MSc Digital Policy
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
Request tuition fees
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus
Introduction
With support from Microsoft Ireland, UCD’s School of Information and Communication Studies has established the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme with the goal of building digital policy training and capability in Ireland and Europe.
The innovative programme mixes the abstract and the applied with core modules from the School of Information and Communication Studies and optional modules from other Schools in the College of Social Sciences and Law (COSSL) and Computer Science. This programme introduces students to basic concepts and issues in digital policy, giving a historical and critical understanding of how to theorise digital objects and environments by learning to situate them in perspectives such as platform capitalism, governance, data infrastructures, information analytics, interface critique and software studies.
The MSc in Digital Policy is designed to prepare graduates for careers in evaluating, implementing, and studying core topical, theoretical, and methodological issues that arise in digital policy today. The course will take a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the institutional and public policy dimensions of the prevalence of digital technology, as well as the underlying social conditions (economic, political, and cultural) and public/private sector contexts that give rise to such technologies and their governance.
Ideal Students
Who should apply?
Full-Time option suitable for:
- Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
- International (Non-EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes
Part-Time option suitable for:
- Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
- International (Non-EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes
The MSc in Digital Policy is designed to prepare graduates for careers in evaluating, implementing, and studying core topical, theoretical, and methodological issues that arise in digital policy today. The course will take a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the institutional and public policy dimensions of the prevalence of digital technology, as well as the underlying social conditions (economic, political, and cultural) and public/private sector contexts that give rise to such technologies and their governance.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please contact our Admissions team!
Curriculum
What modules can I take?
Stage Core 1
- IS40730 Quantitative Data Analysis
- IS40820 Research Theory and Practice
- IS40840 Data & Society
- IS40910 Digital Policy
- S40960 Digital Policy III
- IS40970 AI & Ethics
- IS41050 Platform Governance
- IS41190 Media Law & Policy
- IS41290 Digital Policy Thesis
Program Outcome
Knowledge and understanding
- Understand both theoretical and applied issues in digital policy
- Demonstrate advanced conceptual knowledge of digital technologies and their implications for socio-political life
- Understand the dilemmas and tensions involved in regulating digital technologies
Applying knowledge and understanding
- Critically appraise evidence from research papers concerning topics in digital policy
- Critically evaluate existing digital policies and policy proposals and their limitations
Making judgments
- Systematically analyze the research literature in a key area of digital policy as part of their dissertation
- Decide, under guidance, on the appropriate methodology and materials to be analyzed for their dissertation
Communication and working skills
- Articulate theoretical concepts, current debates, and research findings to both specialist and non-specialist
- audiences from a digital policy perspective
- Work effectively with peers in learning, research, and presentation
Learning skills
- Collect or source data using research methodologies taught in the program
- Engage in independent research and analysis under supervision
- Write to a high academic standard