Philosophy - Baccalaureate
The Baccalaureate in Philosophy (BPhil) is a full-time Level 8 award. The programme provides an opportunity to study Philosophy in the Christian and Western intellectual traditions. The BPhil is new to CAO in 2024
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Pontifical University Maynooth |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor | Pontifical University Maynooth |
Duration
3 years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate or equivalent with a minimum of two recognised subjects at Higher Level Grade H7 and four at Ordinary or Higher Level Grade 06.
Passes in Irish, English and another language are required.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
Students must normally have attained the age of seventeen years by 15th January following entry to the University. Where a candidate below that age seeks to enter the University, special application must be made to the University President, St Patrick’s Pontifical University.
The subject Mathematics (Leaving Certificate Foundation level) will be accepted for matriculation purposes, but points will not be awarded for it.
The subject Gaeilge – Bonnleibhéal (Irish – Foundation Level) will not be accepted for matriculation or points purposes.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
• points will be awarded as follows: 66 points for a distinction, 46 points for a merit, and 28 points for a pass.
• applicants will have the opportunity to use their points allocation for the Link Modules as one of their six subjects for the purposes of calculating points.
• the Link Modules will not qualify as a subject for matriculation purposes.
Applicants who satisfy the above requirements are placed in order of merit on the basis of the common points system and places are allocated according to the highest preference, in their application through CAO, to which their points entitle them.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
In such cases, it is the responsibility of the applicant to apply to FETAC for a major award where courses are taken over more than one year. A minimum of five distinctions are required for all courses. While a major award may be achieved over a number of sittings, the results that a student achieves in a single sitting (i.e. between 1st August - 31st July) are used for scoring purposes. The total maximum score that can be achieved is 400 points.
The score is based on achievement of the major award, i.e. a total of 120 credits, multiplied by the grade score of individual components. Grade scores for component awards are as follows: 3.333 points for a distinction; 2.222 points for a merit; 1.111 point for a pass. As the number of FETAC places available will be limited, those places will be allocated on a competitive basis based on the student’s score. Where more than one student has the same score, students will be ranked on a random basis by the CAO.
Entry to all programmes will be considered for holders of one of the awards listed on our website sppu.ie and who have obtained at least 5 distinctions.
Careers / Further progression
Philosophy graduates have a number of transferable skills, including:
• Self-motivation and the capacity for independent study & thought
• The ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
• Flexibility and creativity
• Critical thinking
• The capacity to identify, absorb and sift complex information
• Teamworking
• Openness to new ideas
Aside from an academic career in philosophy, philosophy graduates typically pursue careers in sales, marketing and related associate professions, including business, research, administration and the finance sector.
Further information
Candidates 23 years of age or over on 1st January in the year of proposed entry who do not fulfil ordinary entry requirements may apply for matriculation on the basis of mature years. Applications must be made through the CAO by 1st February (cao.ie).
Late applications will be considered up to the late CAO closing date of 1st May. Please contact the Admissions Office before submitting a late application or before entering our courses on your CAO application using the Change of Mind Facility.
An application fee is applicable when applying through the CAO.
All mature applicants will be interviewed.
Tel: +353 1 708 4772
Email: admissions@spcm.ie
MU004 is currently not part of the free fees initiative. For further information please contact fees@spcm.ie or visit sppu.ie/fees-and-funding.
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 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 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
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 2024 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
Course Aims
• Foster knowledge and understanding of key areas of Philosophy and the Christian intellectual tradition
• Develop the capacity to make informed, evaluative judgements about the arguments, approaches and methods within the different areas of the philosophical and Christian intellectual traditions
• Foster the skills of clear logical thought and presentation, careful analysis of ideas and imaginative deployment of argument
• To develop students' ability to fashion thoughts and concepts with precision, rigour and clarity to enable students to assess the source and nature of values
• Develop appreciation of some fruitful interconnections between Philosophy and other areas of intellectual thought
• Develop intellectual curiosity and the capacity for independent thought and critical reflection.