Validated: by TCD. NB: the Irish School of Ecumenics is in the process of integrating with TCD.

Institution: Irish School of Ecumenics (department of peace studies), Dublin.

Course Duration: one year full time, two years part time.

Entry requirements: a good honours degree, ideally in the social sciences, but candidates from other disciplines will be considered.

Number admitted to course: up to 30 full-time students. This year there were 90 applications for these places.

Target group: According to Dr Bill McSweeney, a senior research fellow at the Irish School of Ecumenics, the college likes to attract a mix of students with a good international balance. This year, the course's student body comprises students with 13 different nationalities, one quarter of whom are Irish. Up to one-third of students come directly from undergraduate programmes. "The course gives an advantage to people who want to work in the army, in diplomacy or in NGOs," comments McSweeney. Applications also come from people working in these areas and in the UN and from people working in other international organisations. "We also have a sprinkling of Irish and Spanish lawyers," he adds.

Course content: Core subjects include the politics of development, international politics and social sciences and social ethics. Optional courses include gender, conflict resolution and non-violence, the politics of the EU and human rights and international law.

Costs: £2,100 tuition fee, plus £200 registration

Contact: The Irish School of Ecumenics, Dublin, tel: (01) 2601144.