Philosophy and Science

The Faculty of Philosophy is a home to internationally renowned researchers working at the very forefront of the philosophy and history of science. Staff members have hands-on experience in an exhaustive range of scientific and scholarly fields as well as a thorough knowledge of the philosophy and history of those fields of study.

On top of that, results of the National Student Assessment (NSE) show that our students are very satisfied with the contents of our programmes and that they highly value the expertise of our teaching staff. Small-scale classes and a friendly, informal setting enhance contacts between our staff and students. In reviews of the Keuzegids Universiteiten and in the Higher Education Review of Dutch University Faculties, our faculty is almost always rated number one by both students and professors year after year. It scored 3 times 'excellent' in the last assessment of philosophical research in the Netherlands.

The programme can be studied in one year, following the master in your field of study or in some cases preceding it, or in two years, alongside the master programme in your field of study.

In the two-year variant (shown in the course scheme), you follow a general philosophy of science course in the first semester, and a course that specialises towards the history and philosophy of your discipline in the second semester, coupled to a course on writing skills. In your second year, you first follow a history of science course as well as two tutorials with experts in the philosophy of your field, and then write your master's thesis.

In the one year variant, philosophy and history of science run parallel, and the specialization course, the writing skills course, and the thesis are done in the second semester. Tutorials can be planned anytime after the first quarter.

There are numerous opportunities for students who can combine scientific or scholarly expertise with an ability to reflect on their disciplinary background. They are good at identifying key issues in their field, and they have learnt to analyze problems sharply and clearly. They have strong communicative skills, a critical attitude, and awareness of the fundamental starting points of scientific and scholarly research.

All of these skills are highly valuable for students who aim for a research career in their respective discipline, or indeed in the history and philosophy of their discipline. But the very same skills are of great value in education and policy making, or in any other sphere in which scientific knowledge is evaluated and put to use.

In the Faculty of Philosophy, interdisciplinarity is not a mere buzz word but a living reality. Many of the faculty members have a background in a scientific discipline, and carry out research on the intersection of these disciplines and philosophy. This includes experts in psychology, physics, history, neuroscience, economics, sociology, linguistics, AI, statistics, medicine, and political science.

In general, philosophical research in Groningen has a strong reputation, witnessing the excellent marks it has received for many years from international assessment committees. In the most recent assessment, the research done in Groningen was judged to be “excellent / world leading”. The Faculty of Philosophy prides itself in an international orientation, and in a lively intellectual exchange among the departments, and between its departments and those of other, scientific or scholarly, faculties.

The research in Groningen covers a wide area, and it is carried out in three departments: History of Philosophy, Theoretical Philosophy and Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy. In addition, the Faculty is home of the Centre for Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). Read more about research of the Faculty of Philosophy in Groningen.