Course Details

The M.Sc. in Economic Policy Studies (EPS) programme is a two-year part-time postgraduate programme designed to provide graduates with the skills to apply economic perspectives and approaches to the study of policy issues. There is an in-take of new students every second year; accordingly the next student in-take will be for the academic year commencing September 2010. Staff from the Department of Economics, as well as where appropriate other staff from both within and outside the College, lecture on the programme. The programme's aim is to provide participants with a greater understanding of the economic policy process and the ability to engage confidently in evidence-based economic policy making. It enables graduates to contribute effectively to the processes of economic policy formulation, change and implementation, using various concepts and methods in social science analyses. Policy making in any field requires a range of skills and analytical approaches; while this programme focuses on economic policy and on the economic analysis of other policies, the political economy context, both domestically and internationally, is also explored.

During the two years, students will undertake a number of modules over three ten-week terms and spend the remainder of the second year working on their dissertations. The first teaching term takes place from late September to December and the second from January to March of Year 1. Students undertake four modules in Year 1 as follows: data analysis, modelling and research methods; understanding markets; Irish economic policy issues and context; macroeconomic concepts and issues. The third teaching term takes place form late September to December of Year 2 and in this time students undertake two specialised modules; namely project analysis and evaluation; and competition and regulation. The remainder of Year 2 is focused on completion of the dissertation.