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The Philosophy MPhil Stud is one of the pre-eminent UK research Master's degrees in philosophy. Over two years students complete coursework across a range of areas, and produce a substantial research thesis. Students completing the MPhil Stud have sufficient depth and breadth of knowledge to progress to PhD research.
Key information
Programme starts
September 2020
Modes and duration
Application dates
Tuition fees (2020/21)
Note on fees:
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.
Entry requirements
A first-class UK Bachelor's degree in Philosophy or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. All applicants for research degrees must submit two short pieces of work, of about 2,000 words each, with their application.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
International students
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.
Select your country:
Overview
Our research is consistently ranked among the best in the country. The department has a lively and flourishing postgraduate community, and enjoys collaborative connections with other London universities, and the activities of the nearby Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Aristotelian Society, and the University of London Institute of Philosophy.
Research areas
Research areas:
- Ancient Philosophy
- Epistemology
- Ethics
- History of Twentieth Century Philosophy
- Metaphysics
- Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy
- Nineteenth Century German Philosophy
- Philosophy of Language
- Philosophy of Mind
- Political Philosophy
- Philosophy of Science
About this degree
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
Funding
The department has a set of funds to offer awards to research students which are allocated on the basis of merit and need. These include: Jacobsen Scholarship, a one-year award of £9,000; one or two S V Keeling Scholarships in philosophy or ancient philosophy, covering UK/EU fees and maintenance matching AHRC funding for either two years (MPhil Stud) or for up to three years (MPhil/PhD or PhD – ancient philosophy only).
There are also the Ayer, Dawes Hicks, Melhuish and JS Mill Scholarships, each worth £200 to £4,500. Other scholarships and sources of funding may be available; please check our Scholarships and Funding website. You should take note of funding application deadlines as these will differ from programme application deadlines.
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.
UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship
- Note:
- Deadline: 10 January (for application of admission to UCL)
- Value:
- UK/EU rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years)
- Eligibility:
- UK
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
Around ten students are admitted to the MPhil Stud each year, around half progress to study a PhD. Many are offered full fees and maintenance grants (e.g. at UCL, Oxford, Cambridge, and other UK and US universities). Recent UCL Philosophy PhD graduates have secured lectureships, prestigious academic fellowships and postdoctoral placements in the UK and elsewhere (University of Oxford, York University, University of Cambridge, Sheffield University, University of Antwerp and the Institute of Philosophy, UNAM, Mexico). Those who have not pursued academia have entered a variety of professions, including law, public policy, and publishing.
Employability
The range of pre-doctoral graduate-level modules included in UCL’s MPhil Stud programme is unmatched by any other UK philosophy department. This ensures that our research students who enter doctoral work do so with a deep general understanding of the discipline. The department has an outstanding job placement record in a highly competitive academic market that values a range of areas of competence in addition to an area of specialisation. Students also receive training in transferable presentational skills, interview practice and teaching methods. Students who do not continue to academic work beyond MPhil Stud enter a range of professions (see above).
Networking
The department has links with US universities (Berkeley, Columbia and Yale). Academic staff are involved in the running of the Aristotelian Society, the main philosophy society in the UK. Others are involved in running the Institute of Classical Studies lecture series, and the Keeling Colloquia and Lectures in ancient philosophy. Philosophy graduate students host a philosophy conference at the start of every year, and co-organise an annual graduate philosophy conference with graduate students at Berkeley. Finally, the Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series, co-ordinated by the Institute of Philosophy at Senate House, is open to our graduate students.
Why study this degree at UCL?
The intensive two-year MPhil Stud comprises 16 term-long modules (6 compulsory and 10 optional) and a 30,000-word thesis.
Students take the majority of the assessed modules in year one, and focus on research in year two. A certain amount of breadth is required of the coursework, demanding significant papers (4500 words) across several areas. Students are however able to specialise in their area of research, thesis work beginning in the summer of year one, for completion by September of year two.
The programme aims at breadth and depth of study, and the opportunity to develop independent ideas in a sustained piece of research.
Department: Philosophy
Application and next steps
Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
Application deadlines
- All applicants
- 10 January 2020
The MPhil Stud start date is September each year. For 2020 entry, applications open in October 2019, and are due by 10 January 2020. Please include two samples of your written work (2,000 words each). For more information see our How to apply page.
For more information see our Applications page.
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Page last modified on 19 December 2019