
MA in Philosophy in practice
Tartu, Estonia
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
15 Mar 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
01 Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 4,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Tuition-waiver scholarships available
Introduction
PREPARATION We seek candidates from diverse disciplinary backgrounds - this significantly broadens the range of viewpoints each student in the programme is exposed to and the skillset they can draw upon in class. However, this diversity makes it especially important to build a common base-set of knowledge, skills and values in each group of students. The Start Module ensures that everyone who enters the master's programme finishes their first semester having received significant feedback on their writing, oral argumentation and communication skills, and having acquired a solid overview of three broad areas of philosophy: ethics and epistemology, mind and language, and selected topics in the history of philosophy. These courses start basic but quickly advance to material that will be new even to students who have graduated from a bachelor's programme in philosophy.
TRAINING Once you've finished the first semester, you'll be well-prepared to begin courses from the Philosophy in Application Module and the Diversification Module.
The Philosophy in Application Module contains courses that have been specifically designed to teach philosophy in application to challenges facing the world today: they have been designed to make it easier for students to see why and how philosophy needs to be done in order to address those challenges, and thus easier for students to identify potential internship placements and research project opportunities. Examples of the challenges addressed in these courses include:
- how national sovereignty is to be understood when countries like China and Russia push to create a multipolar world;
- exploration of our obligations to older and younger generations as the world ages and populations shrink;
- the limitations of old concepts in a world saturated with artificial intelligence and automation.
The Diversification Module allows you to diversify your studies by:
- by taking additional philosophy courses and/or
- taking complementary non-philosophy courses that teach skills and knowledge that complement the content of the programme's philosophy courses and/or
- studying abroad at one of our many international partners.
In this module, you choose the balance of philosophy and non-philosophy courses that best serves your plans after graduation.
APPLICATION In the final stages of the curriculum, you will apply what you've learnt from your philosophy and other courses in both:
- the Practice Placement Module, where you'll be supported in finding and undertaking an internship;
- the Research Project Module, where you'll complete your own original research under supervision from one of our lecturers.
You can choose whether to conduct the lion's share of your research project in your third or fourth semester: this allows those students who want to apply to graduate school to use their research project in their graduate school applications (which are usually due at the end of the third semester).
Admissions
Curriculum
A student admitted to our programme develops these skills and this knowledge by pursuing an amalgamation of study and supervised research tailored to their background and where they want to use these skills after graduating. Graduates of our programme work in organisations that require the skills our programme trains such as start-ups, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and research universities.
The setup of the programme is designed to allow students with different levels of expertise in philosophy to follow tailor-made, fulfilling and productive study plans. The curriculum structure enables flexible research-based studies for those who have studied philosophy before and would like to focus on a specific area and get more involved in research. The curriculum is equally suitable for those who are just beginning to study philosophy and would like to attend more general philosophy classes.
The curriculum consists of:
- Start Module (24 ECTS)
- Philosophy in Application Module (36 ECTS)
- Diversification Module (30 ECTS)
- Practice Placement Module (6 ECTS)
- Research Project Module (18 ECTS)
- Electives Module (6 ECTS)
Rankings
The University of Tartu belongs to the top 1.2% of the world's universities.
Scholarships and Funding
There are 4 tuition waivers available for citizens of EU/EEA/Switzerland, 4 for all citizenships.
Program Tuition Fee
Gallery
Career Opportunities
The master’s programme in Philosophy in Practice equips students with strong analytical, argumentative, and communication skills, as well as a thorough understanding of contemporary philosophical ideas and debates on a wide range of topics. Each of these topics is relevant to issues of practical significance, and the programme delivers this training to an exceptionally high standard. On average, 50% of our graduates secure funded doctoral positions at institutions worldwide.
The programme is structured to support two primary career pathways:
1. Academic Career Pathway: Graduates can use their training as a foundation for further academic study, such as pursuing a doctoral degree in philosophy or a related field.
2. Non-Academic Career Pathway: Many of our graduates successfully transition into careers beyond academia, applying the skills gained in the programme to fields such as policy, consulting, journalism, and more.
Facilities
Student Testimonials
Why study at University of Tartu
Why study Philosophy at the University of Tartu?
- The opportunity to study philosophy at a high level whilst keeping multiple career paths open. We’ve designed the Philosophy in Practice master’s programme with an emphasis on application because we wish to provide a qualification that allows philosophy enthusiasts to follow through on that enthusiasm without forcing them to choose between training for a purely theoretical academic career and avoiding philosophical training altogether. We want to remove that fork in the road so that you don’t have to choose. You can train in philosophy in a way that prepares you for non-academic as well as academic career paths.
- Interdisciplinarity. The programme offers students the chance to supplement their philosophical studies with courses from across the university. Students can thereby increase the interdisciplinarity of their work by taking courses from another discipline and strengthen their transferable skills (e.g. in data analysis, project management, communication, etc.).
- Our openness to diverse educational backgrounds. The programme welcomes candidates from non-philosophy backgrounds. We value the contributions of students from diverse fields who bring unique perspectives that enrich our department and the learning environment. Our curriculum includes a Start Module designed to help students from non-philosophical backgrounds engage confidently with more experienced peers by the end of their first semester. The module also offers advanced material for experienced students, covering topics not typically included in undergraduate studies.
- Internships, applications and business. We coach our students in identifying ways to integrate their philosophical interests with non-academic sectors, an essential skill whether they pursue careers inside or outside academia. Estonia is home to a strong startup scene, and the University of Tartu pursues initiatives to link its research efforts with this innovative environment. As a student in our department, you will have the opportunity to benefit from these initiatives.
- An international environment. The Department of Philosophy is truly international, featuring researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy. Many Estonian researchers in the department have also earned their qualifications from prestigious institutions abroad. The department frequently organises events with visiting philosophers from around the world, such as the Frege Lectures, both as standalone events and through its involvement in various international research networks. These networks include the Natural Law 1625-1850 Network (read more here), the Nietzsche International Lab, the Responsible Open Science in Europe project, and the Nordic-Baltic Philosophy of Medicine and Healthcare Network. Our students also have hosted NordPhil student conferences, bringing together students from Nordic universities to share and discuss their research.
- Study abroad. The Department of Philosophy has Erasmus agreements with a diverse range of esteemed European partners, enabling our students to spend a semester or a year abroad, living and studying in another European city or town. Additionally, the department is part of the Nordic Network in Philosophy, which funds mobility among all the main Nordic universities. Furthermore, the University of Tartu participates in various networks beyond Europe, supporting exchange opportunities around the globe.