For further information (entry requirements, module descriptions, progression procedure etc.) please consult the For information regarding submission deadlines and layout for MA theses etc., please consult
Postgradaute Handbook 2022-23
and the Postgraduate Information on the Exams Office website.
For timetables and venues, please see Course Finder.
M.A. in Philosophy
These programmes relate to discourses and developments in the history in Western philosophy up to the 21st century. They thus aim at carrying out a philosophical analysis of some of the underlying cultural themes and philosophical presuppositions of Western self-understanding and contemporary society. Building upon the strengths of critical thinking, systematic reflection, and historical awareness developed at undergraduate level, the programmes allow the student to explore thematic concerns of philosophers in the Western tradition from medieval times to the 21st century. Students may choose additional modules (where suitable) after consultation with the head of department and/or the postgraduate coordinator, including modules offered by St Patrick’s College. The topic of the dissertation and the chosen modules must be approved by the head of department.
M.A. in Philosophy of Religion
Similar to the M.A. in Philosophy, this M.A. relates to discourses and developments in the history in Western philosophy up to the 21st century. It aims at carrying out a philosophical analysis of some of the underlying cultural themes and philosophical presuppositions of Western self-understanding and contemporary society in relation to the phenomenon of religion. Building upon the strengths of critical thinking, systematic reflection, and historical awareness developed at undergraduate level, the programme allows the student to explore thematic concerns of philosophers in the Western tradition from medieval times to the 21st century.
M.A. in Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Thought (joint degree between the Departments of Ancient Classics and Philosophy)
This interdisciplinary programme joins the expertise of the Departments of Ancient Classics and Philosophy. It offers students the opportunity to explore Western intellectual history from the classical period to the Renaissance from a variety of angles: philosophical, literary, and cultural. It should appeal both to those who want an overview of the foundations of modern European thought, and to those with more specialized interests in Classics, medieval and Renaissance studies, philosophy, or the history of ideas. Building upon the strengths of critical thinking, systematic reflection, and historical awareness developed at undergraduate level, the programme allows the student to explore thematic concerns of writers in the Western tradition from ancient Greece and Rome to the sixteenth century.
Programme Co-ordinators:
Dr William Desmond (Department of Ancient Classics)
Prof. Michael Dunne (Department of Philosophy)
M.A. in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics)
This M.A. brings together at a postgraduate level some of the most important approaches in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in order to obtain the necessary abilities and understanding to deal with the challenges of globalisation and a globalised economy, democracy and becoming a responsible citizen, by addressing the intrinsic relationships between these subjects. Modules from the School of Law and Criminology will also be used, where suitable, to enable the students on an interdisciplinary level to engage with the practical political, social, and economic challenges faced by society today.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics overlap not only in the university, but also in public policy, business and commerce. The intellectual dexterity and versatility that emerges from a training and grounding in these three overlapping and cognate disciplines is an enormous professional, intellectual and vocational asset, valued and recognized by governments, policy makers, enterprises and employers. It enables one to act effectively under guidance in a peer relationship with qualified practitioners; lead multiple, complex and heterogeneous groups.
Programme Co-ordinator:
Dr Susan Gottlöber (Department of Philosophy)
Postgraduate Diploma
Like the MA, the diploma comports 6 MA modules, but unlike it, it involves no thesis.
Ph.D. theses in progress
Daire Boyle
The Relevance of Phenomenological Reflections on Consciousness for the Development of 'Strong' Artificial Intelligence
Supervisor: Dr Susan Gottlöber
Chrisandus Ambale
Lonergan’s cognitional theory: A transition to the Interiority level of meaning, and its relevance for post-modernist philosophy
Supervisor: Prof. William Desmond
Catherine Barry
Arguing for toleration of Roman Catholics in Eighteenth Century Ireland
Supervisor: Dr Susan Gottlöber
John O'Donoghue
Lacan's essay 'Kant avec Sade'
Supervisor: Prof. Philipp Rosemann
Frances Hannon
Edith Stein's Philosophy of Education
Supervisor: Dr Mette Lebech
Xinchen Mao
Transcendental Illusion and the Problem of Immanence - Transcendence in Kant and Husserl
Supervisor: Dr Cyril McDonnell
Charles Piecyk
Foucault, Nietzsche, and the End of Man
Supervisor: Prof. Philipp Rosemann
Alan Xuereb
Architecture for the Common Good
Supervisor: Prof. Philipp Rosemann
Adam Hutchinson
German Idealism and Cosmic Dualism
Supervisor: Dr William Desmond
Stephen Brian Walsh
The Reception of Natural Law Theories among Anglo-Irish Philosophers from the Late 17th to the Early 18th Centuries
Supervisor: Dr Amos Edelheit
Patrick Butson
Conceptions of the Self and Other: From Kierkegaard, through Heidegger, to Levinas
Supervisor: Dr Cyril McDonnell
