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Master of Science in Comparative Social Change University College Dublin University College Dublin, Ireland

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EUR 18787

Annual Tuition Fee

!
*Subject to change and other fees
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EUR 60 Waived

Application Fee

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12 months

Duration

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6.5

IELTS

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90

TOEFL

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60%

Min GPA

Program Overview

The MSc Comparative Social Change is a one­year full time programme which is jointly delivered by the School of Sociology at UCD and Trinity’s Department of Sociology. It provides students with the theoretical frameworks and practical research skills necessary to understand the processes and pressing issues presented by global social change.

  • The programme uses the recent experience of Irish social change in a comparative European and global context to provide training in substantive topics relating to issues of comparative social change.
  • The MSc has a strong international dimension drawing on rich and informative experiences from Ireland, Europe and further afield particularly India, China and Brazil (BRICs).
  • The programme provides advanced training in conceptualising, designing and conducting comparative research, across countries, and examines the role that this can play in policy development.

The MSc Comparative Social Change has been developed by the Department of Sociology at Trinity College and the School of Sociology at University College Dublin to critically explore the social, cultural and economic forces that drive social change today.

The programme aims to develop students’ knowledge of major social change issues, such as globalisation, the changing roles of women and the interrelated areas of migration, education and employment, and to offer insights into the different forms they take across states.

This programme is suitable for full-time students who are interested in the study of international comparative social change to further their academic, research or professional careers in the public sector, private sector and civil society organisations. The core values of the programme are intended to encourage active, independent learners, who are critical and reflective about international society, and who ideally seek to participate in social change to improve the lives of all. The learning environment is structured around a select range of core and optional modules at Trinity and UCD that critically examine major societal changes in a number of regions and countries across the world, and assess and apply current theories of social change to specific cross-country, institutional and individual cases, provided in small-group settings that encourage and facilitate in-depth discussions of comparative social change. Teaching, learning and assessment are based on critical engagement with the material and skill enhancement involving students as active participants in seminar discussions, presentations and practice-based examples of comparative social change; critical readers, thinkers and writers in their written assignments; and independent researchers in their individually supervised thesis. 

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Additional Information

Program Level Master's Degree

College/University Processing Time 28 Days

Program Format Full-Time

Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV) work permit

Program Intake

Open

Sep 2025

General Admission Requirement

    Academic Requirement

    • Minimum Level of Education Required: To be accepted for this program, students must have a Bachelor's degree in sociology or social science, or a closely related discipline.

    6.5 IELTS Score
    90 TOEFL Score Minimum Overall Score
    63 PTE Score Minimum Overall Score
    120 Duolingo Minimum Overall Score
    60% CGPA Minimum Overall Score

    Similar Programs

    Tuition Fee

    The values given below are estimated figures, excluding extra charges like material fee, student activity fees, athletic fees, health care, etc., for courses. To know more, please visit the Programs page.

    Average Tuition Fee Per Year

    18787

    Tuition Fee
    (EUR)

    EUR 60 Waived

    Application Fee
    (EUR)

    10000 Per year

    Average Cost of Living
    (EUR)

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    The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

    Check program website for more information about funding options.

    Scholarships

    Prospective Postgraduate Students

    Academic

    You will find a listing of annually awarded scholarships, prizes and awards for Graduate students under each College below.

    Details of graduate scholarships are also published on the Graduate Studies website, and depending on your area of study may also be listed on your School website. Details of graduate business scholarships can be found on the (opens in a new window)Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School website.

    • College Awards and Scholarships
    • University Awards

    UCD Global Scholarships

    The scholarships administered by UCD Global are for students who will be charged non-EU fee rates only. If a student is charged EU fees following an assessment, they are not eligible for the scholarships advertised through UCD Global (though they may still be eligible for other UCD scholarships). For queries on this, please contact UCD Global. There are two scholarships administered directly by UCD Global.

    1. Global Excellence Scholarships which cover 50% or 100% of the tuition fees. Prospective students must submit an application for the Global Excellence Scholarship.
    2. All programme applications are assessed at the point of offer for International Student Scholarship (ISS) eligibility. No application is required. For detailed information please read the International Student Scholarship Terms & Conditions.

    Global Excellence Scholarship

    • All successful applicants to eligible full time programs are invited to apply to our prestigious Global Excellence Scholarship. The Global Excellence Scholarship is funded by UCD and aims to attract excellent candidates. Applications are open to applicants who already have an offer or conditional offer to study at UCD.

    Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships

    • The Irish Higher Education Authority runs an annual competition to select 60 Government of Ireland International Education Scholars across Ireland. Applications are open to applicants who already have an offer or conditional offer to study at an Irish institution. Click 'Read More' to see how to apply.

    Lochlann Quinn School of Business VPI Discretionary Scholarship

    • Lochlann Quinn School of Business applicants with the following statuses (Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept status) on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee. Decisions are made based on your submitted application materials.

    Past Exchange & Study Abroad Scholarship

    • Applicants with the following statuses (Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept status) on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee. Decisions are made based on your submitted application materials.

    UCD IFY Scholarship

    • The UCD International Foundation Year Scholarship is awarded to students entering UCD through the International Foundation Year pathway programme. The scholarship is awarded at entry to the Foundation Year and lasts for the duration of the student's programme.`

    UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship

    • Students starting a PhD within the UCD School of Politics and International Relations are invited to apply for the UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship. Applications from all areas of the discipline including political science, political theory, international relations, European governance, computational social science, development and international political economy are welcome. Click on the Terms and Conditions for more information.

    UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Scholarships

    • Students at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School are invited to apply for a range of scholarships for international students. All scholarships are advertised on the UCD Smurfit Scholarships website.

    Universitas 21 Alumni Scholarship

    • Applicants with the following statuses (Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept status) on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee. Decisions are made based on your submitted application materials.

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