Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Philosophy starts with wonderment. Philosophers are prone to asking critical questions about humankind, the world and society, in order to shed a light on these issues by looking at them from all the relevant angles. When can we say that we actually know something? Are all value judgements always subjective? Not satisfied with simple answers, philosophers will always insist on the quality of argumentation. In their search for answers, they delve deep for underlying motives and rational explanations. A philosopher’s search has no fixed end point and yields no definitive answers. In this rational search for fundamental insights many great philosophers have of course preceded you. For that reason, our Philosophy programme comprises a thorough historical study of philosophical texts since antiquity. You will learn to position yourself vis-à-vis that tradition. You will also learn to consider contemporary issues from an ethical, epistemological (i.e. the theory of knowledge), and other philosophical disciplines. For this, you will be able to call on a solid foundation in logics. Philosophy students study the history of philosophy, the legacy of important thinkers from history, and the specialist literature on these matters. The historical perspective, however, will always be at the service of the critical, autonomous approach to contemporary issues. This historical and systematic baggage will enable you to contribute to contemporary and socially critical debates.

Bachelor

We offer a three-year Bachelor’s programme, which combines a broad, general training with gradual specialisation.

• The first year offers a broad introduction to the Humanities. Together with students from other study programmes, you will take on a number of general introductory course units in visual culture, and anthropology, among others. The curriculum’s programme-specific course units cover about four topics: Logic, Knowledge and Science; Man, Ethics and Aesthetics; History and Text; and Skills and Methodology.
• From the second year onwards, the curriculum works towards a more in-depth and specific study of the four topics. The focus broadens to include more practical applications of philosophical insights and to textual studies. This in-depth study and specialisation continues in the third year.
• Staggered over the second and the third year, you take on a number of ECTS credits of a elective set of your choice, i.e. a coherent set of course units from one or more other discipline(s). The choice of elective sets offers an indispensable acquaintance with other disciplines. In some cases, it even facilitates a transition to another Master's programme.

In the course of the three-year Bachelor’s curriculum you will also take on methodology course units, in which you will acquaint yourself with general and philosophy-specific research skills such as researching and assessing information, formulating research questions and critically reading texts relevant to your research question, elaborating and presenting your findings orally and in writing. In the third year, the skills that you have acquired throughout the Bachelor’s programme culminate in a Bachelor’s dissertation, an independent research assignment you conduct under the guidance of a supervisor.

Master

The true specialization in your field takes place during your master's programme. For your master's thesis, you will select from a range of philosophical elective course units within the Master of Philosophy or Moral Studies, which are often closely linked to the specialized research conducted within the programme. Additionally, you can also take several courses outside the Philosophy programme.

• Are you an outstanding student of Philosophy or Moral Studies? Then consider applying for the two-year interuniversity Research Master in Philosophy. Visit researchmasterinphilosophy.be for more information.
• Your bachelor's degree also provides access to other master's programmes beyond those mentioned above, including a Master’s Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: een educatieve master). You can find an overview under the 'Further Studies' tab.

Our programme usually does not lead to a fixed or rigid career path. Career opportunities that are directly in line with the programme are all situated in the academic research and/or education sectors. Research has shown that our graduates also end up in cultural, sociocultural, ideological and other organisations, and even in less obvious sectors such as government services, journalism, librarianship or in the business world.
Take a look at our website for a list of specific professions www.philosophy.ugent.be (in Dutch).