Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers poke their noses into all aspects of science and society. Philosophers don’t do all of this because they know more than specialists in other fields. On the contrary, in each specific field, they probably
know less than the specialist. But ideally, they possess two skills and two qualities that enable them to make an important contribution nonetheless. The two skills are, on the one hand, an ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and, on the other, an ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. The crucial qualities are curiosity and scepticism vis-à-vis all claims that they haven’t examined themselves. The Nijmegen Research Master's Programme in Philosophy provides the first professional steps towards the acquisition of these skills, by offering
- a combination of internationally acclaimed research and excellent teaching
- a broad range of specializations and research seminars in history of philosophy, continental philosophy, and analytic philosophy
- a personal supervisor who guides the student throughout the programme
- a Research Master thesis which is composed of a publishable article and of a PhD research proposal
- an international community of students and professors
- a rate of more than 50% of alumni who have found a PhD-position in the Netherlands or abroad.
