The National University of Ireland, Maynooth
MA Geography
Maynooth, Ireland
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 16,000
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
The MA in Geography is designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding of key geographical ideas and themes, develop their critical thinking skills, undertake independent research in an area of specialist interest, and significantly enhancing their professional skills.
The MA in Geography offers a wide-ranging programme of taught modules so students can choose what classes best suit their interests and career goals. The programme is designed to develop critical spatial thinking, deepen specialist knowledge, and strengthen employability skills from a human geography perspective.
Through this programme, students will become familiar with a range of geographical perspectives applied to critical societal and environmental challenges, including decarbonisation, migration, mobility and housing.
Through its publicly engaged research, the Department has developed an extensive network of public engagement partners. The MA provides unique public engagement opportunities with these civil society partners through its innovative and immersive modules. Student will work together with these partners to collaborate and develop real-world projects. Our research-led and community-partnered teaching and learning approach has been recognised nationally by the Irish University Association.
This MA is flexible in delivery, innovative in emphasis, and stresses experiential- and field-based learning opportunities for students to develop ethical research skills and other employability competencies. Teaching and learning takes the form of small-group seminars, collaborative and project-based learning, guest talks and workshops, and regular immersive fieldwork.
Degree structure: 90 credits, taken over 1 year full-time (MHN66) or 2 years part-time (MHN67).
Students must take 50 compulsory credits, which develop competencies in field methods, spatial thinking, and theory and applied research methods in spatial justice. It also includes a 30-credit independent thesis focused on a topic of the students choosing as related to spatial justice.
Depending on the student's interests, s/he will take an additional 40 optional credits, with at least 20 credits in Geography and up to 20 credits of electives in anthropology, law, media studies and sociology.
All modules are 100% continuous assessment, with a range of assessment types (academic essays, field research journals, applied research projects, mapping projects, blogs, vlogs and videos, field-based reports, individual and group presentations, other). Please see the list of possible classes in Course Finder
Compulsory modules:
- GY607 Field School (10 credits)
- GY608 Thinking Geographically (10 credits)
- GY609 Thesis (30 credits)
Indicative Optional Modules in Geography:
- GY619 Public Engagement (10 credits)
- GY621 Dublin Urban Laboratory (10 credits)
- GY629 Spatial Justice: Geographies of Social & Environmental Change (10 credits
Our graduates acquire valuable research, analytical and critical, spatial thinking, ethical and professional skills. This Masters programme provides students with a range of communication, research and other transferable skills that will be valuable in many careers including in administration, education, services, creative industries, and working with NGOs and local government authorities. A high proportion of our graduates go on to pursue fully-funded PhDs.