Maynooth University |

Whatever your reasons for undertaking postgraduate study – to research a subject you are deeply interested in or invest in your future career – at Maynooth University you will be led by academics who are leaders in their chosen field and passionate about their role as educators.

Candidates without an academic degree, a Taught Master’s qualification is still an option at Maynooth University. Through its ‘recognition of prior learning’ (RPL) policy, Maynooth University acknowledges the value of labour market participation to life-long education.

Most prospective postgraduate students do not realise that it is possible to move into a new area of study via a conversion Master’s programme. These popular programmes offer level 8 Bachelor degree holders (or equivalent) a ‘no experience necessary’ path into a new field of expertise.

As a graduate student at Maynooth, you will embark on a stimulating and challenging journey alongside academics who are passionate about their research, and involve you in new discoveries and understandings while training you to the highest level in your discipline.

Highlighted Course:

MSc Climate Change (Winner of the gradireland Postgraduate Course of the year in Science category) 

The MSc in Climate Change at Maynooth University is offered to provide Graduates with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to enable them to undertake analysis of both global and Irish related climate change science, impacts and policies.

The course provides a well-integrated and encompassing programme of taught modules such as, The Ocean and Climate Change, Detection, Attribution and Decision making, Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation which reflect the major themes of climate change, together with essential technical training in modelling and analysis and are designed to nurture independent and critical thinking on climate change issues.

Students gain applied knowledge working with industry stakeholders on proposed dissertation topics on real world problems. This ensures that societally relevant research topics meet stakeholder needs and that students develop links with potential employers.

Located in the heart of Ireland’s only university town, Maynooth University is based just 25 kilometres from the city of Dublin, offering a large, historic campus ideal for postgraduate studies. 

In recent years, Maynooth has invested in an impressive capital building project, including a new state-of-the-art Library building, student accommodation, a bespoke Education building and an award-winning enterprise and technology hub.  

With dedicated postgraduate space in the Library building, postgraduate students can access support from our team of Subject Librarians and our Research Support Librarian. One to one and group consultations help to support your research, with training and guidance finding information and using library resources, advice on conducting literature reviews, managing your references and showcasing your research.

Each year Maynooth University invests over €1.4 million in postgraduate scholarships:

John and Pat Hume Doctoral Awards:

Each year, Maynooth University provides up to thirty John and Pat Hume doctoral awards to support prospective students, commencing research studies at the university. The John and Pat Hume PhD Scholarships provide up to €18k of stipend support plus full fees for up to 4 years of PhD studies. The application process is competitive and prospective students should visit the website to make an application: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/jphawards

Maynooth University Teaching Studentships

Maynooth University awarded 11 Teaching Studentships in 2017 to postgraduate students commencing their PhD studies. Offering a €9,000 stipend per annum and fees paid over 5 years, these Doctoral students commit to an agreed number of teaching/demonstrating hours for their Departments during their PhD. Please visit the Maynooth University website for information on current opportunities.

Taught Master’s Scholarships:

(€2,000 Taught Masters Scholarships)

Maynooth University offers sixty scholarships of €2,000 cash to support full-time taught Master’s study at Maynooth University. These Master’s Scholarships are available across all Departments of the university, and they are open to EU and non-EU citizens, and to Maynooth and non-Maynooth graduates. The funding is competitive and prospective students should make an application online at: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/postgradscholarships

Since the 18th century, researchers and scholars at Maynooth have fostered a spirit of inquiry and scholarship rooted in the classical European tradition.

That tradition of intellectual freedom informs the principles and values that make Maynooth University a uniquely scholarly and research intensive institution. To this day, scholarly rigour, academic freedom, and collegial collaboration remain the hallmarks of the Maynooth researcher.  

As a scholarly community in the 21st century, we now work in diverse ways to inquire and discover, to create, conserve, disseminate and apply knowledge, to prepare the researchers of tomorrow and to engage with the problems and challenges that face modern society. We bring our scholarly expertise to bear on the key questions for our age, and are rightly proud that our research informs the teaching we provide at all levels.

Through our world-class research institutes, we are addressing key issues facing the modern world. In exploring human health, our researchers are collaborating with healthcare providers and industry to discover new ways to tackle disease and discover new medicines. In the area of ICT and smart technologies, our research ranges from protecting privacy and security in networked data to developing computer systems capable of sensing and understanding the world.

Within the social sciences, researchers are devising sustainable responses to a changing world, from climate change to smart cities. In the humanities, we are exploring the past and present through social, political and historical lenses that will help better grapple with the challenges of the future.