Overview

The Global Human Development program of the University College Dublin is a 3-4 year full time ‘sandwich’ programme jointly offered by UCD and one of a number of other universities in Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and China. (University of Dar Es Salaam, University of Malawi, University of Zimbabwe and Xiamen University), or any other university in a ‘developing country’ willing to accept students for their obligatory research stay. The programme has been developed for government personnel and public servants (such as Higher Education academics, research institutes) mainly in East Africa.

PhD students on the programme are required to spend at least one semester per academic year at UCD. Consequently the following semester has to be spent at their research university under the supervision of the student’s ‘local’ supervisor.

Objectives

The aim of this programme is to pool the respective capacities of UCD and the respective partner universities to provide graduate research students and supervisors with what is necessary to conduct top class research in the field of development.

Programme Structure

Curriculum:

Term one: Students are registered to both institutions, but will start their studies at UCD. It is recommended that students take at least 15-20 credits of taught modules (Level 4 & 5) in the first term at UCD.

Term two: Students will conduct research at the partner institution under supervision of their local supervisors. Credits for research will be recorded.

Term three: Students return to UCD to acquire the final outstanding taught credits, which will have to amount to 30 by the end of term three. Students have to liaison with their supervisor and their Doctoral Studies Panel at UCD to prepare for their transfer assessment, which has to take place in the 3rd term of the PhD programme.

Term four & five: Students will go back to the partner institutions, work closely with their supervisors and will finalise their dissertation.

Term six: Students come to UCD to finalise and submit their dissertation.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-30 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

90

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OTE

140

IELTS

6.5

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Dublin, Ireland

Disciplines

International Development

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

OTE

140

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

The entry requirements for the PhD in Global Human Development is a Master degree (MA or M.Sc.), with an overall grade of 2.1 (GPA 3.6) in the areas of Agricultural Science, Business Studies, Economics, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, Politics, Sociology and other related areas of study whose ultimate focus is Global Human Development, in particular, poverty reduction.

Additionally we request a proof that the applicant is allowed to conduct research at another university in a 'developing' country by providing UCD with a letter from a ‘local’ supervisor.

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

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Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University College Dublin and/or in Ireland, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

6860 EUR / year

≈ 6860 EUR / year
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

3570 EUR / year

≈ 3570 EUR / year

Living costs

Dublin

Ireland

1100 - 1800 EUR / month

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

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Global Human Development.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Objectives

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

EU/EEA Applies to you

Living costs

Dublin

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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