Philosophy and History of Science

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirement is an upper second-class honours degree in a science subject or Philosophy (or a subject with a major philosophical component).

Months of entry

September

Course content

The University of Bristol ranks among the top European institutions in the philosophy and history of science. We currently hold four major research grants to study Darwinism and Rational Choice, Epistemic Utility Theory, Homotopy Type Theory and a philosophy and medicine project on breathlessness. Our expertise is in a broad range of areas related to the philosophy and history of the specific sciences, including physics, biology, mathematics, logic, medicine and psychology.

Our MA draws on these strengths. It is intended both for students who have a first degree in philosophy who wish to specialise in philosophy and/or history of science at a higher level, and also for individuals with a background in pure science who wish to make a transition to philosophy and history of science or to explore foundational issues within the sciences.

The emphasis of the programme is on philosophical issues arising from specific scientific disciplines, with special emphasis on physics, biology and mathematics. The history of science is studied in terms of the philosophical debate about the nature of scientific method and knowledge.

You will be an active member of the department’s flourishing research culture. All students are encouraged to participate in both the weekly departmental research seminar and the weekly Philosophy and History of Science research seminar, which often features well-known scholars in the field, from Bristol and beyond. There is also a weekly postgraduate seminar, where you are encouraged to present your own work, and where you will learn to develop argumentative strategies in a supportive environment.

Qualification and course duration

MA