Course Summary
Our MA Philosophy degree offers you the rare chance to study Western as well as Eastern philosophy at the postgraduate level.
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Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
In order to be admitted to the MA programme in Philosophy, applicants should have at least a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or equivalent in Philosophy or a cognate discipline. Successful applicants must demonstrate relevant skills in writing and critical thinking (by receiving indicative marks on previous assessments, for example).
It is possible for applicants who have a primary degree but do not fully qualify for entry into the programme to undertake a Master's Qualifying Examination or a Higher Diploma in Arts. This qualification will enable prospective students to apply for this MA programme, though it will not grant automatic acceptance to it.
If a significant amount of time has passed since the applicant received their undergraduate degree, it may be possible to appeal for entrance based on work or other degree experience. These cases will be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) carefully by the Graduate Studies Committee on a case-by-case basis.
It is recommended that applicants who are uncertain whether they qualify to consult with the department in advance of submitting an application. All applicants are subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in Philosophy.
Applicants will be required to answer specific supplementary questions as part of the online application process for this programme.
For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.
International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.
• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.
Application Details
Closing Date
Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date
Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date 7 September 2026
The Student
Career Interests
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.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
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.
Career Progression
Throughout the course, we stress that philosophy is not just something that you learn about, but rather, it is also something that you do. To this end, we offer a number of courses that will enable you to develop philosophical skills of your own, and we aim to foster the skills of analysis, creativity, and discovery.
You will learn critical thinking, professional writing, construction and evaluation of arguments, communication skills, information management, design and planning, research, and investigation. Employers in diverse fields value the skills of analysis, creativity and discovery that we aim to foster, and so a degree in philosophy can be the starting point for many different career paths.