International Public Policy and Diplomacy MSc

Course details

The MSc in International Public Policy and Diplomacy is an innovative, interdisciplinary, taught master’s course that provides graduates with the expertise and work experience required for successful careers in international policy environments.

The course is offered by UCC’s Departments of Government, History, Law and Management and Marketing and will give you access to expertise across a perse range of subjects. The MBS International Public Policy and Diplomacy is strongly orientated toward vocational skills training, through coursework and the opportunity to undertake a work placement.

The work placement will give you a unique opportunity to develop important professional skills and to immediately apply your learning to the professional world.

The course will be of interest to you if you aspire to a career in, or are already working in, departments of foreign affairs and other government ministries, international political and financial organisations, the armed forces, aid agencies, non-governmental organisations, think-tanks, and international businesses.

Course Details

The MSc in International Public Policy and Diplomacy is pided in two parts.

Part 1:

In Part 1, students take a combination of compulsory and elective modules.

• The core modules of Part 1 invite you to engage with:
• the contemporary global challenges facing policymakers
• processes of government decision-making in relation to international affairs
• international economic policies and institutions
• international law
• the institutions and policies of the European Union (EU).

In addition, you will develop practical and analytical skills relevant to working in international affairs and gain an insight into personal and group dynamics associated with leadership.

You will also choose from a range of electives offered by the Departments of Government, Law and History.

Part 2:

Part 2 of the course challenges you to apply the skills acquired in Part 1 either by undertaking:

• an independent piece of policy-oriented research or
• a work placement in an international policy environment. The length of the work placement may vary from three to five months.

Specialist career advice is available to students through the Work Placement Officer and support is given in the planning for and application to work placement organisations. Our graduates have found the work placement to be an extremely valuable first step in their professional careers giving them unrivalled opportunities to make professional contacts and gain first-hand experience of the international policy world.

Other distinctive features of the course are field trips to Brussels and Dublin and a visiting speaker series.

In part 1 you will visit Brussels to visit key European institutions (the European Commission, the European Parliament and NATO, as well as think tanks and NGOs).

In part 2 you will visit Dublin to meet with policy-makers. The course also includes a visiting speaker series, with policy-makers, researchers and academics speaking to students on a wide range of contemporary issues.

Assessment

In part 1, the course is assessed through a variety of course work assignments, including

• research projects
• policy reports
• presentations
• group work.

The assessment is designed to help you to develop both the understanding of issues and the practical skills necessary to work in international affairs.

In part 2 of the course, the assessment involves

• a detailed work placement portfolio if you are undertaking the work placement, or
• researching and writing a 15,000-20,000-word dissertation (if you are completing the dissertation).