History of Welfare & Medicine in Society

This innovative MA programme considers themes such as eugenics; migration; institutionalisation and patients’ experiences, analysed through social, gender, class and post-colonial history.



-How did culture and society respond to disease, health campaigns, new medical theories and innovations? Is there a relationship between medicine, welfare, ethnicity and identity?



-How is medical and lay knowledge of sickness and therapeutics formed?



-Can an understanding of these questions help in the development of current public health policy?



-The MA provides a comprehensive understanding of historical methodologies and their potential application to current debates about disease and welfare.



-The practical skills – project-management, writing with clarity and precision, and communication skills – garnered are essential for a range of careers including teaching, all forms of media, politics and academia.



The programme explores the main trends within welfare and medical history from social history, gender history, post-colonial history to individual experiences of poverty, and of illness throughout history. You will explore how medicine and welfare regimes and policies overlapped with culturally constructed conceptions of femininity and masculinity, and race and ethnicity.



-The MA has a reputation for excellence taught by lecturers with international profiles.

-Modules are taught through seminars. You will develop expertise in presenting, analytical thinking, effective communication, and writing with clarity and precision.

-The dissertation, at the core of the MA, allows you to engage your own research-based interests.

Stage 1 Core Modules

HIS42690 Delving into the Archives Autumn 10

HIS42020 Disseminating History Spring 10

HIS42940 Body, Disease and Society Spring 10

HIS42880 Dissertation Year-long (12 months) 30



Stage 1 Options - A)3 of:

Students select modules worth a total of 30 credits. It is recommended that students balance their workload between the first and second trimester. Modules can be chosen in consultation with the Programme Director.

ENG32380 Sexuality and the State in Irish Drama and Culture Autumn 10

HIS31440 Ireland in the long 1960s Autumn 10

HIS32350 Alcohol, Drugs & Society Autumn 10

HIS32730 The Digital Humanities Autumn 10

HIS41780 Origins of Modern Diplomacy Autumn 10

HIS42660 Historiography and Historical Debate in Twentieth-century Ireland Autumn 10

HIS42860 The Body in Modern Warfare Autumn 10

HIS42380 Research Collaboration Autumn and Spring (separate) 10

HIS31310 Madness and Civilisation Spring 10

HIS42490 Landscape and Environment in Ireland, 1500-1800 Spring 10

HIS42590 De Valera's Ireland Spring 10

HIS42840 Modern Asia Spring 10

HIS42950 How the West came to rule Spring 10

• 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



• Two academic references from referees who are in a position to assess your intellectual ability, maturity and motivation.



• 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.



• Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements, may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information: https://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/int%20pmp/



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax

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Z240: 1 year full-time

Z241: 2 years part-time.

Delivery: On Campus

MA History of Welfare & Medicine in Society (Z240) Full Time

EU fee per year - € 7315

nonEU fee per year - € 19900


MA History of Welfare & Medicine in Society (Z241) Part Time

EU fee per year - € 4390

nonEU fee per year - € 9950


***Fees are subject to change



Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.


Students can apply for a prestigious, internationally recognised Wellcome Trust Masters Scholarship. Please contact the MA Director Dr Catherine Cox for further information.

Z240 History of Welfare & Medicine in Society Master of Arts Full-Time

Commencing September 2025

Graduate Taught



Z241 History of Welfare & Medicine in Society Master of Arts Part-Time Commencing September 2025

Graduate Taught

The MA qualification from School of History and Archives gives you a broad-based knowledge and expertise that will provide you with theoretical and practical skills you need for the long-term development of your career. You will be equipped to excel in numerous careers that value critical thinking, writing and time- and project-management skills. Since the establishment of the MA in 2007, Graduates of the Programme have entered a range of employment opportunities in:



Accountancy

Media

Law

Academia

Teaching

NGOs

Arts



Graduates of the programme have been very successful in securing funding to pursue PhDs in the field at Irish, British, and European institutions.