MA Philosophy & Public Affairs

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)

The MA in Philosophy and Public Affairs is especially designed for those people with an interest in public policy debates, e.g. in journalism, the civil service, public policy research institutes, etc.. At the same time, it will be useful for any job requiring a subtle understanding of debate and disagreement, or requiring close attention to texts.

Unique combination of philosophy and social science
Close attention from dissertation supervisor
Vibrant academic and social community

Careers & Employability

It is very difficult to generalise about the career paths of our MA graduates. A small number continue into PhD programmes both at UCD and abroad. Others have gone into journalism, the civil service, secondary school teaching, NGOs, think tanks and the corporate world.

Curricular information is subject to change

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Who should apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

Vision and Values Statement

Our MA in Philosophy and Public Affairs programme is aimed at students who wish to deepen their knowledge of the core areas of philosophy and its application to public affairs at graduate level. It is also intended to provide a good foundation of graduate work for students who wish to continue to more advanced graduate research. It aims to provide an integration of social and political theory with the philosophical implications of the area. The School of Philosophy encourages our students to be critical philosophical thinkers with the ability to reflect on current philosophical debates, history of philosophical thought and add their own contribution. We aim to provide a learning environment that fosters collegiality and a pluralistic approach to the main areas of philosophy and encourages students to engage critically with questions. As the largest teaching and research centre in philosophy in Ireland, the programme benefits from many world-leading figures in philosophy that give invited seminars and conferences throughout the year. Small group seminars and participation in conferences and workshops are a key element of the programme design. As such, the programme uses key approaches to teaching such as philosophical debates, critical reflections, essays and paper presentations.

Programme Outcomes

A deepened appreciation of the significance and value of ideas in and for internationalisation and globalisation
A detailed study of foundational questions of public policy. Delivered with the Schools of Social Policy and Social Justice, Sociology, Politics and International Relations
A grasp of how to pursue a career in academic life and the acquiring of transferable skills in research and organisation
A knowledge of how to write research proposals and attain funding from national and international organisations
An awareness of how to compose and structure philosophical writing for peer reviewed journals, book collections and monographs
An awareness of how to present and defend philosophical papers in seminars, workshops, conferences and other fora.
An enhanced awareness of how to work with texts, organise a thesis and set out extended philosophical arguments clearly and compellingly.
An enhanced awareness of the relevance of philosophy to other academic disciplines and to personal, professional and political life.
An extensive knowledge of library and online sources that facilitate research, including classical and foreign language sources.

What modules can I take?

View All Modules Here

Students have to take the 'flagship' module, 'The Good Society', taught by a philosopher and a social scientist. In addition, students must take two further modules from the following three: (i) 'Law, Liberty and the State', (ii) 'Critical Theory', (iii) 'Religion and Society'.

The other three modules are to be taken from a list of approved modules in other social science schools

While it is recommended that full-time students take three modules in each semester, it is up to the student. Students must then complete the dissertation by the end of August, and this will be worth 30 credits.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

MA Philosophy & Public Affairs (W182) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 7990
nonEU fee per year - € 21520

MA Philosophy & Public Affairs (W183) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 5200
nonEU fee per year - € 10760

***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

Entry Requirements

Applicants need at least four philosophy courses as part of an undergraduate degree (to be confirmed by a transcript); an overall mark of B- (60%) in your undergraduate degree (to be confirmed by a transcript); two academic letters of reference and a sample of philosophical writing, such as an undergraduate essay.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.
These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes

Related Programmes

How to apply?

The following entry routes are available:

MA Philosophy & Public Affairs FT (W182)

Duration

1 Years

Attend

Full Time

Deadline

Rolling*

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MA Philosophy & Public Affairs PT (W183)