A primary degree in an appropriate field such as a Bachelor of Arts, or in a cognate discipline such as medicine and nursing. You must supply details of any third level institutions you have attended and professional qualifications you have attained.
Excellent academic grades 2H1 or an equivalent of a UCD GPA 3.2 NFQ Level 8. Transcripts will be required
You will be asked to complete a supporting statement outlining your reasons and motivation for wishing to undertake the course. In addition, a CV will be required.
You will be asked to provide a research proposal (one or two pages in length) which outlines preliminary topics/ideas for MA dissertation .
You will be required to provide an academic writing sample, e.g. an essay written during your degree or dissertation (there is no word limit).
Two academic references from referees who are in a position to assess your intellectual ability, maturity and motivation.You can upload your references to your application itself or if your referees prefer, they can email their letters of reference to
gradhistory@ucd.ie
Candidates whose first language is not English are normally expected to have achieved an overall 6.5 in IELTS or equivalent with no individual band lower than 6.
Provide advanced historical knowledge of welfare and medicine as socially and politically embedded institutions. Situate health and welfare history within transnational and global frameworks, including empire, migration, and postcolonial transformation. Strengthen students’ ability to engage critically with key theoretical approaches, including feminist, intersectional, postcolonial, and political economy perspectives; Cultivate independent research capacity through engagement with primary sources and historiographical scholarship. Develop globally competent graduates able to communicate complex arguments across diverse academic and professional settings. On completion of the programme, you will be able to: Demonstrate advanced knowledge of key developments in the history of welfare and medicine, with attention to global and comparative contexts; Critically evaluate how race, gender, class, empire, and migration have shaped medical and welfare thought, practice, and institutions; Apply relevant theoretical frameworks to historical evidence in a methodologically rigorous manner; Conduct independent, original research using appropriate primary and secondary sources; Produce persuasive, evidence-based written and oral arguments for specialist and non-specialist audiences; Assess the ethical and political implications of historical welfare and health regimes for contemporary policy and public debate; Work reflexively and responsibly across cultural and disciplinary boundaries, demonstrating strong global and intercultural awareness.