MA Philosophy

The MA in Philosophy will give you a thorough grounding in the core knowledge and skills required for philosophical research, while also allowing you to pursue your philosophical interests in depth.

Bristol ranks as one of the top ten philosophy departments in the UK in the Philosophical Gourmet Report. Our staff have diverse research interests and expertise across a wide range of philosophical areas.

You can design a path to match your interests by choosing one of the following seven specialist pathways, each dedicated to a key area of contemporary philosophical research:

• Ethics
• Epistemology and Metaphysics
• Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics
• Philosophy and History of Science
• Philosophy of Biological and Cognitive Sciences
• Philosophy of Physics
• Political Philosophy.

Each pathway has distinct mandatory units, providing the foundation to develop specialist expertise in a particular area of philosophy. Your dissertation is an opportunity to work on an extended and original piece of research on a topic of your choosing, with guidance from a research supervisor. You will develop a deep knowledge and understanding of key areas of philosophy and a sophisticated ability to critically evaluate and assess philosophical theories.

You will be an active member of the department's flourishing research culture and will be encouraged to take part in our regular events, including research seminars, workshops and reading groups. There is also a dedicated weekly postgraduate seminar with a friendly and supportive environment.