Master of Philosophy (Leuven)

This programme aims at deepening philosophical insight already obtained and broadening this knowledge. Thus, upon completion of the programme the student should be able to proceed to further advanced work in philosophy.

At the end of the Master of Arts in Philosophy programme, the student should:

1. Specialised philosophical knowledge in context
a) Have a profound knowledge of and insight into at least one systematic or historical philosophical domain and have an appreciation of the way this domain fits together with other philosophical domains
b) Have a thorough knowledge of issues in several other systematic and historical philosophical domains as chosen by her/himself
c) Be able to relate the acquired specialised philosophical knowledge to the cultural, societal and academic context
d) Have knowledge of and insight into current philosophical debates and research and be able to follow and actively incorporate them into the student's own reflections and research

2. Philosophical traditions, methods and approaches
a) Have an insight into the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of various philosophical traditions, methods and approaches
b) Be able to apply this insight to a variety of philosophical issues

3. Interdisciplinarity
a) Have an insight into the relevance of approaches from other academic disciplines for investigating philosophical problems

4. Philosophy and society
a) Be able to reflect philosophically on societal and cultural phenomena and scientific developments
b) Be able in a professional context to provide insight into philosophy's importance in society

5. Philosophical terminology
a) Be able to correctly employ specialised philosophical concepts and terminology

6. Philosophical skills
a) Be able to formulate independently a well-defined research question and in a more extensive piece of written work situate its relevance within a broader philosophical context
b) Be able to carry out research related to that question, including judiciously selecting and critically employing specialised literature at a level corresponding to a beginning researcher
c) Be able to read a broad range of primary texts (in so far as possible in their original languages) and critically evaluate them; further, be able to employ these texts independently and accurately in a written work and in discussion
d) Be able to formulate philosophical questions relevant to current societal and philosophical debates
e) Be able on the basis of these questions to form and support a personal view and to engage in discussion concerning it

7. Critical sense
a) Be able to make a judgment in a nuanced and critical fashion, taking into account relevant values and societal impact

8. Communication skills
a) Be able to communicate the results of the student's own research and reflections to both student peers and a broader public
b) Be able to present these results in both a written and oral form and in a clear and nuanced way