MA Philosophy and History of Science

Programme overview
The University of Bristol ranks among the top European institutions for philosophy and history of science. 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. The latest Philosophical Gourmet Report (2017/18) ranked Bristol as the as the strongest department in the UK for Philosophy of Biology, the joint strongest for General Philosophy of Science and the fourth strongest for Philosophy of Physics.
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 history of science at a higher level, and 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 a particular focus 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 you will learn to develop argumentative strategies in a supportive environment.