This full time English-taught research master is jointly organised 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 Brusssels (VUB). The programme offers a high-level training for excellent students who seek to develop a research career in philosophy.
Graduates of this programme are capable of developing a philosophical research project and draw up a funding application that can be filed with local, national or international funding institutions. They are able, within their areas of specialisation, to formulate original and innovative research problems based on a duly founded insight into the internationally recognised state-of-the-art in that domain. Graduates of this programme 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.
The research seminars that constitute the core of the programme 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.
In principle students follow a 120 credits programme:
• 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 programme 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 of 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 programme:
• 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.
[CAREER PERSPECTIVES]
The programme prepares students for a research career in philosophy. Students are encouraged to apply for pre-doctoral fellowships -- e.g. with the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) or the research councils of the participating universities -- with their own research proposal. Students should also apply for doctoral positions with a predetermined research project that falls within their area of expertise. Such positions are regularly advertised in academic newsletters and email-lists.
