Entry Points (2023)
400

Course Overview

Government has a profound impact on our lives and the functioning of society. Government policies affect everything from our health and wellbeing, to the affordability of housing and transport, the quality of the environment and the viability of businesses and voluntary organisations. The BA Government (Politics, Economics and Law) will enable you to better understand public affairs and emerging critical issues and to develop the skills necessary to make a real difference in your chosen career path, whether in public, private or voluntary and non-profit sectors. 

Do you want to better understand how government works and how public policy can be improved? Do you want to examine how democracy, politics, economics and law interact to shape public and social policy? Are you interested in working in a career where knowledge of government, public policy, business and law are important? If so, the BA Government (Politics, Economics, and Law) at University of Galway is for you.

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language, and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

4 years

Next start date

September 2024

A Level Grades (2023)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

60

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

2 (More Info)

Closing Date
NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY132

Course code

Course Outline

YEAR ONE

  • Introduction to Politics
  • Practicing Politics
  • Introduction to Government
  • Practicing Government
  • Principles of Micro and Macro Economics
  • Skills for Economics
  • Tort Law
  • Irish Legal Systems
  • Legal Skills

YEAR TWO

  • International and Global Politics
  • European Politics
  • Methods for Social and Political Science
  • Modern Political Thought
  • Intermediate Micro and Macro Economics
  • Mathematics and Statistics for Economics
  • Legal Methods and Research
  • Contract Law
  • Constitutional Law
  • Financial Economics
  • Economics of Public Policy
  • Irish Economic History
  • Housing Law & Policy
  • Environmental Law

YEAR THREE

  •  Professional Skills for Government and Policy
  •  Study Abroad
  •  Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy
  •  Work Placement
  •  Government Field Trip
  •  Introduction to Sustainability
  • Green Political Thought
  • Governing the Poor
  •  Design your Life
  • Navigating the Digital World

Study Abroad

There are opportunities to study in another European university in Third Year under the ERASMUS scheme (e.g., in Belgium, Finland, Netherland or Estonia) or to study for one semester at a university in the USA or Canada.

YEAR FOUR

  • Political Liberty
  • Contemporary American Politics
  • Contemporary African Politics
  • Comparative Public Policy
  • Thinking Politically
  • Government and Public Policy
  •  Public Economics
  • Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
  • Health Economics
  • Administrative Law
  •  European Union Law
  •  Criminal Law

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 2 (60 Credits)


Optional Subject: Economics (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law .
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
Optional EC207: Irish Economic History - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required EC273: Mathematics for Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required EC269: Intermediate Microeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional EC219: Comparative Economic Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional EC247: Introduction to Financial Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional EC259: Economics of Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required EC275: Statistics for Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required EC268: Intermediate Macroeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Optional Subject: Economics (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
Required EC269: Intermediate Microeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required EC268: Intermediate Macroeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required EC259: Economics of Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Optional Subject: Law (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
Required LW228: Constitutional Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required LW107.I: Legal Methods And Research - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required LW202: Contract I - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional LW232: Housing Law & Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional LW370: Comparative Disability Law - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional LW358: Environmental Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required LW227: Constitutional Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required LW205: Contract II - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Optional Subject: Law (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law .
Required LW228: Constitutional Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional LW370: Comparative Disability Law - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional LW358: Environmental Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required LW227: Constitutional Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Optional Subject: Political Science and Sociology (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
Optional SP2117: International and Global Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional SP216.I: European Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional SP216: European Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional SP220: Methods For Social And Political Science - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SP215.II: Modern Political Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Optional Subject: Sociological And Political Studies (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Political Science and Sociology.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law .
Required SP216.I: European Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required SP2117: International and Global Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required SPSK3101: Politics and Society: Themes and Topics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional SP216: European Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required SP215.II: Modern Political Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required SPSK3102: Society and Politics: Ideas and Research - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required SP220: Methods For Social And Political Science - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Year 3 (60 Credits)

Optional SP3196: Sociological and Political Studies - 60 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3206: Government Field Trip - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3202: Governing the Poor: The Politics of Welfare - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional BSS2103: Introduction to Sustainability 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP493: Environmentalism - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3119: Green Political Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required SP3204: Policymaking, Lobbying and Advocacy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required SP3203: Professional Skills for Government and Policy - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3530: Sociological And Political Studies - 30 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP162: Research Project - 15 Credits - Semester 5
Optional BSS1100: Digital Citizenship - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3207: Public Policy & Government - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP508: Theories of the Policy Process - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP3195: Equality, Diversity and Collective Action - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP404: Development And Change - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional SP2116: Sociology of Health - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MG3115: Megatrends - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional BSS2104: Introduction to Sustainability 2 - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3194: Theories of Nationalism - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP721: Ocean and Marine Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPL315.II: Smart & Liveable Cities and Suburbs - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP419: Marxist Theory - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3144: Political Liberty - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3103: European Union: Political Theory and Pol. Economy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3134: Human Rights Advocacy: Concepts, Law and Practice - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3150: Teaching Methods for the Politics and Society Classroom - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3210: Work Placement for Government and Policy - 30 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP692: Minor dissertation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3216: Study Abroad: Government and Policy Studies - 30 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3133: The Northern Ireland Conflict - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3209: The Sociology of the Bioeconomy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPL304: Women, Men & the Economy: Critical Explorations of Theory & Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3212: Navigating the Digital World - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional ED2104: Design Your Life Semester 2 - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3211: Empathy in Action - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3101: 'Community' - Significance and Change - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional GG116: Independent Study - 15 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SP3193: Introduction to Social Work - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional BSS3101: Work Placement for Social Scientists - 30 Credits - Semester 6

Year 4 (60 Credits)


Optional Subject: Economics (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law.
Optional EC345: Health Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC3105: Econometrics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC369: Money And Banking - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC388: Environmental And Natural Resource Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required EC3101: Microeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC3100: Economics and Philosophy - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC362: Economics Of Financial Markets - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC386: Public Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC429: Marine Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC3106: Behavioural Finance - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required EC3102: Macroeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Optional Subject: Economics (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
Optional EC345: Health Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC3105: Econometrics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC369: Money And Banking - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC388: Environmental And Natural Resource Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required EC3101: Microeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional EC3100: Economics and Philosophy - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC362: Economics Of Financial Markets - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC386: Public Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC429: Marine Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional EC3106: Behavioural Finance - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required EC3102: Macroeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Optional Subject: Law (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law.
Required LW4103: Administrative Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required LW503: European Union Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required LW409: Criminal Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required LW4104: Administrative Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required LW504: European Union Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required LW413: Criminal Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Optional Subject: Law (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law.
Required LW4103: Administrative Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required LW503: European Union Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required LW504: European Union Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Optional Subject: Political Science and Sociology (15 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Sociological And Political Studies.
Optional SP3208: Contemporary American Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP3197: Thinking Politically: The Power of Ideas - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP219: Political Sociology - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP3207: Public Policy & Government - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP305: Comparative Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3139: Comparative Government and Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3144: Political Liberty - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP419: Marxist Theory - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3103: European Union: Political Theory and Pol. Economy - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SPL315.II: Smart & Liveable Cities and Suburbs - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3133: The Northern Ireland Conflict - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3214: Biosociality and Bioeconomy: The Value(s) of Living Things - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3213: Contemporary African Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3209: The Sociology of the Bioeconomy - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Optional Subject: Sociological And Political Studies (30 Credits):
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Economics.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Law.
If you choose this subject, you cannot choose Political Science and Sociology.
Optional SP3207: Public Policy & Government - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required SP3208: Contemporary American Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required SP219: Political Sociology - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required SP3197: Thinking Politically: The Power of Ideas - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP3204: Policymaking, Lobbying and Advocacy - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Optional SP3144: Political Liberty - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3214: Biosociality and Bioeconomy: The Value(s) of Living Things - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP419: Marxist Theory - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3103: European Union: Political Theory and Pol. Economy - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SPL315.II: Smart & Liveable Cities and Suburbs - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3133: The Northern Ireland Conflict - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Optional SP3213: Contemporary African Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required SP3139: Comparative Government and Politics - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required SP305: Comparative Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 8

Further Education

Graduates may pursue postgraduate study in government, public policy and administration, journalism and media, business and management, economics and enterprise or further study and professional training in law. Students with a minor in Law will be exempted from the first year the three-year LLB programme and students majoring in Law may enter third year, subject to achieving a 2.2 award.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

CAREER PROSPECTS

The programme lays the foundation for careers in local and national government, business, voluntary andnon-governmental organisations, the EU, UN and global development agencies. The curriculum, combined with on-the-job professional placement and study abroad options, prepares you to work in public administration, policy analysis and research, industrial relations, public relations, journalism, community development, political advising, advocacy and consultancy.

 

STUDY ABROAD

There are opportunities to study in another European university in Third Year under the ERASMUS scheme (e.g., in Belgium, Finland, Netherland or Estonia) or to study for one semester at a university in the USA or Canada.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Students can avail of opportunities to study abroad with the Erasmus programme throughout Europe.

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€6,076 p.a. (€6,216 p.a. including levy) 2024/25

Fees: Tuition

€3,076 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Non EU

€20,000 p.a. (€20,140 p.a. including levy) 2024/25


EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy** €140.  **Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.  Further detail here.

Find out More

College of Arts, Social Sciences,
and Celtic Studies
t. +353 91 493958
e. collegearts@universityofgalway.ie

Lisa

Lisa Basquel |   BA Government

I choose to study BA Government as I was interested in the multidisciplinary nature of the course with the opportunity to undertake three different subjects. Throughout my time on this course, I have had the opportunity to study in the University of Ottawa in Canada for 6 months, which gave me the chance to gain an international perspective on my studies. One thing I really like about this course is the smaller class size, as it means help is easily accessible from the school and the department. Earlier this year we received funding and support for a student led publication called “The Government Collective” which is something that would have been hard to do if there was a larger class size to cater for. Overall, I’ve had a fantastic experience over the past four years and will look back at my time studying BA Government in University of Galway fondly