Philosophy MA

The Queen’s MA in Philosophy is a pluralist programme that recognises and values diverse philosophical methods, histories, and scholarly approaches, while providing students with a strong grounding in core areas of philosophy. The student experience is that of a generalist MA programme informed by an inclusive approach to disciplinary history and by engagement with twenty-first century issues and debates. Students will explore historical and contemporary debates, solve abstract and concrete problems, and respond to fundamental and applied questions.

Students will learn with internationally recognised leaders in philosophical research. Our staff have strengths in ethics and epistemology, as well as philosophy of science, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, philosophy of technology, political philosophy, and post-Kantian European philosophy. There is growing expertise in comparative and diverse global philosophical traditions.

Research-led teaching brings students into the middle of cutting-edge research as active participants, and our dynamic research community offers multiple opportunities for students to pursue meaningful research experiences. MA in Philosophy students have opportunities to personalise their education, through the Dissertation and the Individually Negotiated Topic module. With guidance from the supervisor, students can choose a topic that interests them for directed critical reading and analysis with a small, focussed group.

Students also benefit from a wide range of interdisciplinary opportunities within the School and the Faculty of AHSS, along with the excellent postgraduate experience infrastructure at Queen’s. Students may opt to complete the Queen’s Certificate in Strategic Leadership. Philosophy at QUB is a supportive and highly research active unit-ranked joint first in the UK for Research Intensity (Complete University Guide 2022).

Our programme size and location within the interdisciplinary school of HAPP means that our students’ work can receive significant individual attention, that our students can build highly productive working relationships with teaching staff from Philosophy, and that our students may also explore interdisciplinary learning and research opportunities complementing their core philosophical interests.