Philosophy

Course Outline

Our MA Philosophy degree offers you the rare chance to study Western as well as Eastern philosophy at the postgraduate level. For one year, you will be involved in the study of different philosophical concepts, theories, and approaches to issues concerning the mind and consciousness, action and politics, ethics and aesthetics, society and culture, globalism, power, territory, and much more.



Our MA programme modules are specifically designed to provide an overview of current work in a particular area and are aimed at first-year postgraduate students. They each involve set readings and writing assignments. It is expected that you will already be (broadly) familiar with some key philosophical concepts or approaches upon starting this course. (We can supply you with an introductory reading list if you are new to this discipline.) In Part I of the programme you choose five modules of your choice up to 50 credits. In Part II you will complete a sustained piece of independent research during the spring and summer months.

Part I (60 credits)

PH6019 Literature Review (10 credits) plus 50 credits from the following:

PH6012 Human Rights (10 credits)

PH6047 Philosophy and Health (10 credits)

PH6048 The Philosophy of Death and Dying (10 credits)

PH6052 Advanced Moral Psychology (10 credits)

PH6053 Professional Ethics: Advanced (10 credits)

PH6054 Measuring Society: Growth, Poverty, Inequality, and Human Capital (10 credits)

PH6056 Advanced Political Philosophy (10 credits)

PH6057 Philosophy and the Biological Health Sciences (10 credits)

PH6060 Japanese Philosophy - Advanced (10 credits)

PH6061 Advanced Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (10 credits)

PH6062* Student Selected Special Study Module in Philosophy 1 (10 credits)

PH6063* Student Selected Special Study Module in Philosophy 2 (10 credits)



*Students must seek permission from the Philosophy Graduate Studies Director to register for PH6062 and/or PH6063.



Part II (30 credits)

PH6020 Dissertation in Philosophy (30 credits)

In order to be admitted to the MA programme in Philosophy, applicants should have at least a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or equivalent in Philosophy or a cognate discipline. Successful applicants must demonstrate relevant skills in writing and critical thinking (by receiving indicative marks on previous assessments, for example).



It is possible for applicants who have a primary degree but do not fully qualify for entry into the programme to undertake a Master's Qualifying Examination or a Higher Diploma in Arts. This qualification will enable prospective students to apply for this MA programme, though it will not grant automatic acceptance to it.



If a significant amount of time has passed since the applicant received their undergraduate degree, it may be possible to appeal for entrance based on work or other degree experience. These cases will be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) carefully by the Graduate Studies Committee on a case-by-case basis.



It is recommended that applicants who are uncertain whether they qualify to consult with the department in advance of submitting an application. All applicants are subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in Philosophy.



Applicants will be required to answer specific supplementary questions as part of the online application process for this programme.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

Modules are assessed by written essays and there are no final exams. During the second teaching period (January-March), you will prepare a detailed review of relevant literature under the direction of a staff member. The literature review is written in preparation for your minor dissertation. The grade for the MA is based on assessment for modules, literature review and minor dissertation, with a total of 1,800 marks awarded. Each taught module counts for 200 marks (1,000 in total), the literature review also counts for 200 marks, and the minor dissertation for 600 marks. Taught modules are assessed by written work totalling 5,000 words, which may take the form of more than one piece of work.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Start Date 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

Throughout the course, we stress that philosophy is not just something that you learn about, but rather, it is also something that you do. To this end, we offer a number of courses that will enable you to develop philosophical skills of your own, and we aim to foster the skills of analysis, creativity, and discovery.



You will learn critical thinking, professional writing, construction and evaluation of arguments, communication skills, information management, design and planning, research, and investigation. Employers in diverse fields value the skills of analysis, creativity and discovery that we aim to foster, and so a degree in philosophy can be the starting point for many different career paths.