Research Master's in Philosophy

This two-year Research Master’s programme is designed for international and Dutch students who wish to acquire the skills needed for a career in academic philosophy or in research. The programme has five specialisations, reflecting the expertise of researchers at the faculty.

As a student you will follow intensive Research Master’s courses, and will develop your methodological and academic skills during dedicated Research Methods and Skills seminars. Throughout your studies, you will participate in ongoing research activities and will be assigned a personal supervisor who will guide you as you acquire the skills necessary for a career in research.

Specialisations

  • Metaphysics and Philosophical Anthropology

    You will study ancient fundamental questions about ’existence’, the relationship between language and truth, and the essence of reality and explore philosophical questions about the nature of human beings from the perspective of continental philosophy.

  • Ethics and Political Philosophy

    In this English-taught Master’s specialisation of the Philosophy Research Master’s programme you will study moral conflicts and ethical issues in contemporary Western culture and how politics is a way of coping with these dilemmas.

  • Philosophy of Mind and Language

    In this Philosophy Research master’s specialisation you will explore explicit connections to developments in cognitive neuroscience and linguistics and explore the richness of language and communication from a social and evolutionary perspective.

  • History of Philosophy and Science

    Philosophy and the sciences have interacted throughout history. Up to Newton and even Darwin, ‘science’ was in fact called ‘natural philosophy’. This Master’s specialisation covers the entire history of philosophy, from Antiquity to modern times, and combines it with the history and philosophy of science.

  • Philosophy of Religion

    The specialisation in Philosophy of Religion explores both classical questions concerning religion, such as the problem of evil, the conceptualization of faith and religious practices, and the issues of religious pluralism and (in)tolerance.