Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humankind, across time and space. It grapples with the question of what it means to be human and offers a powerful lens through which we can better understand the human experience, providing insights that are particularly valuable in today’s interconnected world. Anthropology therefore has an important role in promoting understanding and respect across real or imagined cultural differences.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 or 4 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate entry requirements:
At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Other Language O6/H7
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
This BA degree will provide you with the intellectual and practical means to understand cultural diversity around the world, and an ability to view our own culture in a critical manner. These skills are highly prized by employers. Career options include working as an archaeologist and forensic anthropologist, in arts administration and creative industries, community work, museums and heritage centres, journalism, librarianship, market research, the media, and in State bodies and NGOs dealing with social policy.
Direct entry into some of these careers is possible, while others require training at the postgraduate level to build on the academic foundation of a primary degree that has international recognition. Students with an Anthropology degree have a range of graduate career training options at masters and higher level, offered within UCC and in other Irish and overseas universities.
Postgraduate Options
Options for postgraduate study at UCC include:
MA Anthropology
MA Global Cultures & Languages
MA Human Osteoarchaeology
MA Museum Studies
MA Sociology
MA Sociology of Sustainability & Global Challenges
Further information
September 2026
Approximate Available Places 3
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 35
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Anthropology is the study of humankind, across time and space. It grapples with the question of what it means to be human and offers a powerful lens through which we can better understand the human experience, providing insights that are particularly valuable in today’s interconnected world. Anthropology therefore has an important role in promoting understanding and respect across real or imagined cultural differences.
At UCC, our BA Anthropology program immerses students in the four core subfields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology. Unique within a European setting, our curriculum draws on faculty expertise and research both in Ireland and abroad, and together we will explore human evolution and adaptation, heritage and colonial histories, human-environment interactions, semiotics and religion, ethics and global economies, and more.
Programme
Anthropology at UCC is the only BA degree in Ireland inspired by the North American four-field approach - with a focus on Sociocultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics - at its core. Our BA (Hons) Anthropology programme is a full-time honours degree taken over three years. If you wish to spend a year abroad at one of our partner institutions in Europe and beyond, you can take the International Pathway option and spend Year 3 abroad before returning to UCC to complete your degree in Year 4.
Year 1 modules
Students take 60 credits as follows – all listed core modules (45 credits) and 15 credits of elective modules:
Core Modules
AR1001 The Archaeology of Ireland in Context (15 credits)
AY1001 Introduction to Anthropology (5 credits)
HI1002 Modern Ireland: Culture, Politics, and Society (5 credits)
HI1012 Women in Europe since 1800 (5 credits)
SC1005 Introduction to Sociology (5 credits)
SC1006 Key Issues in Sociology (10 credits)
Elective Modules
FL1004 Introduction to Irish Folklore & Ethnology (15 credits) or
RG1001 Religions in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to the Study of Religions (15 credits)
Dr Susannah Chapman
anthropology@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 4048
www.ucc.ie/en/anthropology/
Prof Laura McAtackney
anthropology@ucc.ie
+353 (21) 490 4048