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Email academic.registry@tcd.ieBased in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation reflects the School and Trinity’s commitment to cross-border education. It offers an inter- disciplinary approach to the challenges of political and social reconciliation in the aftermath of violent conflict.
This course offers students’ academic and theoretical insight into conflict resolution and reconciliation, as well as practical skills and experience through placements and workshops. Students have the opportunity to engage with community-based actors and organisations involved at grassroots level in the process of conflict transformation and social justice.
Northern Ireland faces many social and political challenges as it emerges from decades of violence. Yet Belfast is a vibrant city, undergoing an exciting post-conflict transformation. The city provides a unique backdrop for this M.Phil., allowing students to immerse themselves in a society grappling with the challenges of, and opportunities for, conflict transformation.
Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation is the only Trinity course based in Belfast. Living and studying in a divided society affords valuable opportunities for students, but the student experience here is different to attending a large campus university, or Trinity in Dublin. The department has its own excellent specialist library and small core staff. Study space, sports facilities, and clubs and societies are available through Queen’s University Belfast which is close by. Most Trinity student support services can be accessed remotely but be aware that students must travel to Dublin if they wish to access the full range of services in person.
The M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation is designed to suit the needs of specialists already working in conflict resolution and reconciliation, as well as those new to these fields of study.
Our graduates find employment in a wide range of careers, such as conflict resolution and mediation, peacebuilding, human rights, international development, NGOs and the non-profit sector, advocacy and activism, the public sector and government, diplomacy, the United Nations and international organisations, research, teaching, journalism, academia and law.
The duration of the programme is one year full-time and two years part-time. Taught modules are provided over two terms (September to December and January to April). Students then pursue independent research on a relevant topic of their choice for the M.Phil. dissertation. Modules offered include weekly classes taught at Trinity College Dublin in Belfast, as well as one-week intensives.
The required ECTS for the M.Phil. is 90. All Masters students must complete the Research Skills module (10 ECTS), plus a further 50 ECTS worth of taught modules and a dissertation (30 ECTS).
Students take one core module in Research Skills.
Students are then able to customise their programme through a variety of optional modules. Electives offered in recent years include: Conflict and Peace in Northern Ireland; Conflict Transformation; Foundations of Conflict Resolution Research; Dynamics of Reconciliation; Contemporary Conflict and Peacemaking: Global Perspectives; Mediation and Peacebuilding Skills; and Community Learning and Reflective Practice.
Students compete a research dissertation of 15,000-20,000 to be supervised by an appropriate member of staff. Students who complete the taught element of the programme but not the dissertation may be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma.
This video contains an introduction to the postgraduate programmes in the disciplines of Religion and Peace Studies offered in the School of School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin.
September 2025
Professor David Mitchell
31st July 2025
Applicants should normally have an Honours degree at second-class level or GPA 3.2 or above. Students not meeting these criteria may be considered at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies.
All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page here.
Click here for a full list of postgraduate fees.
To apply, click on the relevant Apply Link below
Register your interest in studying at Ireland’s leading university, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
Trinity exposes you to the best professors, resources, and classmates a university can offer. I chose to study conflict resolution and reconciliation at Trinity in Belfast because of the incredible depth of their programme. With a satellite-campus in Belfast, the programme is at ground zero for studying the Troubles and the ramifications of peace in a post-conflict society. The professors and coursework are foremost in the field and challenge you to go beyond assumptions, and the community and staff make you feel at home. All of this, while being immersed in an environment where you live and experience the effects of post-conflict every day make for a deeply meaningful and constructive education. I came away with lifelong friends, mentors and memories that will last a lifetime.
Graduate, George J. Mitchell Scholar
When I was looking into graduate programs, I wanted one that would take me out of the classroom and allow me to conduct hands-on field research. This Master’s program was the only one I could find that not only allowed me to get out into the field but actively encouraged it through internships and field trips. But what really helped me make up my mind about choosing the Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation programme was its location in Belfast. The connections I made through this program, both personal and professional, were and are invaluable. I loved this program and it genuinely affected the trajectory of my professional life.
Graduate
Trinity College Dublin's M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation offers the perfect blend of individualisation you look for in any bespoke academic experience and the expertise you expect from a top international university. I can't think of a better place to study peace and conflict, and I'm certain there isn't a better group of people to support you on that journey.
Graduate, George J. Mitchell Scholar
