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Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (CRR)

The Master’s (M.Phil.) in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation is designed to suit the needs of specialists already working in conflict resolution and reconciliation, as well as those new to these fields of study.

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What is Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation?

Conflict resolution is about how to make peace between warring parties. Reconciliation is about how societies recover and rebuild relationships after violence. These topics are part of the field of Peace Studies.

Peace is an ancient concept, but the formal study of peace is relatively recent. Peace Studies seeks to understand the causes of violent conflict and how to resolve it peacefully.

It’s a growing field, and as urgent now as it has ever been.

Why study Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation at Trinity College Dublin in Belfast?

If you choose this one-year course (two years part-time), you will:

  • Get a Master’s degree from Ireland’s leading university.
  • Immerse yourself in a dynamic post-conflict society.
  • Engage with classic and cutting-edge research on conflict resolution and reconciliation.
  • Debate with lecturers and practitioners with first-hand peacebuilding experience.
  • Gain advanced research experience and many other transferable skills.

Why is the course in Belfast?

This course was created in the aftermath of the 1998 ‘Good Friday’ Agreement – one of the most celebrated peace accords of recent decades. It was designed to train local peace practitioners and to support Northern Ireland’s transition.

Now, it welcomes students from around the world interested in peacemaking in Ireland and elsewhere.

Belfast is a vibrant city – transformed and transforming. But the past is unresolved, and peace is imperfect.

The city provides a unique backdrop to this MPhil. It offers opportunities you won’t get anywhere else.

What is the course like?

The core teaching staff are Dr David Mitchell and Dr Brendan Browne, both locally embedded and internationally recognised experts. Parts of the course are taught by other academics from the School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies, with a variety of guest practitioner contributions.

Coursework includes essays, presentations, and a dissertation.

Modules are taught primarily through weekly classes in Belfast. They include:

  • Dynamics of Reconciliation
  • Transitional Justice
  • Contemporary Conflict and Peacemaking: Global Perspectives
  • Conflict and Peace in Northern Ireland
  • Mediation and Peacebuilding Skills
  • Community Learning (placement)
  • Research Skills

What is it like to be a student in Belfast?

Belfast is a relatively compact and affordable city. The student experience here is unique – different to attending a large campus university, or Trinity in Dublin. Trinity in Belfast has its own excellent specialist library, small core staff, and PhD researchers. It’s a friendly and supportive environment in which to study.

Study space, sports facilities and clubs and societies are available through Queen’s University Belfast which is close by. Most Trinity student support services can be accessed remotely but students must travel to Dublin if they wish to access the full range of services in person. Guidance for international students on accommodation, visas, healthcare and more is available here.

What do students do afterwards?

Our graduates are scattered across the globe, helping build a more peaceful and sustainable future.

Graduates find work in a range of fields including:

  • Grassroots non-governmental organisations
  • International non-governmental organisations
  • Government, international organisations, and diplomacy
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • PhD research

Scholarships

The Irish School of Ecumenics Trust will make the following scholarship available:

  • Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation M.Phil. (CRR) - €2,000 (1 scholarship)

There is no separate application process. All incoming students who have accepted a firm offer by 25 July in the intended year of entry will be considered. For further details please contact SRAdmBlfst@tcd.ie.

Find out more about Postgraduate Scholarships.

2024-25 Fees

EU Students

Full-time over 1 year €9,800

Part-time over 2 years €6,410

Non-EU Students

Full-time over 1 year €18,180

Part-time over 2 years €10,820

What our Students Say

Chougher Maria Doughramajian, 2021-22 GOI-IES Scholar

Choosing Trinity College Dublin’s M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation at the Belfast campus was a natural decision for me. The programme’s emphasis on hands-on experience through fieldwork and placements, along with its focus on The Troubles and its legacy, intrigued me. Studying in Belfast provided a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a post-conflict environment. Now, working with The Rainbow Project, the national LGBTQ+ organisation in the north of Ireland, the skills I gained at Trinity have proven invaluable. The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship I received made this transformative experience possible. Overall, this programme not only shaped my career but also allowed me to form lasting connections and contribute meaningfully to the north of Ireland.

A.J. Pruitt, 2021 George J. Mitchell Scholar

Trinity College Dublin’s MPhil in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation offers the perfect blend of individualization you look for in any bespoke academic experience and the expertise you expect from a top international university. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the faculty in Belfast went above and beyond to build a cohesive community. I can’t think of a better place to study peace and conflict, and I’m certain there isn’t a better group of people to support you on that journey.

Kelsey Hanson, 2018

When I was looking into graduate programs, I wanted one that would take me out of the classroom and allow me to conduct hands on field research. This Master’s program was the only one I could find that not only allowed me to get out into the field but actively encouraged it through internships and field trips. But what really helped me make up my mind about choosing the Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation M.Phil. was its location in Belfast. The connections I made through this program, both personal and professional, were and are invaluable. I loved this program and it genuinely affected the trajectory of my professional life.

Peter Kiernan, 2018 George J. Mitchell Scholar

Trinity College Dublin exposes you to the best professors, resources, and classmates a university can offer. I chose to study conflict resolution and reconciliation at Trinity in Belfast because of the incredible depth of their programme. With a satellite-campus in Belfast, the programme is at ground zero for studying the Troubles and the ramifications of peace in a post-conflict society. The professors and coursework are foremost in the field and challenge you to go beyond assumptions, and the community and staff make you feel at home. All of this, while being immersed in an environment where you live and experience the effects of post-conflict everyday make for a deeply meaningful and constructive education. I came away with lifelong friends, mentors and memories that will last a lifetime.

QAA Reviewed

The School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies in Belfast is reviewed by the UK Quality Assurance Agency. Read the latest action plan and QAA Report.