UCC Undergraduate courses

Arts - Philosophy

About This Course

Fact File

Course Outline

Studying Philosophy at University College Cork will expose you to the most important philosophical ideas, thinkers and frameworks – ancient and modern, western and eastern – enabling you to address contemporary problems in a globalised context.

In a friendly and supportive environment, you will learn to master complex material and apply it to concrete problems, to develop cogent and clear arguments and present them in professional contexts.

Philosophy at UCC has particular strengths in moral and political philosophy, as well as in philosophy of mind, body and action. Its greatest strength, however, is its commitment to pluralism and interdisciplinarity, which combines these fields with research and teaching in Aesthetics; Comparative Continental European and Asian Philosophy;  Philosophy of Science;  Philosophy of Economics; and Metaphysics and Epistemology. 

Year 1 Modules

PH1001 Introduction to Philosophy (15 credits): This may change from year to year, but is intended as an introductory survey covering some of the following areas:

  • Ethics and Political Philosophy
  • Metaphysics
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Phenomenology

Year 2 Modules

Students taking 30 or more credits of Philosophy must take Reasoning and Argument and then at least one module from each of the following three groups:

GroupModules
Group 1: Metaphysics & Mind Philosophy of Mind, Knowledge and Reality; Philosophy of Science, Agency and Rationality; Phenomenology
Group 2: Value Theory Political Philosophy; Applied Ethics; Violence and War; Feminist Philosophy; Philosophy of Art
Group 3: Comparative & Historical History of Philosophy 1 & 2; Chinese Philosophy; Great Books in Philosophy; Continental Philosophy

Students taking fewer than 30 credits of Philosophy may take any combination of modules.

 

Year 3 Modules

All students must take at least two modules from each of the following three groups:

GroupModules
Group 1: Metaphysics & Mind Mind and Machine; Social Reality; Free Will and Human Nature; Philosophy of Language
Group 2: Value Theory Responsibility; Moral Psychology; Professional Ethics; Philosophy of Education, Displacement and the Home
Group 3: Comparative & Historical History of Philosophy 3 & 4; Korean Philosophy; Japanese Philosophy; Political Philosophy in Theory and Practice

Year 3 students may also choose the option of completing an extended essay under the close supervision of one member of the teaching staff.

 

Note: Specific module offerings may vary from year to year. Please see the Department of Philosophy webpage here for up-to-date information on course content.

See the Academic Calendar (BA Arts) for more information on BA content.

Course Practicalities

Expected lecture hours

In Year 1 you will have three hours of lectures a week, plus one hour of tutorials. In Years 2 and 3 all modules are two hours per week. 

Expected reading hours

You will be expected to read somewhere in the region of 25 to 35 pages per week per module.

Assessment

Written exams will take place at the end of each semester. Not all modules will have formal examinations. Many modules use other types of assessment including in-class tests, attendance, and participation during tutorials etc.

In Years 2 and 3, all courses are assessed by a mix of continuous assessment and exams. The exam will be either at the end of the first semester, or at the end of the academic year.

Who teaches this course

Our teaching staff is drawn from the Department of Philosophy. Tutorials are conducted by our PhD students, closely supervised by the lecturers in the Department.

Why Choose This Course

[Companies are looking for the] skillset that UCC’s philosophy department has granted me: not just critical, but creative thinking too ...

Cian Whelan, PhD student

Find Out More

UCC’s philosophy department has a unique commitment to pluralism (in terms of historical periods studied, methodologies used, and the traditions from many different geographic locations), and to interdisciplinary collaboration with other academic areas.

Apart from standard issues in the western philosophical tradition, Philosophy at UCC has particular strengths in Comparative and East-Asian Philosophy, as well as in Political Philosophy.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Study abroad

If you are studying Philosophy through BA International, you will spend Year 3 studying at one of our partner universities abroad. We currently have links with universities in Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden Mexico, and the USA.

Work placement

If you study Philosophy through the BA or the BA International, you will have the opportunity to avail of a work placement in Year 2. See our Go Abroad with UCC page here.

Skills and Careers Information

Critical thinking and clear, analytical writing are the most important skills students of philosophy will acquire. These skills have immediate practical applications in a range of professions, such as law, teaching, journalism, business and management.

Philosophy graduates are most sought after in the fields of finance, health, social work and business.

Requirements

Refer to CK101 and CK108.

Mature entry applicants: Find out about the mature entry requirements here.

Non-EU Candidates

Non-EU candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language.

To verify if you meet the minimum academic and language requirements visit our qualification comparison page.

Refer to our International Office page for more information on how to apply to UCC.

Fees and Costs

Refer to CK101 and CK108.

For International Fees see our Fees Schedule page.

How Do I Apply

Refer to CK101 and CK108. Students choose Arts subjects when registering for first year. 

EU Applicants: The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions. Refer to the CAO page for further information.

Mature Applicants (age 23 or over): See the CAO Mature Applicants page and the Mature Students Admissions Pathway (MSAP) page for essential information on the application process for mature students.

QQI FET: See our QQI FET Applicants page.

Non-EU Applicants: Non-EU applicants apply online via the UCC Apply portal. See our International Office page.

All Applicants: Please note that the modules listed are indicative of the current set of modules for this course and are subject to change from year to year. Please check the College Calendar for the full academic content of any given course for the current year. 

  • In UCC, we use the terms programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments. 

For queries regarding course content or timetables please contact

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