MA Sociology

This academic programme is suitable for full or part-time students who want to pursue a social scientific academic or research career, for professionals or practitioners in the social sciences in the public and private sectors and civil society organisations, and for those who want to develop a broader understanding of everyday life in society, and their place within it.

The values underlying the programme are intended to encourage students to be active, independent learners who are critical and reflective about society, and who ideally seek to engage in social change to improve society for all. The learning environment is based on modules in small-group settings designed to encourage and facilitate in-depth discussion about current debates, problems and issues in the field of sociology and related social sciences, and provides students with a range of options to suit their individual interests, training needs and career goals.

Teaching, learning and assessment are structured around critical engagement with the material in which students are encouraged to be active participants in seminar discussions and presentations, to enhance their critical reading, thinking and writing skills in written assessments, and to develop their independent research skills through an individually supervised thesis based on a substantive topic aligned to their interests, needs and goals.

The cross-disciplinary content of this programme means there are exciting opportunities for you in a wide and dynamic range of professions including careers in: Journalism; Public Relations; Teaching; Social Work; Human Resources; Marketing; Community and Youth Development; Policy Analysis; work in the NGO Sector as well as advanced careers in the Civil Service; the Health Sector and the Media. Past Graduates have taken the following career and development destinations:

• Radio Presenter, Dublin
• English Language Teacher, Japan
• Senior Officer, Public Sector, Dublin
• University Lecturers, Dublin, Belfast, United States
• Writer & Editor, Humanitarian Organisation, Wicklow
• International Writer, Producer and Film Maker, Dublin
• Research Analyst, ESRI, Dublin
• A large number of our Graduates continue through to PhD level

 

Some professions do require further training, qualifications or certification.

UCD is strongly committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by embedding sustainability across teaching, research, operations, and community engagement. Sustainability principles are integrated into this programme which is designed to equip graduates with the analytical frameworks, methodological toolkits, research skills and pertinent knowledge sets to address global challenges. UCD's leadership in sustainability is internationally recognised, ranking 47th globally and 27th in Europe in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2026. UCD also leads impactful research in areas such as climate action, clean energy, and social equity—topics incorporated into the MSc in Sociology programme. UCD also operates a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy focused on reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering a sustainable campus culture.

Here are the SDGs which align more visibly with this programme:

MA Sociology (W438) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9515
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MA Sociology (W439) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 5710
nonEU    fee per year - € 11300

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of Masters scholarships for full­time international students, who have been offered a place on a UCD Masters degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

The Mary Kelly Bursary comprises an award of €2,000 towards university fees to EU students who have been accepted to one of the School of Sociology’s taught masters programmes as a full-time student. For more informatoin please see Mary Kelly Bursary

Applicants should normally have a primary degree in sociology or social science, or a closely related discipline. A Second Class Honours Grade One (2:1) or higher is required but Second Class Honours Grade Two (2:2) standard or equivalent may be considered. Applicants who do not meet the academic requirements but can confirm professional qualifications and/or experience will be considered. Applicants may be called for an interview.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on relevant work experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis as an alternative to an undergraduate degree qualification for entry to the program. Link to the RPL policy can be found here

All candidates are expected to be proficient in written and spoken English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit evidence of a certificate of proficiency (such as TOEFL, Cambridge or IELTS). Test results must be less than two years old.

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

A NOTE ON SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION:

Supporting documentation must be submitted by all students.  Applications will not be considered unless all documents are submitted immediately and received by UCD before the closing date. Documents must be uploaded to the Online Applications system.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No

This Programme is suitable for graduates with a primary degree in Sociology or Social Science or a closely related discipline, such as psychology, philosophy, human geography, history, politics, and economics, who want to develop their social analysis skills. It is designed for national and international students, both recent graduates as well as people who want to take time out from employment or who wish to study on a part-time basis.