利莫利克大学

Why study Arts at UL?

At the University of Limerick, we deliver an Arts Degree which is flexible and wide-ranging, offering 19 subjects in all. You can study a combination of subjects (as Single Honours or Joint Honours) from across the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Why study Philosophy?

Our undergraduate programme consists of a broad and accessible introduction to Philosophy. Our department provides a supportive and friendly environment for students, with a distinctive range of modules and extracurricular activities. Our programme is structured to provide students with the skills necessary to appreciate more fully the central concerns of human existence and to develop abilities in problem-solving, reflective communication, writing and critical thinking. Philosophy can be humanistic or technical, historical or contemporary, theoretical or practical. The Philosophy Department at Mary Immaculate College is committed to offering a programme that allows its undergraduates to engage all of these facets of the subject. Philosophy’s humanistic dimension involves the cultivation of the skills of close reading and careful interpretation of texts, as well as reflection on the largest of questions about who we are and what our place is in the world. Yet it equally involves reflection on the very intellectual capacities that we bring to bear in such reflection; and this means that philosophy has also always been concerned with the refinement and continual improvement of our exercise of such capacities.

Studying philosophy will teach you to think logically and critically about issues, to analyze and construct arguments and to be open to new ways of thinking. In addition, you will learn to write clearly and persuasively, absorb and sift complex information and to distinguish between different views and come to a reasoned position. You will also learn to be self- motivated, creative and able to prioritize your work and working to deadlines – all talents sought after by employers.

You will acquire the following skills:

• Logical and analytical thinking and reasoning
• Problem solving
• Written and oral communication – presentation of ideas and information
• Ability to interpret, condense and clarify information
• A significant amount of creativity
• Ability to formulate your own position and defend it in debate
• An ability to interpret, classify and analyze a variety of different information
• A willingness to debate any point • Curiosity and lateral thinking

Career Prospects

Careers in law, human resources, advertising, marketing, the media, publishing, politics, health care, social services and journalism are possible career options. High- profile philosophy graduates such as TS Eliot, Woody Allen, the Coen Brothers, creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening, Ricky Gervais, Martin Luther King, Elmore Leonard, Wes Anderson, Will Self, Michael Ignatieff, and former US president Bill Clinton are all examples of how studying philosophy can broaden your employment horizons as well as your thinking.

Follow-On Study:

• MA/PhD Research
• MA Philosophy and Culture
• Structured PhD in Philosophy and Culture

Other majors options in Arts:

• Economics
• English
• Gaeilge
• French
• Geography
• German
• History
• Irish Music and Dance
• Linguistics with TESOL
• Mathematics
• New Media and Cultural Studies
• Politics and International Relations
• Psychology
• Public Administration and Leadership
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Drama and Theatre Studies
• Theology and Religious Studies