MA Irish Studies

Queen's University Belfast is a historic and research-led university located in the heart of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded as Queen's College Belfast in 1845 and established as an independent university in 1908, Queen's combines a long heritage with modern ambitions. The campus sits within a designated conservation area and serves a diverse community of around 24,915 students, including roughly 3,500 international students, creating a lively and inclusive environment for study and social life.

Academically, Queen's is a Russell Group member with strong disciplinary strengths and a clear focus on employability. The university hosts four flagship Global Research Institutes addressing Global Peace, Security and Justice; Cyber Security; Health Sciences; and Food Safety, offering students opportunities to engage with impactful research. Career-facing initiatives such as Degree Plus and targeted employer workshops enhance internships, placements and graduate prospects, while sustained investment in campus infrastructure has delivered new teaching facilities, a student centre and a cutting-edge clinical simulation centre for health-related programmes.

For international students, Belfast offers an affordable and welcoming city experience with rich cultural life and efficient transport links across the UK and Ireland. University support services help with arrival, visas and accommodation, and a variety of clubs, societies and volunteering options make it easy to build networks and gain practical experience. Queen's is a strong choice for students seeking rigorous teaching, active research opportunities and clear pathways into careers in the UK and beyond.

Situated at the heart of the island of Ireland, Queen’s University Belfast offers an unrivalled vantage point for the study of Irish history, culture, and society. The Institute of Irish Studies leverages the university’s world-class archival collections in the McClay Library and a deep bench of over 70 subject-matter experts to provide a truly interdisciplinary experience. This programme moves beyond traditional disciplinary silos, inviting students to synthesize perspectives from literature, anthropology, politics, sociology, and archaeology to examine Ireland’s complex past and its evolving global footprint.

The MA is particularly distinctive for its location in Belfast, providing students with direct engagement with the people and institutions that shaped the Peace Process. Whether analyzing the poetry of Seamus Heaney, the intricacies of post-Brexit geopolitics, or the nuances of heritage and identity, students are empowered to build a research agenda that reflects their own intellectual interests. The curriculum is designed to foster both advanced academic research skills and a nuanced understanding of contemporary public debate, preparing graduates for diverse professional paths in heritage, media, public administration, and academia.