Ethics and Political Philosophy

In this English-taught Master’sEthics and Political Philosophy specialisation of the Philosophy Research Master’s program atRadboud University you will study moral conflicts and ethical issues in contemporary Western culture and how politics is a way of coping with these dilemmas.

During your Ethics and Political Philosophy studies you will unravel the ethical presuppositions that underlie contemporary socio-cultural debates. How fundamental concepts such as freedom, power, justice, and so on are judged and how words and phrases are being used in political debates, has an essential impact on the outcome of a debate. As a social and political philosopher you’ll be geared towards pinpointing where these—often unconscious—assumptions are at work. This will enable you to make people aware of them.

Key authors for this specialisation are: Aristotle, Arendt, Foucault, Hobbes, Kant, Machiavelli, Marx, Rawls, Schmitt, Spinoza, Žižek, Heidegger, Gadamer, Levinas, Habermas and Taylor.

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. In order to do this, they must possess two essential skills, namely the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate. They require intensive training. The research Master's program in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Future career opportunities

This program at Radboud University is designed for students who wish to acquire the skills needed for a career in research, either in academia or elsewhere. The training you receive in conducting academic philosophical research will give you a head start in a search for a PhD position, but your analytical, conceptual and investigative skills also open up a wider range of career opportunities.

In recent years around 40% of graduates have chosen to continue in academia by pursuing a PhD position (with a success rate of nearly 90%). Many others have chosen to apply their skills elsewhere, in government, journalism, teaching, think tanks, NGOs, IT, consultancy and as strategists, researchers, or policy makers in a host of other fields.

Your network of Research Master’s alumni and the reputation of the philosophy departments at Radboud University will definitely serve you well, whichever career path you choose.

Courses include:

• Research Methods and Skills Seminar

• Research Master's Seminars in Philosophy
• Elective master's level course work

• State of the Art Paper

• Research Master's Thesis