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Irish Studies (Structured PhD )

Structured PhD (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences) (Irish Studies)

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Course Overview

As part of the doctoral training available on the Structured PhD programme, students avail themselves of a range of interdisciplinary taught modules. The wide menu of available options include modules that:

  • are discipline-specific in that they augment the student’s existing knowledge in their specialist area
  • are dissertation-specific in that they supply core skills which are essential to completion of the research project, e.g., additional language skills
  • acknowledge a student’s professional development e.g. presentation of a paper at an international conference
  • enhance a student’s employability through generic training, e.g., careers workshops, computer literacy.

Each student will be assigned a primary Supervisor(s) and a Graduate Research Committee made up of experienced researchers to plan their programme of study and to provide on-going support to their research.

Applications are welcome in all aspects of Irish Studies but projects are particularly welcome in the following areas: bilingual and comparative studies of modern and contemporary Irish writing; the politics and practice of translation; historical cartography, colonial and imperial geographies; traditional Irish music and dance.

It is a requirement of all PhD/MLitt candidates at the Centre for Irish Studies that they adopt an interdisciplinary approach to their research.

Programmes Available

Structured PhD (Irish Studies)—full-time 
Structured PhD (Irish Studies)—part-time

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Associated

Learning Outcomes

Entry Requirements

The minimum qualification necessary to be considered for admission to the PhD programme is a high honours, primary degree (or equivalent international qualification), or ’other such evidence as will satisfy the Head of Discipline and the College of his/her fitness’ (University of Galway Calendar). It is more usual, however, for successful applicants to have already gained a Master's degree.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Current research projects

  • ’Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann: reshaping tradition’, Méabh Ní Fhuartháin (IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholar)
  • ’Irish migration to Cuba 1835–1844’, Margaret Brehony, (IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholar)
  • ’The French Connection: the influence of French writing on the Gaelic revival 1893–1939’, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, (IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholar) 

Current funded research opportunity

Work Placement

Related Student Organisations

Career Opportunities

Find a Supervisor / PhD Project

If you are still looking for a potential supervisor or PhD project or would like to identify the key research interests of our academic staff and researchers, you can use our online portal to help in that search

Research Areas

Dr. Louis De Paor—Twentieth-century writing in Irish; translation;  Máirtín Ó Cadhain; Flann O'Brien; Irish bardic poetry.

Dr. Nessa Cronin—Irish and European historical cartography; cultural geography; philosophies of space and place; twentiethcentury and contemporary Irish writing.

Dr. Michelle Comber—Archaeology of Irelands early historic period (approx. 5th to 12th century A.D.), especially its fine metalwork, economy, and settlement; ringforts and settlement economy.

Researcher Profiles

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,750 p.a. (€5,890 including levy) 2024/25

Fees: Non EU

€14,500 p.a. (€14,640 including levy) 2024/25

Extra Information

 

EU Part time: Year 1 €4,250 p.a. (€4,390 including levy) 2024/25

All students, irrespective of funding, must pay the student levy  of €140.

Contact Us

Dr. Louis De Paor
T +353 91 493 660
E louis.depaor@universityofgalway.ie

What Our Students Say

Méabh

Méabh Ní Fhuartháin |   Irish traditional music and dance

The value of the Centre for all students as an interdisciplinary hub, drawing on a wide and expert knowledge base across the university, has been essential in my own development as a scholar. The egalitarian ethos of the Centre is especially apparent through the Meitheal graduate research group, a fortnightly opportunity to present work in progress to fellow students and staff from within the Centre and throughout the college. The Irish Studies Seminar Series, also administrated by the graduate student body, offers a chance to hear a wide variety of visiting scholars. One of the most fruitful aspects of my time at the Centre has been the intellectual engagement of visiting scholars with students. The atmosphere created at the Centre for Irish Studies, of intellectual rigor and challenge, and the sense of community at Martha Fox House all serve to make being a graduate student highly rewarding on a personal and professional level, and in my case something which I am certain I would not have found elsewhere. Also important for me is the one hundred per cent completion record of PhD students under the stewardship of all the appointed supervisors.

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