edinburgh university phd philosophy

We value your privacy

We use cookies to allow this site to work for you, improve your user experience, and to serve you advertising tailored to your interests. Let us know if you agree to all cookies. You can manage your preferences at any time

Your Privacy

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

Personalise what you see on this page.

• United States

LOOKING FOR

• Undergraduate courses
• Postgraduate courses
• CHOOSE ONE OR MORE

Popular universities

• University of Kent
• University of East Anglia UEA
• University of Chester
• Coventry University
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Portmouth
• Nottingham Trent University
• University of Sunderland
• London Metropolitan University
• London South Bank University
• University of East London
• BROWSE ALL UNIVERSITIES

Course search

Popular undergraduate courses.

• Computer Science
• LLB Bachelor of Laws
• Biomedical Sciences
• Physiotherapy
• Sports Science

Open days search

Upcoming open days.

• University of Bedfordshire
• Solent University (Southampton)
• University of Portsmouth
• Bicton College
• University of West London

Article search

Popular articles.

• What is UCAS Extra?
• Replying to offers
• What's a university open day
• Student finance and funding
• Types of degree in the UK
• BROWSE ALL ARTICLES

Popular topics

• Choosing what to study
• Choosing where to study
• Applying to university
• League tables
• Student life - after you start

Philosophy PhD The University of Edinburgh

Course options

Qualification.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

The University of Edinburgh

• TUITION FEES
• ENTRY REQUIREMENT
• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

Research profile

We are one of the world’s leading philosophy departments for research.

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), Philosophy research at Edinburgh is ranked 2nd in Scotland and joint 7th in the UK (Times Higher Education, Rank order by GPA).

The department has close links with other subject areas within the University, such as psychology, linguistics, informatics, jurisprudence, politics and classics.

We are also home to EIDYN, a philosophical research centre that hosts multiple international conferences, workshops and visiting scholars every year.

Training and support

You will meet regularly with your supervisors, who will advise you on the steps to take towards producing your thesis.

All doctoral students are encouraged to participate in a weekly postgraduate work-in-progress research seminar, and to take advantage of regular professional development and research training seminars.

Most PhD and MPhil students will gain undergraduate teaching experience, for which you will be given training and mentoring.

Tuition fees

• Afghanistan
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Central African Republic
• Congo (Democratic Republic)
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Ivory Coast
• Korea DPR (North Korea)
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Palestinian Authority
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Republic of Ireland
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• Switzerland
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turkmenistan
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City
• Western Samoa

£ 26,300 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

University league table, campus address.

University of Edinburgh, Student Recruitment and Admissions, 33 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City Of, EH8 9JS, Scotland

Subject rankings

Subject ranking.

15th out of 47 8

Entry standards

Graduate prospects

Student satisfaction

Suggested courses

Global Business Ethics and Philosophy of Management MA

University of Southampton

Philosophy league table

Philosophy PhD

University of Glasgow

University league table

Is this page useful?

Sorry about that..., how can we improve it, thanks for your feedback.

• Home »
• The University of Edinburgh »
• School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences »

find your perfect postgrad program Search our Database of 30,000 Courses

The university of edinburgh: philosophy, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 3 years starts sep 2024.

We welcome research proposals of outstanding quality in any area of philosophy.

We are one of the world’s leading philosophy departments for research, boasting 40 academic researchers. Our research covers a wide range of philosophical topics and questions, with strengths in both contemporary philosophy and the history of philosophy.

Our areas of research and staff interests include:

- Ancient Greek and Medieval Islamic Philosophy

- Epistemology

- European Early Modern and Enlightenment Philosophy

- Existentialism and Phenomenology

- Logic and Language

- Metaphysics and Ontology

- Mind and Cognition

- Philosophy of Science

- Social and Political Philosophy

Philosophy is rated 4th in the UK by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

The department has close links with other subject areas within the University, such as psychology, linguistics, informatics, jurisprudence, politics and classics.

Part-Time, 6 years starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 1 years starts sep 2024.

Our flagship MSc Philosophy degree programme offers you an excellent opportunity to enhance your learning and join a large, vibrant and supportive postgraduate community.

This programme provides an intensive grounding in philosophy, its methodology and techniques of research. It is the ideal programme to lead on to further research and study in philosophy as part of a PhD programme.

We provide a broad, advanced education in philosophy, covering all the core areas of analytic philosophy:

- Metaphysics

- Logic and philosophy of language

- Moral and political philosophy

**Key research areas**

The programme provides the ideal foundation for future research in philosophy and you have the option to keep your studies general or focus on a particular area.

Your MSc culminates in a research dissertation in a core research area: an original, publication-quality piece of research, undertaken in close collaboration with researchers in the relevant group.

The department has particular focus in the following areas:

- Applied ethics

- History of philosophy, including Ancient philosophy, Islamic philosophy, and Early modern and Enlightenment philosophy

- Meta-ethics

- Philosophy of mind, philosophy of cognitive science and neuroscience

- Philosophy of race and gender

- Philosophy of science

**What will I learn?**

One of the main advantages of the MSc in Philosophy is its flexibility. There are no mandatory courses for the degree (beyond a study skills course for those without a strong background in philosophy), thus allowing you to develop a path that is tailored to your interests.

You can also take advantage of the highly interdisciplinary nature of research within philosophy and draw on teaching and research both elsewhere in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences and within other relevant Schools.

**Is this MSc for me?**

This programme provides an understanding of particular philosophical areas, and you can customise your learning in areas you are most passionate about.

It provides an excellent preparation for further research and knowledge of philosophy, whether you choose to pursue this in further in academic research or in a professional career.

**Reputation, relevance and employability**

Edinburgh has a proud and distinguished place in the history of philosophy and has long been associated with some of the field’s most important thinkers.

Our Philosophy department, one of the largest in the world, is now home to academics leading research into a wide range of contemporary topics.

You will benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, having the opportunity to select optional courses and attend research seminars across different disciplines.

Our students’ research projects are often published in academic or professional journals.

Our programme has an excellent reputation among employers and further research opportunities. Many of our graduates have gone onto PhD training and we have a high academic job placement record.

**Find out more about our community**

The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join. As a postgraduate student you will have access to a range of research resources, state-of-the-art facilities research seminars and reading groups.

Part-Time, 2 years starts Sep 2024

We are one of the world’s leading philosophy departments for research boasting 40 academic researchers covering a wide range of research areas in philosophy.

This programme offers the opportunity to focus in detail on an area of your choosing, while still being able to take some taught courses. It is intended for those who already have a good background in philosophy, typically from undergraduate study or a previous taught postgraduate degree.

Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.

The  University of Edinburgh  is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 22nd in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. Our position as one of Britain’s leading research universities was reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Our …

Not what you are looking for?

Scholarship Opportunity with Postgrad.com

Are you a PG student at this University or have you applied to study a postgraduate program at a university in Europe? Tell us your plans and qualify for a £500.00 PGS Scholarship.

Exclusive bursaries Open day alerts Funding advice Application tips Latest PG news

Sign up now!

Take 2 minutes to sign up to PGS student services and reap the benefits…

• The chance to apply for one of our 5 PGS Bursaries worth £2,000 each
• Fantastic scholarship updates
• Latest PG news sent directly to you.

Our cookies

We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.

Privacy overview

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

Functional cookies

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

Marketing cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

Philosophy PhD

The university of edinburgh, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Course type.

Research profile

We are one of the world’s leading philosophy departments for research.

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), Philosophy research at Edinburgh is ranked 2nd in Scotland and joint 7th in the UK (Times Higher Education, Rank order by GPA).

The department has close links with other subject areas within the University, such as psychology, linguistics, informatics, jurisprudence, politics and classics.

We are also home to EIDYN, a philosophical research centre that hosts multiple international conferences, workshops and visiting scholars every year.

Training and support

You will meet regularly with your supervisors, who will advise you on the steps to take towards producing your thesis.

All doctoral students are encouraged to participate in a weekly postgraduate work-in-progress research seminar, and to take advantage of regular professional development and research training seminars.

Most PhD and MPhil students will gain undergraduate teaching experience, for which you will be given training and mentoring.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

To be confirmed

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

For this course (per year)

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in philosophy. Your application will also be considered if you have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in another subject and a postgraduate masters level degree in philosophy.

Philosophy and Religion PhD

Bangor university, phd in religions and philosophies, soas university of london, mphil in religions and philosophies, phd postgraduate research in philosophy, university of east anglia uea, mres philosophy.

Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

URL Parameter Found

Url parameter not found, about this scene.

• School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences Tour
• Current Group
• Description

© touor-hca-v1 by

School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

© School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

Drag the mouse to move or use arrows keys

Use mouse wheel to zoom or use + and - keys

SCQF Level 08 (6 courses)

Scqf level 10 (99 courses), scqf level 11 (51 courses), scqf level 12 (1 courses).

Edinburgh Research Archive

•   ERA Home
• Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, School of

Philosophy PhD thesis collection

By Issue Date Authors Titles Subjects Publication Type Sponsor Supervisors

Search within this Collection:

The PhD theses in this collection must be cited in line with the usual academic conventions. These articles are protected under full copyright law. You may download it for your own personal use only.

Recent Submissions

Objectification of women: new types and new measures , wisdom as responsible engagement:how to stop worrying and love epistemic goods , prescribing the mind: how norms, concepts, and language influence our understanding of mental disorder , humean constitutivism: a desire-based account of rational agency and the foundations of morality , predictive embodied concepts: an exploration of higher cognition within the predictive processing paradigm , impacts of childhood psychological maltreatment on adult mental health , epistemic fictionalism , thinking for the bound and dead: beyond man3 towards a new (truly) universal theory of human victory , function-first approach to doubt , abilities, freedom, and inputs: a time traveller's tale , concept is a container , analysing time-consciousness: a new account of the experienced present , emotion, perception, and relativism in vision , justice as a point of equipoise: an aristotelian approach to contemporary corporate ethics , asymmetric welfarism about meaning in life , mindreading in context , economic attitudes and individual difference: replication and extension , mindful love: the role of mindfulness in willingness to sacrifice in romantic relationships , embodied metacognition: how we feel our hearts to know our minds , temporal structure of the world .

Welcome to Philsoc

“ Edinburgh … Where observation might be abundant indeed, but hardly sound. “ — George Eliot

Welcome to the University of Edinburgh Philosophy Society . Our goal is to make philosophy accessible and interesting, to create safe spaces for people to learn about and discuss philosophy, and to expand their horizons. We host regular events every week, as well as a library, journal, socials, and more. Check our About page for more info.

Whether you’re a full-time philosophy student or just a fellow lover of knowledge, our society is bound to have something that’s just r ight for you. We urge you to purchase a membership on our EUSA page to show support for the work we do. Our community is centred around our Discord server and our Facebook page. We also send out a weekly newsletter with announcements and events. We also have a Twitter and Instagram .

You can find our PhilSoc Guide To Edinburgh here:

Guide to Edinburgh Student Life v3

Here’s our schedule of regular events for the year. You can find more detail about each of our events here . We’ll also be running other events at other times in the week, details for which will be released in our newsletter and on our Social Media, so be sure to keep up to date via our LinkTree !

19.0 0-22.00: Discussion Group @ Brewhemia

18.30-19.30 : Lecture Series @ 50GS_G.03

Socials ! Check out our socials page for the semester’s schedule

Philosophy PhD The University of Edinburgh

• On campus - h
• Sep 1, 2023 Full-time - 3 years
• Sep 1, 2023 Part-time - 6 years

Key Course Facts

• Admission advice for international students

Course Description

We welcome research proposals of outstanding quality in any area of philosophy. We are one of the world’s leading philosophy departments for research, boasting 40 academic researchers. Our research covers a wide range of philosophical topics and questions, with strengths in both contemporary philosophy and the history of philosophy.

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), Philosophy research at Edinburgh is ranked 2nd in Scotland and joint 7th in the UK (Times Higher Education, Rank order by GPA).

The department has close links with other subject areas within the University, such as psychology, linguistics, informatics, jurisprudence, politics and classics.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Average student cost of living in the uk.

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of the university of edinburgh in top uk and global rankings., about the university of edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh is located in the Scottish city of the same name, and is one of the oldest universities in the entire United Kingdom, having opened in the year 1583. The university enjoys a strong reputation for its contributions to international research efforts, which is reflected in their inclusion in the Russell Group, Universitas 21, and Una Europa. Edinburgh offers its residents a historic yet modern city, with a lively nightlife scene, reliable public transport, and friendly locals.

List of 686 Bachelor and Master Courses from The University of Edinburgh - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Similar courses

Report a problem

Thank you, your report has been submitted. We will deal with the issue as soon as possible. If you have any other questions, please send an email to [email protected] .

Your Programmes

Phd ma(hons) msc msc(res) mphil philosophy, standard — 3 years (ft).

56 applications

2020/21 data

Standard — 6 years (PT)

applications

2016/17 data

Distance Learning — 6 years (PT)

2017/18 data

Data sources

• FOI Request by Mr Burano. September 2015.
• FOI Request by Taza. October 2017.
• FOI Request by Beilei Xiang. January 2019.
• FOI Request by Erina Nishii. August 2021.

The acceptance rate , or offer rate, represents the fraction of applicants who received an offer. Note that this will be generally lower the acceptances rates (acceptances divided by applicants) published by many other sources. This article explains it in more detail. The acceptances generally indicate the number of offer holders who accepted the offer and fulfilled its conditions. For some universities, however, it denotes the number of applicants who accepted the offer, regardless of whether they subsequently met its conditions.

Data Reliability

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented comes from the universities and is generally reliable. However, some of the differences between years and/or courses may be due to different counting methodologies or data gathering errors. This may especially be the case if there is a sharp difference from year to year. If the data does not look right, click the "Report" button located near the top of the page.

Check out prediction markets

Prediction markets can be used to estimate odds of a future event. You can create a prediction market on any topic, including your personal university admission chances.

Follow Us On Twitter/X

• Schools & departments

Why study philosophy at Edinburgh?

Philosophy has been taught at the university since its foundation in 1583 and offers a stimulating and flexible learning experience

Did you know?

Philosophy is rated 4th in the UK by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

• Edinburgh has a distinguished place in the history of philosophy, having been home to David Hume and Adam Smith.

We're ranked 6th in the UK and 20th in the world for philosophy (QS World University Rankings by subject 2024).