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Taught MA & MSc Programmes

Our Taught Masters Programmes

UCD School of Philosophy offers three kinds of taught Masters programmes:

  1. Pure Philosophy MA Programmes, consisting in modules in philosophy only
  2. Interdisciplinary MA Programmes, which combine modules in philosophy with various other disciplines
  3. Other Masters Programmes, including an interdisciplinary MSc in Cognitive Science and an HDip+MA conversion degree.

Each programme requires the completion of at least six taught graduate modules totalling 60 credits plus a 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation. This can be done over one year as a full-time student, or over two years as a part-time student.

For further information, please see the individual programme pages linked below.

Pure Philosophy MA Programmes
Philosophy
Apply to UCD
Contemporary European Philosophy
  • Select four modules in Contemporary European philosophy
  • Plus two from the remaining Philosophy MA modules
Apply to UCD
Interdisciplinary MA Programmes
Ethics: Theory and Practice
  • Core Ethics: Theory and Practice module
  • Select three more modules from a list of Philosophy modules with ethical content
  • Select one or two (10 credits) from a list of Ethics modules provided by other disciplines
  • Plus one of the remaining Philosophy MA modules
Apply to UCD
Philosophy and Literature
  • Core Philosophy and Literature module
  • Select two from a selection of Philosophy MA modules
  • Plus three modules from a list offered by the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, and the School of English, Drama and Film (note: places may be limited)
Apply to UCD
Philosophy and Public Affairs
  • Select three from a list of specific Philosophy MA modules
  • Select two social science modules
  • Plus one theoretical module from a list offered by the various Schools in the College of Social Sciences and Law
Apply to UCD
Philosophy of Mind and Embodied Cognition
Apply to UCD
Other Masters-Level Programmes
MSc in Cognitive Science
  • Select between six and eight modules (60 credits) from a specified list of modules offered by the Schools of Philosophy, Psychology, and Computer Science
Apply to UCD
Higher Diploma & MA Conversion Programme
  • A combined Higher Diploma in Arts plus Master of Arts programme designed for graduates from other subjects without any background in philosophy
Apply to UCD

Contacts

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Gillian Johnston

School Manager & Graduate Administrator

Newman Building Room D501

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Dr Elmar Unnsteinsson

Taught Graduate Coordinator

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UCD School of Philosophy

Room D501 (5th Floor), John Henry Newman Building, UCD Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
T: +353 1 716 8186 | E: philosophy@ucd.ie | Location Map(opens in a new window)

UCD Philosophy is ranked among the Top 100 Departments of Philosophy worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023–2025)