It is expected that PhD students will have an academic background necessary to support doctoral level research. The majority of our candidates have a strong graduate and postgraduate record (a high MA result of 2:1- 1:1 or GPA above 3.2). The School requires an IELTS band 8 if English is not your first language. A potential supervisor will be able to advise on the knowledge they expect their students to have gained before applying for entry to the programme.

MLitt students are also required to have an academic background necessary to support independent research. The School requires an IELTS band 8 if English is not your first language, and a high BA result 2:1- 1:1 or GPA of GPA above 3.2. A potential supervisor will be able to advise on the knowledge they expect their students to have gained before applying for entry to the programme.

In addition to subject specific knowledge, all PhD and MLitt students are expected to have a basic understanding of research methods before applying for entry to the PhD and MLitt programme. It is compulsory to complete Research Intergrity Training during all UCD research degrees and it is expected that students will complete any modules, either in the School or in UCD, required to meet research needs.

Potential PhD researchers wishing to start in the Autumn trimester are encouraged to submit their completed online application before the 1st of July at the latest. Those applying for January start need to submit before the 15th October. For a May start, applications must be completed and submitted by the 1st of March.

Potential MLitt researchers wishing to start in the Autumn trimester are encouraged to submit their completed online application before the 1st of July at the latest. Those applying for January start need to submit before the 15th October. For a May start, applications must be completed and submitted by the 1st of March.

While you can submit an application without consulting anyone in the School, it is not advisable. You should first send a proposal to a member of academic staff that you would like to act as your supervisor. Anyone thinking of applying for a PhD or MLitt is required to share a project proposal.

If you are unsure as to who to contact, you could contact someone working in the general area that interests you, who may be able to recommend a potential supervisor. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] with your proposal. Staff research interests are listed on the School webpages. This may be helpful to you in identifying a potential supervisor.

You should have at least a general proposal prepared before contacting a potential supervisor. The key purpose of contacting your potential supervisor is to satisfy yourself, as the supervisor must also be satisfied, that you can work with each other toward the completion of your studies. However, the success of this does not guarantee that you will be offered supervision or a place on the programme, as the School must consider your application in relation to a range of other factors.

Preparing a proposal and contacting a potential supervisor:

First you need to identify what has already been done in your chosen research area and identify a gap in the existing knowledge that your research could fill. Following this, you need to articulate a clear focus and approach for your research, and a breakdown of provisional chapters. Once you complete the proposal, you should make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss possible directions to your project.

As well as an in-depth proposal a future supervisor would also need to see

a short academic CV,

a sample of academic writing (ideally a chapter from a postgraduate dissertation, or if applying for an MLitt a lengthy chapter or research essay)

If a member of staff is interested and willing to provide supervision after reading your proposal, you should arrange to meet with your potential supervisor—meetings and conversations may also take place online if you are unable to travel or are living outside Ireland. If the supervisor provisionally agrees that the work has merit, you can work with the supervisor on the proposal then begin the application process. You should seek the advice of your potential supervisor about your ideas, choice of materials, methodologies, or background reading, but the potential supervisor is not expected to edit or revise your application proposal.

Portal for electronic application
All research degree applications are reviewed by the School's Research Degree Admissions Board. The time from application submission to formal communication of the application outcome takes two months on average. International students should apply with sufficient time to arrange visas in advance of degree commencement date should they receive an offer.

This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.

Linguistic

The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.