24 Social Science MA Degree Programs in Ireland

The MA/MFA Art and Social Action is 1-year a postgraduate programme focused on trans-disciplinary practice and thinking that privileges collaborative approaches to production and creative approaches to social transformation, emphasising the capacity of art practice to imagine our world differently.

DCU’s MA in International Relations, the oldest of its kind in Ireland, offers an inclusive, multidisciplinary approach with expert faculty and a diverse student body. The programme covers international politics, human rights, trade, and security, with elective courses, small classes, and a dissertation, completed full-time in 12 months or part-time over two years.

DCU’s MA in Refugee Integration equips you to tackle global challenges like displacement and social inequality. Gain expertise in advocacy, policy, and humanitarian work, preparing for impactful careers in NGOs, government agencies, and international organisations, while promoting social justice and solidarity.

The full time MA Degree in International Development is a 1-year taught masters level programme designed to prepare participants for work in international development in a community, local government, youth/adult education or NGO setting. It offers learners an opportunity to explore contemporary theories of social change and development and to analyse development policies and practices.

The Dual MA in International War Studies will be offered by University College Dublin and the University of Potsdam. Students will spend one academic year in each institution. The MA will enable students to experience two different academic structures.

The MA in Politics is a one-year, full-time programme that enables students to choose the areas they wish to specialise in within the field of politics. This is a truly flexible programme that enables students to tailor the degree to their own interests, skills and future career plans. The only core modules that the MA in Politics students will be required to complete will be the two research methods modules that are common to all our postgraduate taught degrees. In addition, they can choose any two electives in the first semester and any three in the second.

The MA in Anthropology is an advanced degree in socio-cultural anthropology in which students are given a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of the discipline, a block of modules that open up and explore the conceptual and methodological core of the discipline, and a series of specialised modules that show the range of socio-cultural anthropology today.

The MA in International Relations equips you with the skills to analyze global challenges and opportunities in today’s rapidly changing world. This program offers in-depth knowledge of international affairs, politics, and diplomacy, preparing you for careers in government, NGOs, and global organizations.

The MA in European History is offered as a one-year full-time programme. It introduces participants to wider debates in European history and prepares them to complete a minor research thesis in conjunction with taught modules. The breakdown for this programme is 60 credits relating to taught modules and 30 credits relating to the thesis.

The Graduate Diploma/Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics (International) is a one-year taught programme and is offered on a full-time basis using a combination of faculty-student contact hours and self-directed learning and research. The MA is about exploring language in use in a wide variety of real-world situations and contexts (education, politics and wider society). The MA has a strong international focus both in practical terms with the possibility of an overseas semester, as well as advanced language options in English as a Foreign Language, French, German, Spanish (all languages may not run each year), and in theoretical terms reflecting faculty research interest in language and globalisation.

The MA in International Studies is a one year, full-time program which uses the disciplinary insights provided by international relations theories to investigate and explain contemporary international issues such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation, global inequality and child soldiers. Core modules are supplemented by a wide range of departmental electives, allowing students develop expertise in areas of their own interests.

The MA Cultural Policy and Arts Management is aimed at graduate students and experienced cultural sector practitioners seeking the skills to be effective managers and leaders in the arts and heritage fields. Lectures are carried out in small seminar rooms where active participation in debate.

Migration is a global phenomenon and of huge importance given its significant increase in recent decades; it is one of the most pressing and complex issues of the 21st century. The MA in Migration Studies at the University of Limerick offers a unique interdisciplinary suite of offerings, encompassing literary and media studies, geography, history, health, music, politics, sociology, law, and psychology modules.

The MA in Applied Linguistics and Intercultural Studies is a one-year full time (or two-year part-time) taught programme and is offered on a full-time basis using a combination of faculty-student contact hours and self-directed learning and research.

DCU’s MA in International Security and Conflict Studies equips students with the skills to analyse global security challenges, including peacekeeping, online radicalisation, and international treaties. With diverse students and expert faculty, the programme encourages collaborative learning through vibrant classroom discussions.