Research Master in Philosophy
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Key Information
Campus location
Brussels, Belgium
Languages
English
Study format
Blended
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 1,116 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
16 Sep 2024
* students not requiring a student visa can apply until 15 May
** full time for EEA and non-EEA nationals
Introduction
This full-time English-taught research master is jointly organized by the Department of Philosophy of the University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen), the Department of Philosophy and Moral Science of Ghent University (UGent), and the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences of the Free University of Brussels (VUB). The program offers high-level training for excellent students who seek to develop a research career in philosophy.
The research seminars that constitute the core of the program cover a wide range of philosophical domains. Some relate to socially relevant topics (i.e. more applied philosophy) while others relate to more fundamental, purely philosophical domains.
Admissions
Curriculum
Overview of the Study Plan
In principle students follow a 120 credits program:
- the compulsory course Developing and Writing Research Proposals in Philosophy (6 credits; taught in English);
- five research seminars (10 credits each) from the above list;
- a master’s dissertation (24 credits) which is written in English; and
- 40 credits advanced optional courses.
The structure of the program is such that, while students with sufficient command of Dutch have a wider choice of advanced optional courses, the degree can be obtained by following only courses that are taught in English. As indicated above, the language of instruction for the core activities (the compulsory course, the research seminars, and the dissertation) is English.
Students with a standard (i.e. not research-oriented) master’s degree in philosophy or moral sciences can obtain the research master’s degree through a 60-credit program:
- the compulsory course Developing and Writing Research Proposals in Philosophy (6 credits; taught in English),
- three research seminars (10 credits each), and
- a master’s dissertation (24 credits) which is written in English.
Program Outcome
- Graduates have profound (state-of-the-art) knowledge and understanding of at least one systematic or historic philosophical domain.
- Graduates have insight into the relationship between this domain and other domains of philosophy and can relate the acquired insights to the social, cultural, and international academic context.
- Graduates understand the specificity, strengths, and weaknesses of different philosophical approaches and traditions.
- Graduates have knowledge of the specialized philosophical terminologies and concepts and are able to use them accurately.
- Graduates have the knowledge and an understanding of current philosophical debates, and can actively follow them up and integrate them into their own reflection and internationally-oriented research.
- Graduates are capable of developing a philosophical research project independently and draw up a funding application that can be filed with institutions like the FWO and the Special Research Funds of universities (and similar foreign institutions).
- Graduates are able, within their areas of specialization, to formulate original and innovative research problems based on the duly founded insight into the internationally recognized state-of-the-art in that domain.
- Graduates are able to work out original solutions to the selected research problems and argue their cases clearly and convincingly.
- Graduates are able to deepen their knowledge of their areas of specialization independently.
- Graduates are trained in academic writing, which enables them to act as lead authors of academic articles.
- Graduates are capable of framing the results of their research in a larger context.
- Graduates can report on their research orally in a clearly-understood manner.
- Graduates have a work attitude that makes them suitable to function in research teams and that guarantees the integrity of the research.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduates of this program are capable of developing a philosophical research project and drawing up a funding application that can be filed with local, national, or international funding institutions. They are able, within their areas of specialization, to formulate original and innovative research problems based on a duly founded insight into the internationally recognized state-of-the-art in that domain. Graduates of this program are able to work out original solutions to the selected research problems and argue their cases clearly and convincingly. They are trained in academic writing, which enables them to act as lead authors of academic articles.