Philosophy & Literature

MA Philosophy & Literature
Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)

The MA in Philosophy and Literature will be useful for any job requiring a subtle understanding of debate and disagreement, or requiring close attention to texts, especially in the cultural sector. It is a an interdisciplinary one-year programme (or two years part-time) designed to offer graduates either Philosophy or Literature (English and other literatures) the opportunity to study the many areas of overlap between the disciplines. The central questions concern the status of the text, the status of the world represented in the text, and the relationship between the reader, the text, the author, and that world.

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

Vision and Values Statement
Our MA in Philosophy and Literature programme is aimed at students who wish to deepen their knowledge of the core areas of philosophy and literature 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 literary theory and text-based work 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 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.

Detailed studies of these complementary disciplines (philosophy and literature) and of literary theory through a programme delivered with the Schools of English and Modern European Languages.

Related Programmes
MA Philosophy FT
MA Philosophy & Public Affairs FT
Grad Dip Philosophy & Literature FT
MA Consciousness & Embodiment FT
MSc Cognitive Science FT

Students have to take the 'flagship' module, 'Philosophy and Literature', co-taught by a philosopher and a literary theorist. In addition, students must take two further modules. Please see website for details.

The other three modules are to be taken from a list of approved modules in other literature 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.

Stage 1 - Core
Dissertation PHIL40030
Philosophy & Literature PHIL40410

Stage 1 - Option
Gender and Sexuality in Theory and Representation ENG40940
The Tradition and the Contemporary ENG41590
Irish Poetry: Representing Self and Other ENG41630
Queer Frictions: Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Literature & Culture ENG41860
L'écriture migrante dans le monde francophone contemporain FR40070
Translation Studies: Theoretical Approaches GER40040
German literature and 19th-/20th-century opera: Translation/transformation from page to opera stage GER40080
Greek Tragedy in Ireland GRC40160
The Epic Tradition GRC40190
Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception PHIL40250
The Good Society PHIL40420
Philosophy of the Emotions PHIL40430
The Cultural Mind PHIL40960
Consciousness, Agency & the Self PHIL40970
Living Well: Aristotle's Ethics & Politics PHIL41000
John Henry Newman – a philosophical prespective PHIL41240
Feminist & Gender Theory PHIL41280
Topics in Continental Philos PHIL41320
Personal Identity in Early Modern Philosophy PHIL41410
Ethics: Theory and Practice PHIL41510
Philosophy of Fiction PHIL41540
Truth, History, Justice PHIL41560
Problems from Kan tPHIL41570
Ontology PHIL41610
Introduction to Cultural Theory SLL40230
Surrealism in Spain SPAN40310
Novel under Franco SPAN40320
Identity, Sex & Sexuality in Post-Revolutionary Cuban Culture. SPAN40330

Applicants must present an undergraduate degree in either Philosophy or a Literature. If the undergraduate degree is in literature, you should have at least two courses in literary theory, each with a grade of at least B - (60%). An overall grade of B - (60%) in your undergraduate degree (to be confirmed by a transcript); two academic letters of reference; a sample of philosophical or literary-theoretical 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

How to apply?
The following entry routes are available:

MA Philosophy & Literature FT (W179)
Duration 1 Years
Attend Full Time
Deadline Rolling*

MA Philosophy & Literature PT (W180)
Duration 2 Years
Attend Part Time
Deadline Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised.

90

1 Year Full Time - W179, 2 Years Part Time - W180.

MA Philosophy & Literature (W179) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 7315
nonEU fee per year - € 19900

MA Philosophy & Literature (W180) Part Time
EU fee per year - € 4760
nonEU fee per year - € 9950

***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website

Next Intake: 2020/2021 September

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, arts management, secondary school teaching, and the corporate world.