Philosophy

This degree mainly based in the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy, our research programmes in Philosophy are distinguished for research on history of philosophy, the philosophy of science (especially philosophy of biology), the history of ethics and political philosophy, and key areas of analytic philosophy: epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of language.

Philosophy research is centred on staff research interests and is embedded within the Centre for Knowledge and Society.

Recent graduates from Philosophy at Aberdeen have gone on to enjoy successful careers, academic and otherwise. Some graduates hold full-time academic positions, while other Masters-level graduates have successfully taken up PhD study at Aberdeen or elsewhere. In general, careers that demand and reward analytical abilities and the capacity for clear expression of ideas will suit the accomplished Philosophy postgraduate well. Academic positions by no means exhaust such job prospects.

Please note that part-time study is not available for resident international students. The PhD may be conducted, full-time or part-time, by distance learning, which carries no residency requirement.

The PhD at the University of Aberdeen is a research degree. Research degrees are defined by the student’s own research proposal, on which the student will write a thesis. Research students read on their own research topic and work closely with their supervisors to define their research and write a thesis. They also attend regular research seminars, are provided with opportunities to attend conferences and for some postgraduates, there are opportunities to gain undergraduate teaching experience.