Apply
Enquiries:
Informal enquiries can be made to the Course Director (Dr Hannes Opelz: opelzh@tcd.ie) or Course Coordinator (Dr Justin Doherty: jdoherty@tcd.ie).
Entry requirements:
- A minimum 2.1 (upper-second class) Honours Bachelors degree from an Irish university or its international equivalent in a relevant subject. Relevant subjects include but are not limited to the following: Languages, Literature, History, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, Human Geography, Sociology, Religious Studies, Gender Studies, Textual and Visual Studies, Visual Arts, Art History, Economics, Political Science. We also welcome students from non-Humanities backgrounds with a keen interest in questions of identity.
- Proficiency in English. For candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the medium of English, a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 in each category or its equivalent. While there is no formal requirement to be proficient in a language other than English, students with a reading proficiency in a language taught in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Irish, Polish, Russian) are particularly welcome.
Application and next steps
Applications are normally open from November until June and you may apply at any point. Places are offered to the best applicants on a first-come first-served basis. Places are limited, and for that reason, it is recommended that you apply as early as possible. The deadline for applications is June 30th.
Required Materials
For this course, you will need to submit the following materials to apply:
Personal Statement Form
The Personal Statement Form is an important part of our assessment process. It is your opportunity to state your reasons for applying to this programme and how they match what the programme delivers. Please complete this form to submit your Personal Statement.
Sample of Academic Writing
As part of your application, you also need to submit a sample of no more than 2,500 words (excluding bibliography) of your best academic writing in English.
When we assess your application, we will pay particular attention to:
- your ability to build and present a logical, cohesive argument
- your ability to analyse and evaluate the arguments of others
- your ability to adhere to the norms of academic writing (referencing, quotation, avoiding plagiarism* and other forms of academic misconduct, and bibliography)
- your command of academic English
* we make use of Turnitin and other software to check for plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct in the samples submitted. An application may be rejected if samples of work submitted are found to include instances of such misconduct.
English Language Qualifications
Unless you have completed a degree through the medium of English or are a native speaker, you are required to prove your proficiency with the language. Trinity prefers IELTS, but will accept alternative tests run by international organisations, such as TOEFL. A minimum of 6.5 in each category or its equivalent is required.
Degree Certificate(s)
You will need to provide degree certificates (in PDF format) that prove you have completed all of the degrees you mention in your application. If you haven’t yet completed your degree, you can still apply and supply these documents when you have them.
Degree Transcripts
You will need to provide official transcripts (in PDF format) showing all of the components you have completed as part of your degree(s).
Two Reference Letters
You will need to provide reference letters from two referees who can provide references written in English, explaining why you would be a strong candidate for the course. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact their referees and inform them of their intention of applying for this programme. Referees listed by the applicant on Trinity's online application system will automatically receive an electronic reference request, providing them with a Trinity reference template and a link to upload their references.
Online Application Form
Once you have all of these materials (use this checklist to ensure you have completed all the required documents), click “Apply” below and fill out the online application form in full, not forgetting to upload all the requested materials as attachments.
IMPORTANT: please note that you must specify the category of each attachment you upload (for example, when uploading an official transcript, you need to specify that the attachment is an “Official Transcript”). Otherwise your application may be deemed incomplete.