Program Overview

Introduction to the Community Research - MA Program

The University of Limerick offers a Master of Arts in Community Research, a one-year, full-time program designed for professionals and practitioners seeking to develop applied research skills in a community setting. This innovative program blends academic rigor with hands-on experience, allowing students to work on live projects addressing social, cultural, and political challenges.

Program Overview

The Community Research + Development pathway explores how research supports peacebuilding, policy, and sustainable development in diverse contexts. Students engage in hands-on community-based participatory research, involving community consultation and co-design, and examine global conflict and cooperation through key theories and case studies.

Key Information

• Complete full-time in one year
• Blended delivery, including on-campus lectures, seminars, online workshops, and community-based project work
• Modules taught during autumn and spring semesters
• Dissertation or large-scale piece of student-directed work delivered at the end of the summer semester

Program Structure

Autumn Semester

• Graduate Seminar in Development: Introduces students to the concept of development and ideas about how it should be pursued.
• Engaged Research Design: Enables students to work in cross-disciplinary teams on real-world problems identified with external partners.
• Choose one of the following electives:
  • Institutions and Politics of the EU: Develops understanding of how the European Union formulates and adopts policies.
  • Public Administration Theory and Practice: Serves as an advanced introduction to Public Administration.

Spring Semester

• Graduate Seminar in Peacebuilding: Explores different conceptions of peace and looks at a range of peacebuilding interventions.
• Engaged Research Delivery: Engages students in faculty-designed, applied research projects in collaboration with external community stakeholders.
• Choose one of the following electives:
  • Graduate Seminar in International Cooperation and Conflict: Develops understanding of the theories and methods used in the empirical study of International Relations.
  • Collaborative Governance and Leadership: Focuses on themes of collaborative governance and leadership.
  • International Political Economy: Explains transformations in the global economy.

Summer Semester

• Dissertation/Large Scale Student-Directed Work: Enables students to produce a piece of supervised, self-directed research work of 8-10,000 words.
• Engaged Research Evaluation: Enables students to apply the disciplinary knowledge they have learned to multi-faceted real-world problems.

Entry Requirements

• Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree (NFQ Level 8) with at least a second-class honor, grade 2 (2:2) in a relevant or appropriate subject.
• The university may shortlist and invite applicants to an interview.
• International students should refer to the university's postgraduate entry requirements for international students.

Fees

• EU: €7,995
• Non-EU: €18,600
• Annual fees are billed by semester, with options for a monthly payment plan.

Career Opportunities

This course can lead to careers in:

• Community development and advocacy
• Policy research and analysis
• NGO and international development work
• Peacebuilding and conflict resolution

Conclusion

The Community Research - MA program at the University of Limerick is designed for those motivated to make a difference through research grounded in practice and driven by community needs. With its unique blend of academic and practical training, this program prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in community development, policy, and international cooperation.