GCAS College Dublin

Department of Social & Political Thought

This programme is academically rigorous and interdisciplinary. The research focus is on the humanities and social sciences.  We focus on integrating scholarship in the humanities, social and political sciences, religious studies, critical theory, and philosophy to provide insight on the most vexing questions facing our world today. Scholarship forged within this programme is aimed for the benefit of global public.

About the GCAS Department of Social & Political Thought

This programme services two different programmes: a Masters (MA) and Doctoral (PhD) degree. On occasion a student may be admitted into the joint MA/PhD programme.

Student researchers in both the MA and PhD programme must be committed to original research.

Chair of the Social & Political Thought Department:

Creston Davis, Ph.D.

Faculty for the Social & Political Thought Department:

Creston Davis, Ph.D. (University of Virginia) Chancellor, Associate Professor of philosophy and religion, Founding Director of GCAS.

Bracha L Ettinger, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Philosophy. 

Keith Faulkner, Ph.D. (University of Warwick) Associate Professor of Philosophy

Francisco Gonzalez, Ph.D. (Catholic University, Chile) Assistant Professor of Arts and Philosophy, Director of GCAS-South America

Dejan Lukic, Ph.D. (Columbia University) Vice-Chancellor, Associate Professor of Anthropology

Jean-Luc Nancy, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Philosophy (Rest in Peace)

Julie Reshe, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Psychoanalysis, and Director of the GCAS Psychoanalysis Institute. 

Tere Vadén, Ph.D. (University of Tampere) Professor of Philosophy

The MA Programme in Social and Political Thought

The MA programme is one (1) year in length and requires the student to complete 60 credit hours by completing required seminars, peer-group work, and supervised guided research. The MA thesis length and structure may vary between 20,000 – 40,000 words (excluding bibliography and appendices) and not to exceed 50,000 words. Footnotes & citations normally should not exceed 20% of the thesis. For more details consult the GCAS Handbook.

Masters (MA) in Social & Political Thought

Acceptance: Selective

Length: 1 Year

Tuition Costs: 5,000€

Requirements: 60 Credits, MA Thesis

Prerequisites: Bachelor’s Degree

Ph.D. Programme in Social & Political Thought

The Ph.D. programme is a research based and three (3) years in length and requires the student to complete 180 credit hours via the requirements such as: (a) monthly supervision & dissertation peer mentor hours; (b) doctoral comprehensive examinations among other requirements. The doctoral dissertation length and structure may vary between 70,000 – 80,000 words (excluding bibliography and appendices) and not to exceed 100,000 words. Footnotes & citations normally should not exceed 20% of the dissertation. For more details consult the GCAS Handbook and the Ph.D. page.

Doctorate (PhD) in Social & Political Thought

Acceptance: Highly Selective

Length: 3 Year

Tuition Costs: 5,000€

Requirements: 180 Credits

Prerequisites: Masters Degree