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What does it mean to live a good life? What is justice? What makes an argument a good argument? How “real” is reality?

At Aberdeen Philosophy, you can study all these questions and more. From our core four-year MA Honours degree, to our range of joint-honours options, there are plenty of programmes to choose from. Students across all our degree programmes have their pick from a wide selection of courses, from Controversial Questions to Ancient Chinese Philosophy.

Click here to learn more about our full range of undergraduate programmes. For our latest course offerings, search our Course Guide.

Beyond formal studies, Aberdeen is host to a number of student groups and department initiatives, making Aberdeen a particularly rich place to study philosophy.

Highlights include our yearly Philosophy Reading Party, where students and staff spend a weekend in the Cairngorms National Park, hillwalking during the day and running philosophy talks in the evening. Throughout term, the student Philosophy Society run frequent discussion nights, talks, and activities. The Wise Club is a Philosophy seminar run by and for students. The PPE Society host socials, study groups, and events for PPE students. Students interested in outreach, teaching, or simply bringing philosophy to more communities can also join the Aberdeen Philosophy in Education Group, where they will learn how to facilitate philosophical discussions in schools—then put what they learn into practice.

Student Testimonial

Studying Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen was varied and inspiring: we discussed classic as well as niche philosophers, analysed whole books and short (but influential) excerpts, and worked with students across different Honours programmes. The department staff were fantastic people and educators. My Philosophy degree gave me a direction in my personal and professional life: I continue to engage with Philosophy texts, and I started work in a scholarly publishing house. Natalia Roleder (class of 2022)

Our MLitt in Philosophy and Society is a taught master’s programme with a unique focus: taking philosophical thinking out into the world to address pressing social questions and problems.

The programme is suitable for both experienced philosophy students and those interested in studying philosophy for the first time. Course content is designed to connect to a wide range of careers and interests, from those interested in pursuing a PhD in Philosophy, to those interested in drawing out philosophical threads in their own area of work, whether it be healthcare or teaching, local government or social welfare. As a fully online programme with part-time study options available, the degree is highly flexible and designed to fit around students’ work and personal commitments. 

A key feature of this programme is its focus on applied philosophy: the branch of philosophy that covers philosophical topics of practical concern. Topics covered will vary from year to year, with examples including the ethics of care in health, the societal impacts of social robots and generative AI, inclusion and gender in sport, conspiracy theories and disinformation online, the moral limits of markets, and justice in migration and asylum. Students will be provided with opportunities to apply what they learn in real societal contexts and to present their knowledge to broad audiences.

More information about the programme can be found here, and in the video below.

We offer expert research supervision to candidates pursuing a PhD in Philosophy or an MLitt by Research in Philosophy. A list of supervision areas available can be found here. Further information about research strengths in the department can be found here. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact prospective supervisor(s) in the first instance.

Our PhD and MLitt by Research students are embedded in an active and collaborative research community. They participate in our regular programming throughout the year, from the Philosophy Colloquium Series to reading groups and workshops (further information here). We organise an annual Postgraduate Student Conference, where students can present their work to colleagues from across the department. PhD candidates can develop their teaching skills by taking on Graduate Teaching Assistant roles in large undergraduate classes. Postgraduate students also join the Philosophy Reading Party, where students and staff spend a weekend hillwalking and discussing philosophy in the Cairngorms National Park.

Further information about postgraduate research in Philosophy at Aberdeen can be found here, here, and here.

Each year we run a Summer School in Philosophy. Located in our beautiful Old Aberdeen campus, Summer School participants explore some of the most fascinating questions shaping the world today in a historic setting.

A unique feature of our Summer School is that students have the opportunity to work directly with internationally recognised experts from across the department. Topics covered will vary from year to year, with examples including: Knowledge and the Internet, Comparative Epistemology across Analytic and Chinese Philosophy, and Environmental Ethics.

Outside the classroom, the programme also features a variety of co-curricular activities, giving students the chance to sample different aspects of Scottish culture and history in and around the local area. From historic landmarks to local experiences, Summer School participants get a real taste of Scottish culture while studying in one of the UK’s most beautiful regions.

For more information, click here.