Contemporary international relations impact our lives in realms such as international politics, human rights, the economy, communications, and trade. This degree offers a broad interdisciplinary introduction to international relations.
It explores the concepts, forces and processes underpinning international relations, looking at the role of international organisations and powerful states, legal frameworks, foreign policy, and the international political economy.
Students on this programme come not only from Ireland and Europe, but from all corners of the globe including China, Nigeria, and the United States. Many come directly from undergraduate studies. Our programme provides such students with the option of obtaining a focused postgraduate degree.
Semester 1 modules are all core (i.e. required). In Semester 2, students take Research Methods, a second core module, and three optional modules (i.e. electives). The final component of the course is a 20,000-word dissertation, the major portion of which is produced in the summer months under supervision by a member of staff, and due for submission on the first Thursday of September yearly.
Graduates from the programme have gone on to work for development agencies, in the media, in diplomatic services, in international business, in communications, and to further research.
In previous years, the Department of Foreign Affairs and some non-governmental organisations have offered a limited number of short-term 'stagiaire' posts to the top graduates in each class, indicating the high regard with which the programme is held.
Click here for more information on what past graduates are doing
Applicants will normally have an honours primary degree or equivalent, but appropriate combinations of professional qualifications and experience may be accepted as equivalent to an honours degree, in accordance with the relevant University regulations.
The MA Programme features seminars and presentations by guest speakers with particular experience and expertise, be it as politicians, officials, academics or diplomats, in foreign policy and international relations. The intention is to facilitate the exploration of key issues in international relations in an informal, interactive environment.
In 2011 - 2012, our guests included:
Trips and tours are organised regularly by the School of Law and Government, including a trip to the Army Training Centre in the Curragh, a tour of the main legal institutions in Dublin, and (new in 2012-2013) a Northern Ireland tour.
The trips and tours are optional and have an associated cost, but are allied to various electives.
Click here for more details on MA Programme Events and Activities
2.1 (or equivalent experience) in any discipline
Full-time, taught
1 year
EU Fees: c. €6,573
Non-EU Fees: c. €11,200
Apply online through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC)
Deadline: 31 August 2012
Application Fee: Credit Card €45 or Bank Draft €50
Our MA programmes are heavily subscribed to. We therefore encourage people to apply to all the School of Law and Government MA programmes they are interested in, in order of preference. This will increase your chances of an offer. The PAC system allows you to rank three separate programmes.
Dr. Noelle Higgins
noelle.higgins@dcu.ie
+353 1 700 6471
Dr Noelle Higgins speaking about the MA in International Relations and MA in International Security and Conflict programmes and her research in international law
Dr Francesco Cavatorta speaking about his research on Islamist movements and the 'Arab Spring'
The MA in International Relations at DCU provided a solid and thorough grounding for me in the discipline of International Relations and related fields. Although I shifted into East Asian Studies for my PhD, I focused on regional international relations, and the skills and knowledge gained during what was an intensive 12 months at DCU has really stood to me. In fact, my doctoral dissertation was a natural development of the original MA dissertation I submitted several years ago