Declan O'Gara

MA Philosophy

Why did you choose Manchester?

I chose to study my course at UoM as I really loved the department during my time as an undergrad. The teaching is excellent, and all of the academics are welcoming and happy to provide any support that is needed. Also, the course has a wide arrange of modules which enabled me to tailor the course to my own interests.

Did you always know what you wanted to do?

I decided that I wanted to do a PhD in the third year of my undergrad at Manchester. Completing the MA definitely helped to solidify academia as my chosen career. The MA thesis provided experience in the kind of research and writing that goes into postgraduate research. I was also able to discuss what being an academic was like with those in the department to ensure that I was making the right career choice.  

How did your course set you up for your career path?  

The skills that I developed to in my MA are directly transferable to my PhD. The research methods that I developed during my time on the course have set me up to be a successful PhD student. Furthermore, the ideas and arguments that I developed during the MA will be further explored in my PhD thesis. The academic staff on the course were also very helpful in advising me on which PhD courses I should apply to and also gave tips on how to write a successful application.

What was the most surprising takeaway from your course?

During the MA I had to give a handful of presentations in the different modules that I took. This wasn’t something that I had done during my undergrad and I feel as though the experience of researching and then giving a presentation to a small group of people will be very beneficial to my career as an academic.

These presentations were much less formal than giving a talk at an academic conference would be, therefore allowing me to experience what giving a talk is like without so much pressure. The academics teaching the modules also gave very useful feedback which helped me to get better at giving presentations over the course of the year.

What advice would you give to a student looking to start your course and/or join the University? 

I would advise potential students to visit Manchester if they haven’t already. It’s a big city so it’s definitely worth exploring before moving here for the course.

I would also suggest that prospective students have a look over the course modules to see what they would be interested in studying. There are many different classes in areas such as ethics, analytical philosophy and political philosophy, so there will be something for everyone.

A big part of the MA is writing the MA dissertation so I also advise that students should have a think about what they would like to write about and look at the different academics in the department to work out who they would like to work with as an advisor.