COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA in Public Policy at University of Galway is structured as a 90-credit, full-time program that equips students with the analytical skills, research expertise, and practical knowledge needed to influence policymaking and governance. The curriculum is designed to balance core policy studies, research training, and flexible optional modules, allowing students to tailor their learning to specific interests such as social policy, gender, human rights, environmental economics, and international development. In Year 1, students complete core modules including Research Methods & Methodology, a Research Paper, Public Policy and Politics, Policy Challenges at national, European, and global levels, and two Research Workshops, which provide hands-on experience in designing, analysing, and evaluating policy research. Alongside these required modules, students can choose from a variety of optional modules in Semester 1, such as Families and Children in Society and Policy, Advocacy and Access to Justice, Crime and Disorder, Imprisonment and Rights, and Professional Experience, providing opportunities for applied learning in real-world contexts. In Semester 2, the optional modules expand further to cover interdisciplinary areas such as Development and Human Rights, Gender, Sexuality and Global Health, Strategic Communication, Communicating Climate Action and Science, Ocean and Marine Policy, Urban Public Policy, and Conflict, Peace and Security, as well as data analytics and environmental economics. Core modules in the second semester include a Public Policy Seminar and Research Workshops II, which reinforce skills in evidence-based policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and policy evaluation. This combination of taught modules, applied learning, and research-focused workshops ensures that graduates emerge with a comprehensive understanding of the policy process, the ability to critically assess complex policy challenges, and the practical competencies needed to work effectively in government, international organisations, NGOs, and other institutions shaping public policy.