Philosophy & Public Affairs

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

UCD School of Philosophy is ranked in top 100 QS rankings 2024



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.

Module Trimester Credits

Stage 1 Core Modules

PHIL40030 Dissertation Summer 30



Stage 1 Options - A)3 of:

Philosophy Option Group

PHIL40250 Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception Autumn 10

PHIL40410 Philosophy & Literature Autumn 10

PHIL40970 Topics in Philosophy of Mind and Cognition Autumn 10

PHIL41240 John Henry Newman - Philosophical Perspectives Autumn 10

PHIL41280 Feminist & Gender Theory Autumn 10

PHIL41320 Topics in Continental Philos Autumn 10

PHIL41510 Ethics in Public Life Autumn 10

PHIL41890 Authenticity and Implicit Attitudes Autumn 10

PHIL41950 Philosophy of Religion Autumn 10

PHIL40420 The Good Society Spring 10

PHIL40960 The Cultural Mind Spring 10

PHIL41350 Metaphysics (Level 4) Spring 10

PHIL41810 Critique, Destruction & Deconstruction Spring 10

PHIL41880 Reading Nietzsche Spring 10

PHIL41920 Love & Friendship in Early Modern Philosophy Spring 10

PHIL41960 Environmental Ethics Spring 10



Stage 1 Options - B)2 of:

Social Sciences Option Group

EQUL40310 Masculinities, Gender and Equality Autumn 10

GEOG40970 Critical Geographies: Spatialising Power and Inequalities Autumn 10

POL40100 Politics of Development Autumn 10

POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn 10

POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn 10

POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn 10

POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring 10

POL40370 International Political Economy Spring 10

POL40540 Comparative European Politics Spring 10



Stage 1 Options - C)1 of:

Theory Option Group

EQUL40310 Masculinities, Gender and Equality Autumn 10

PHIL41510 Ethics in Public Life Autumn 10

POL40050 Theories of International Relations Autumn 10

POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn 10

EQUL40070 Human Rights Law and Equality Spring 10

POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring 10

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. View -

https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at-ucd/undergraduate/entryrequirements/



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. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage. https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/

Apply online



Who Should Apply?

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

90

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

MA Philosophy & Public Affairs (W182) Full Time

EU fee per year - € 7055

nonEU fee per year - € 19200


MA Philosophy & Public Affairs (W183) Part Time

EU fee per year - € 4590

nonEU fee per year - € 9600


***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.

W182 MA in Philosophy & Public Affairs

Master of Arts Full-Time

Commencing September 2026



W183 MA in Philosophy & Public Affairs Master of Arts

Part-Time Commencing September 2026

Graduates of the programme have gone into diverse areas such as public or private research institutes, local, national or international institutions as policy analysts, firms operating in the global market and looking for professionals capable of understanding and interpreting political, social and economic trends and devising long-term strategic plans, media, journalism, publishing and the NGOs.