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MA and MSc Programmes

Our Taught Masters Programmes

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

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

Each programme requires the completion of 60 credits of (normally six) taught graduate modules 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 MA pages linked below.

Pure Philosophy MA Programmes
MA in Philosophy
MA in Contemporary European Philosophy
  • Select four modules in Contemporary European philosophy
  • Plus two from the remaining Philosophy MA modules
Interdisciplinary MA Programmes
MA in 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
MA in 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)
MA in 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
MA in Philosophy of Mind and Embodied Cognition
Other Masters Programmes
(opens in a new window)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
HDip+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

UCD School of Philosophy

Fifth Floor – Room D501, Newman Building, University College Dublin, 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, 2023 and 2024)