Philosophy

Entry requirements

Our regular standard of admission is at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (2:1) in philosophy, although candidates will usually also have completed or be undertaking a Masters qualification in philosophy.

Research proposal

Candidates are required to provide an outline of the proposed research subject in about 1000 words. This need not be a final thesis proposal but should include:

• a straightforward, descriptive, and informative title
• the question that your research will address
• an account of why this question is important and worth investigating
• an assessment of how your own research will engage with recent study in the subject
• a brief account of the methodology and approach you will take
• a discussion of the primary sources that your research will draw upon, including printed books, manuscripts, archives, libraries, or museums
• an indicative bibliography of secondary sources that you have already consulted and/or are planning to consult

Your application, including your references and research proposal, will be passed to members of staff whose expertise and research interests most closely match the area of your proposed study.

Months of entry

Anytime

Course content

Philosophy at the University of Glasgow is thriving. Our vibrant research environment includes an active community of postgraduate students and engaged staff who are internationally recognised for their contributions to a wide range of philosophical debates.

Our staff supervise a wide range of the core areas of philosophy, including:

• aesthetics
• ethics
• epistemology
• history of analytic and early modern philosophy
• logic and philosophy of logic
• metaphysics
• philosophy of language
• philosophy of mathematics
• philosophy of mind
• political philosophy.

Current areas of research, which may transcend and cut across these core areas, include:

• affect
• autonomy in moral and political philosophy
• causation and explanation
• cognitive penetration
• consent
• distributive justice
• ethical intuitionism
• end of life ethics
• knowledge-how
• imagination
• mental qualities
• moral psychology
• pain and suffering
• philosophy of emotion
• philosophy of perception
• philosophy of virtual and augmented reality
• social choice theory
• social epistemology
• totality
• virtue ethics and epistemology.

We strongly encourage applications in any of the above areas.

Information for international students

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

• 7.0 with no sub-test under 7.0.
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.