Research Master in Philosophy

What do you learn on the programme? 

This full time English/Dutch research master is jointly organised by the Department of Philosophy of the University of Antwerp, the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences of Ghent University and the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences of Vrije Universiteit Brussel. 

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.

Find out more about this programme 

The strenghts of our Philosophy programme

• You benefit from a truly problem-centred curriculum, in which theory and practice are combined.
• You enjoy a refreshing and valuable interdisciplinary approach, giving the opportunity to discover complex social, political and communication matters from many angles.
• You experience the best of both worlds: cosmopolitan Brussels and beautiful Ghent. You benefit from being a student at two universities. Armed with two student cards, you can make use of the sports facilities, libraries, student restaurants in both places. Not to mention twice as many opportunities for an exciting nightlife. The two cities are well connected by train, so you can also enjoy cultural activities wherever you fancy.

Discover all our general strenghts as a university

After graduation

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 may 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.

Between 2018 and 2020, 11 students graduated in our research master programme. 10 of them now are employed by a university or funding agency as predoctoral researcher. In September 2021, 5 students graduated in our programme. 2 of them are now employed as predoctoral researchers. The other students continue to apply for such positions. We hope that they will succeed in 2022.

Discover the many opportunities