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| Application Deadline: | June 1 (EEA); March 1(Non EEA) | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 578 | ||
| Location: | Leuven / Belgium / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 12 months | Start Date: | September |
| Educational Form: |
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| Education Variants: |
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| Credits (ECTS): | 60 | ||
| Languages: | English | ||
Location of University of Leuven
The Institute of Philosophy offers full programmes in English leading to BA, MA, MPhil and PhD degrees. Viewed collectively, our undergraduate and post-graduate degrees aim to familiarise students with the historical traditions of philosophy, as well as with contemporary movements in English-speaking and Continental Philosophy, so that they are able to tackle the fundamental areas of philosophical research.
The aim of the BA programme is to provide a thorough historical and systematic education in philosophy. Ordinarily, our BA degree is taught over three years, although it is possible for students to be admitted to either the second or third stage of the programme, depending upon their educational background and qualifications. Students who have already earned a BA degree in an area of studies other than Philosophy may be eligible to enter a one-year Abridged BA programme in Philosophy.
The one-year MA programme aims to develop students’ knowledge of philosophy by exposing them to more detailed study of the central issues of the subject, and by equipping them with the requisite research skills needed to proceed to a higher degree.
The MPhil is situated in the curriculum of the Institute of Philosophy after the BA and MA. The programme is primarily research-oriented, and is integrated into the Doctoral Programme. Students should already have acquired a broad and somewhat specialised knowledge of philosophy, and possess the skills needed for independent research. The MPhil aims to deepen this knowledge, with particular focus on an area of research in which the student wishes to prepare a PhD. The process of gaining more in-depth knowledge and the process of specialisation go hand in hand. The objective set for the student is to obtain a thorough familiarity with and fundamental understanding of an area of research, and thereby to attain a level of expertise which demonstrates this.
Career prospectsStudents of philosophy deepen their skills of analysis and synthesis, and so are uniquely prepared to take on a variety of different careers. Most of our graduates however aim at an academic career, they obtain their doctorate in Philosophy and end up being a professor or scientific researcher. Others go into management positions, into official positions, into government, the press and publication world, as well as the media and socio-cultural sector.
Contents
The programme is oriented towards specialized research work in philosophy. The focus is firmly on the development of independent research.and concentrates on a number of fundamental courses which develop the specific skills of the advanced student. The programme can be considered as a final degree. It is also a bridge or transitional programme to the doctoral programme and functions as a qualification for formal acceptance to the doctoral studies.
The MPhil is designed in such a way that it allows each student to concentrate on a major and a minor field of study. In order to complete the programme, the student participates in:
- a common seminar in which students present their own research to fellow students;
- research seminars taken from his/her major;
- research seminars selected from the minor;
- electives; and
- the writing of a MPhil Master thesis.
Possible areas of research for the major and minor, and the thesis are: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy; Phenomenology and Contemporary Continental Philosophy; Metaphysics and Modern Philosophy; Philosophy of Culture; Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy; and Analytical Philosophy.
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (MPHIL)
4 credits mandatory from Common Seminar, one MAJOR of 36 credits, 8 credits from MINOR, 12 credits elective from Electives = 60 credits total
Common Seminar (4)
MAJOR - 8 credits mandatory from Elaborated Research Seminar, 8 credits elective from Specialized Research Seminars, 20 credits mandatory from Master Thesis = 36 credits total
Ancient and Medieval Philosophy:
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Thomas Aquinas in Context (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Plato and the Platonic Tradition (4)
(2) Aristotle and the Aristotelian Tradition (4)
(3) Renaissance and Early Modern Philosophy (4) - Master Thesis - Master thesis (20)
Phenomenology and Contemporary Continental Philosophy:
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Husserl (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Contemporary Phenomenology (4)
(2) French Phenomenology and Psychoanalysis (4) - Master Thesis - Master Thesis (20)
Metaphysics and Modern Philosophy
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Themes in Metaphysics (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Issues in German Idealism (4)
(2) Renaissance and Early Modern Philosophy (4)
(3) Modernity and its Discontents (4) - Master Thesis - Master Thesis (20)
Philosophy of Culture
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Modernity and its Discontents (4)
(2) Technology, Society, Environment (4) - Master Thesis - Master Thesis (20)
Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Ethics and Public Policy (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Ethical Theories and Moral Life (4)
(2) Conflicting Traditions in Political Philosophy (4)
(3) Technology, Society, Environment (4) - Master Thesis - Master Thesis (20)
Analytical Philosophy
- Elaborated Research Seminar - Research Topics in Analytic Philosophy (8)
- Specialized Research Seminars
(1) Philosophy of Logic and Language (4)
(2) Philosophy of Mind and Epistemology (4) - Master Thesis - Master Thesis (20)
MINOR - 8 credits elective from the research seminars of one Major
Electives - 12 credits elective from the Electives List and/or from the Major´s research seminars
Electives List
(1) Ancient Philosophical Texts (4 pt.)
(2) Medieval Philosophical Texts (4 pt.)
(3) Modern Philosophical Texts (4 pt.)
(4) Contemporary Philosophical Texts: Phenomenology (4 pt.)
(5) Contemporary Philosophical Texts: Analytical Philosophy (4 pt.)
(6) Philosophy of Being: Advanced Course (4 pt.)
(7) Ethics: Advanced Course (4 pt.)
(8) Philosophical Anthropology: Advanced Course (4 pt.)
(9) Theory of Knowledge: Advanced Course (4 pt.)
(10) Logic: Advanced Course I (4 pt.)
(11) Logic: Advanced Course II (4 pt.)
(12) Philosophy of God (4 pt.)
(13) Philosophy of Religion (4 pt.)
(14) Philosophy of Mind and Artificial Intelligence (4 pt.)
(15) Foundations of Formal Theories of Language (4 pt.)
(16) Vraagstukken uit de algemene metafysica I (4 pt.)
(17) Vraagstukken uit de algemene metafysica II (4 pt.)
(18) Vraagstukken uit de moraalfilosofie (4 pt.)
(19) Vraagstukken uit de politieke en sociale filosofie (4 pt.)
(20) Vraagstukken uit de logica (4 pt.)
(21) Vraagstukken uit de godsdienstfilosofie (4 pt.)
(22) Vraagstukken uit de natuurfilosofie (4 pt.)
(23) Vraagstukken uit de wijsgerige antropologie (4 pt.)
(24) Vraagstukken uit de taalfilosofie (4 pt.)
(25) Vraagstukken uit de wetenschapsfilosofie (4 pt.)
(26) Language Elementary Course: German (6 pt.)
(27) Language Elementary Course: French (6 pt.)
(28) Perspectives on Society and Science. Lectures for the 21st Century (4 pt.)
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More informationRequirements
Students should have distinguished themselves in an MA in the Dutch or English language programmes in philosophy at the HIW, or have obtained an equivalent degree in philosophy from elsewhere (minimum 4 years of study of philosophy). From the students is expected a general and thorough knowledge of the history of philosophy and of the most important research domains.
They have to belong to the top of their class at the MA-level and have certified record of philosophical excellence in their previous studies. They have to prove their research abilities. Their motivation and interest should be clearly stated in their application by a first raw sketch of the research project. The evaluation of such will be one of the features considered in the decision whether or not the student will be admitted to the programme.
Direct access:
- Master of Philosophy (K.U.Leuven)
- Master in de wijsbegeerte (Flemish institution of higher education)
Admission decisions are based upon evaluation of a complete dossier:
- Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophy
Extra admission requirements:
- Three letters of recommendation, written by someone familiar with the candidate's academic work and achievements.
- A sample of the candidate's best written work in philosophy, or in a related area.
Additional Requirements
| Minimal degree required: | Master's degree |
| Minimal amount of work experience | Not specified |
Language Proficiency
| IELTS Band: | 7.0 |
| TOEFL Paper-based: | 600 |
| TOEFL Computer-based: | 250 |
| TOEFL Internet-based: | 100 |
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