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MA in Irish Studies

MA (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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The MA Irish Studies is an interdisciplinary programme that examines the variety and diversity of Irish history, society and cultural practice. It asks a series of questions about Ireland and Irishness, including how did the Irish come to be the way they are, and to what extent are they different from other nations? How has Irish identity changed over time? What are the causes for this process? 

This MA introduces students to a wide range of sources and resources, issues and debates about the many-faceted experiences of the people who have lived in Ireland from the earliest times to the present. You will avail of UCD’s unrivalled expertise in many fields related to Irish Studies. Being in Dublin naturally also provides students with easy access to many of Ireland’s key cultural institutions and libraries.

  • Provides students with small group teaching and personalised supervision that students need at a graduate level
  • Pathway for further specialisation
  • Nationally and internationally unrivalled concentration of expertise

About This Course

Graduates of this MA are trained not only to acquire, manage and communicate detailed knowledge in a creative, productive and supportive environment, but also to compare and contrast differing sources of information derived from archival, printed, visual and electronic formats. The programme enables students to hone their skills in research, critical thinking, oral and written communication, and the use of relevant computer software packages, such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. This degree is ideally suited to students seeking to deepen their knowledge of Irish Studies and to enhance their employment-relevant skills, while also providing a pathway for further specialisation in a relevant area or topic at doctoral level. Potential careers might include journalism, heritage and tourism, or academia.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
IRST40060 People, Place and Identity Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
IRST40080 Are the Irish Different? Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
IRST40100 Thesis/Research Project Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
CCIV30070 Introduction to Early Irish 1 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
CCIV30110 Early Irish Myths & Sagas Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
ENG32000 Contemp. Irish Women's Poetry Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
ENG42090 Public Humanities and Ireland Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
HIS42660 Historiography and Historical Debate in Twentieth-century Ireland Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IR40030 Teanga na Gaeilge 4 Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IRFL40120 Folklore and Folkloristics Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IRFL40160 The Life Cycle Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IRFL40170 The Narrative Art Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IR10050 Irish for Beginners/Gaeilge do Thosaitheoirí Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
MUS10240 Music in Ireland Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
AH20300 Medieval Art and Architecture: characteristics and influences Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
AMST30060 Ireland & the US Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
ARCH10050 Intro archaeology of Ireland Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
CCIV30100 Introduction to Early Irish 2 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
GEOG30020 Historical Geography of Ireland Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
HIS31760 Irish Foreign Policy, 1919-73: A Place Among the Nations Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
HIS42490 Landscape and Environment in Ireland, 1500-1800 Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
HIS42590 De Valera's Ireland Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IR30090 Teangeolaíocht na Gaeilge: anailís ar an teanga féin Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IR30200 An Béal Beo Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IR40200 An Nualitríocht: Gnéithe de litríocht na Gaeilge ó 1900 i leith Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
IRFL40180 Calendar Custom Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
MUS20030 Studies in Irish Music Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
MUS41050 Sounding Ireland Onscreen Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must take 40 credits of option modules.
SOC40620 Nationalism and Social Change Spring  10

Maura Haverty, USA,
Graduate

My experience at UCD is one that I will always treasure. At first, as an American graduate student coming over to Ireland to study Irish Studies, I was not sure what to expect. All my nerves, however, quickly subsided once I stepped onto the very friendly campus. The MA in Irish Studies exceeded all of my expectations and more. Between the small class sizes, the one to one individual instruction from gifted and knowledgeable faculty and friendly atmosphere, I learned more in a year about myself than I ever thought possible. I would recommend UCD to anyone like myself that loves to take chances and learn out of their comfort zone.

MA in Irish Studies (Z195) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9330
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MA in Irish Studies (Z196) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4660
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 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.

  • This programme is intended for applicants with a humanities and social sciences background.
  • An upper second class honours degree (NFQ Level 8), or the international equivalent in a related area is required.  Applicants who do not meet the 2.1 entry requirement will be looked at on a case by case basis and relevant work experience will be taken into account.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.0 (no band less than 6.5 in each element), or equivalent.
  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 
  • These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information.

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: Yes


This degree is ideally suited to students seeking to deepen their knowledge of Irish Studies and to enhance their employment-relevant skills, while also providing a pathway for further specialisation in a relevant area or topic at doctoral level.

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MA in Irish Studies:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z195
MA in Irish Studies
Master of Arts
Full-Time
Commencing September 2024
Graduate Taught Closed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z196
MA in Irish Studies
Master of Arts
Part-Time
Commencing September 2024
Graduate Taught Closed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z195
MA in Irish Studies
Master of Arts
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z196
MA in Irish Studies
Master of Arts
Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught Apply
* you can change options at the top of the page