The aim of this MA is to interrogate the social, political, economic and cultural dimensions of the internet in contemporary societies. From work to leisure, from education to politics, the internet provides a platform for new forms of interaction, engagement and socialisation. This exciting new MA will build upon the theoretical and methodological strengths of the Department of Sociology, with additional options offered by the Departments of Law and Media in Maynooth.

Course Structure

The taught programme is built around three components: a core theoretical module, substantive courses, and methods courses. Modules include the political economy and cultures of the internet, information technology and privacy law and advanced digital research methods. Beyond this, the researching and writing of a thesis constitutes 30 credits. Each module comprises on average 12 two hour seminars.

Career Options

The aim of the MA in Sociology (Internet and Society) programme is to prepare students for both academic and non-academic positions which support social behaviour online, including on social media and in large transnational online communities. Graduates of this course will be able to interface with programmers and designers and with those working on the deep statistical analysis of user data. There is a demand for digitally literate graduates who understand the social, cultural, political, legal and business aspects of transnational online users and communities. Graduates will be able to develop, execute and report on internet based research projects for a range of public and private sector employers. They may also wish to use their new skills to progress to PhD studies.

How to Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHY56 MA Sociology (Internet and Society)

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:
Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide a copy of their birth certificate or valid passport, two academic references and official transcripts. A personal statement is required. This should include any information that you consider relevant to your interest and ability in the MA in Sociology.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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This Belfast-based degree is an innovative cross-border programme which takes an inter-disciplinary approach to the challenges of social reconciliation in the aftermath of armed conflict. The programme grows out of and addresses the needs and experiences of people in Northern Ireland. Particular attention is given to ethnic conflicts and the role of religion in such conflicts. It is designed to address the challenge of developing a fuller, more complex and more systematic understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to reconciliation. Thirty years of violence have taught people some costly wisdom about reconciliation, which needs both to be consolidated and further applied in Northern Ireland and to be offered to others who have experienced similar conflicts. Reciprocally, the Reconciliation Studies programme will also be probing conflicts around the world for lessons to be applied in Northern Ireland and more widely. The programme also includes a one-week Spring School in Dublin.

Students take at least five of the eight courses offered and are assessed on four of them. The courses include Dynamics of Reconciliation; Theology of Reconciliation; Conflict Transformation; Northern Ireland – Conflict and Reconciliation; Social Research Methods; Resources of Reconciliation in World Religions; When the Fighting Stops: Transitional Justice and Truth Commissions; and Conflict and Collective Identity: Ethnicity, Nationalism and Religion. Students also participate in a one-week Spring School in Dublin, which varies in content from year to year. In addition seminars will be organised in support of the programme.

Assessment: The assessment consists of four 5,000-6,000 word essays: students submit an essay on the first course ‘Dynamics of Reconciliation’, at least one from courses 2, 3 or 4, and two others – to be completed by 1st May, and an 18,000-20,000 word dissertation to be completed by 15th September.

All students are registered on a common Masters programme and follow the same assessment procedures for the four essays required. Subject to satisfactory performance in the four essays, students may proceed to submission of a dissertation for the M.Phil. degree. Students who do not reach that standard, but who nonetheless are judged by the Court of Examiners to have reached a satisfactory level of performance, may be recommended for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma, without further assessment.

Admission Requirement:
Applicants should normally have an honors degree at second-class level or above. Students not meeting these criteria may exceptionally be considered at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

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This degree addresses issues of environment and development and the interlinkages between them. Global climate change and poverty are two of the most large-scale and serious issues facing humankind. Both compromise human and environmental security and are increasingly interlinked. This degree aims to develop a critical understanding of the operation of socio-political and environmental processes from local to global scales. Particular emphasis will be laid upon the interconnectedness between political and socio-spatial theory, governance, civil society, environmental conflict, and climate change, amongst other issues. The course includes an innovative fieldcourse based in Rwanda on Climate-Environment-Sustainability Interactions and Threats to Livelihoods. Further details on modules and on the fieldtrip are available from the course director.

A wide variety of careers will be open to graduates from this programme in overseas development assistance for public, private and non-governmental organizations. It is envisaged that the programme will also attract active professionals already working in these fields, who wish to strengthen their qualifications, in addition to students who wish to develop careers in this area or to pursue further academic studies.

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The United States is the most influential nation in the world. However, a number of challenges in recent years have called into question the sustainability of American leadership abroad and prosperity at home. These include, but are not limited to, the notion of American decline in relation to rising powers such as China: a political system that appears to have entered an extended period of dysfunction; recurring problems in race relations; and rising economic inequality. This MA degree programme, which is the first of its kind in Europe or North America, allows students to explore in depth the foreign policy and political challenges facing the United States. Drawing upon the disciplines of history and political science, it explores a wide variety of topics such as the origins of American exceptionalism, the importance placed upon individual liberty, the emergence of the US as a world power, the Cold War, transatlantic relations, presidential and congressional election, race and gender, partisanship and more. Modules in this programme are taught by resident UCD faculty and by visiting lecturers, who will consider theoretical and practical perspectives. The programme will interest those seeking a career in government, media, in the non-profit sector, in business and those hoping to undertake advanced study in these areas.

“Having spent years working in news I’d always wanted to get behind the headlines. This masters offers a fascinating insight into the policies, ideologies and people that have shaped the US and thus our world order”. – Niamh

CURRICULUM

This is a 90 credit programme, of which 60 credits come from taught modules and 30 from a dissertation. 50 credits are from core modules and the remaining 10 from a list of options available through other Schools.
Type of modules you could expect to take but is subject to change each year include:
American Political Tradition
Foundations of US Foreign Policy
American Politics Today
Challenges in Contemporary US Foreign Policy

Eligibility

Applicants for the MA should hold one of the following qualifications:
• A first class or second class, grade 1 degree
• A US or Canadian degree with a GPA of 3.0
• If an applicant doesn’t meet the normal entry requirement of a Level 8 degree, in exceptional circumstances they would normally • • present another qualification or award along with extensive work experience in order to be considered.

To Apply

– http://www.ucd.ie/apply

Queries can be directed to, Catherine Carey, Manager

[email protected]
http://www.ucdclinton.ie

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