Master's Degree in Philosophy

Academic year 2024-25

You can also consult this information for the academic year 2023-24.

New student profile and admission criteria

Entry Profile

Profile 1. Students mainly from philosophy degrees (or equivalent university studies). This is the recommended entry profile to take this programme.

Profile 2. Students from arts and humanities degrees (or equivalent university studies). Candidates with this profile must submit a cover letter with their application, comprising any information they believe relevant to demonstrate their suitability for the master’s programme. The academic committee shall set any applicable supplementary training that students must undertake, depending on the number of applicants, prior studies in philosophy and the cogency of the reasons set out in the cover letter.

Profile 3. Students from other degrees (or equivalent university studies). Candidates with this profile must submit a cover letter with their application, comprising any information they believe relevant to demonstrate their suitability for the master’s programme. The academic committee shall set any applicable supplementary training that students must undertake, depending on the number of applicants, prior studies in philosophy and the cogency of the reasons set out in the cover letter.

In the latter instances, the supplementary training shall be selected from the curriculum.

Entry and Admission

Students interested in applying for a place on the master's programme need to submit their pre-registration application within the deadline and as per the method for each academic year, as set by the UIB Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CEP).

The CEP will verify whether applicants fulfil the requirements for admission to the programme and, subsequently, submit the application to the relevant academic committee to consider and decide on admission.

Finally, the CEP will publish the list of admitted students and provide the enrolment dates.

This procedure is governed by Regulatory Agreement of 23rd March 2022 that regulates access and admission to official master’s degree programmes, published in the extraordinary issue of the FOU no. 534 of 31st March 2022 (https://seu.uib.cat/fou/acord/14423/), implementing Article 18 of Royal Decree 822/2021 of 28th September that sets out the organisation of official university programmes and the quality assurance procedure.

Information on pre-registration, entry, admission and enrolment for the programme will be published on the CEP website: <https://cep.uib.eu/en/Com_hi_puc_accedir/>

Admission Requirements

The CEP will consider the following with a view to ensuring that applicants meet the entry requirements:

  1. Holding an official Spanish undergraduate university degree or equivalent is a condition for entry to a master’s programme or, where applicable, holding another master’s degree or qualifications with the same level as a Spanish undergraduate or master’s degree issued by universities or higher education institutions in an EHEA country that grant admission to master’s programmes in said country
  2. Similarly, candidates who have qualifications issued by other non-EHEA education systems that are equivalent to undergraduate degree-level may be admitted to a master’s programme in the Spanish university system, without having to officially validate their qualification, as long as the country where said qualification was issued enables admission to postgraduate studies with said qualification. Nonetheless, the university shall verify the level of training accredited by this qualification. This admission method in no way involves validation of candidates’ prior degrees, nor does it provide any kind of recognition other than to provide entry to master's programmes
  3. Universities may, in exceptional circumstances, establish conditional enrolment procedures for entry to master’s programmes, based on specific regulations approved by their governing bodies. This will involve allowing students who still have to pass their final degree project and, at most, nine ECTS credits, to be admitted and enrol on a master’s programme. Nevertheless, they will not be awarded a master’s degree if they have not passed their undergraduate studies. Universities shall ensure enrolment priority for students who already have an undergraduate qualification. Credits pending recognition or transfer from undergraduate studies, or having passed the required foreign language level to be awarded the degree, may be considered.

Likewise, in order to verify whether applicants fulfil the entry requirements for a master’s programme, the CEP shall consider points 2 and 3 from Additional Provision 1 of Royal Decree 822/2021 regarding the equivalence of official university qualifications awarded prior to the introduction of the EHEA system:

‘2. Individuals who have an official Spanish undergraduate qualification of Licenciado (long-cycle five-year degree graduate), Arquitecto (architect) or Ingeniero (engineer) may be awarded academic credit recognition in accordance with what is set out in Article 10 of this Royal Decree. Likewise, these qualifications will grant admission to master’s programmes. In this instance, credit recognition with regard to the knowledge, skills and abilities attained on the previous qualifications, as well as their relevance to the master’s programme curriculum in question, may be granted

3. Individuals who have an official Spanish undergraduate qualification of Diplomado (short-cycle three-year degree graduate), Arquitecto (architect) or Ingeniero (engineer) may be awarded academic credit recognition in accordance with what is set out in Article 10 of this Royal Decree. Likewise, these qualifications will grant admission to master’s programmes. However, universities may exercise their autonomy and require supplementary training be taken, where deemed academically relevant. Moreover, credit recognition with regard to the knowledge, skills and abilities attained on the previous qualifications, as well as their relevance to the master’s programme curriculum in question, may be granted in exceptional and justified circumstances.’

Admission Requirements and Criteria

In order to issue the master’s admission decision, the academic committee shall consider the admission requirements and criteria set out in this section.

Moreover, in accordance with point 6 in Article 18 of Royal Decree 822/2021, academic committees reserve at least 5% of the spots offered on official master’s programmes for students who have an accredited disability level equal to or above 33%, as well as for students who have permanent support needs linked to a personal disability, who required resources and support for their full educational inclusion on their previous study programme.

Admission Requirements

Language Level Accreditation

The teaching languages on the programme are Spanish and Catalan, since both are co-official languages in the Balearic Islands. Lecturers may teach their classes in either language.

Consequently, non-native students must accredit a B2 level or higher in accordance with the European Common Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, 2002) from the Council of Europe. B2-level Spanish and Catalan will be deemed accredited for candidates who fulfil any of the following conditions:

  1. Having taken university courses in the stated language
  2. Having taken high school studies in the stated language
  3. Submitting certificates or diplomas equivalent to a B2 level, in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, 2002).

Given the co-official status of Catalan and Spanish in the Balearic Islands, as well as the advantage of having lecturers who can use both languages for academic activities, the programme management team may consider admission for candidates who are unable to accredit having a B2 level in Catalan, as long as academic activities are adapted into Spanish to ensure candidates are generally able to follow the course content.

Submitting a Cover Letter

Applicants for the programme with profiles 2 and 3 shall submit a cover letter that includes all information they deem relevant to explain the suitability of their academic profile.

The Academic Committee shall set any applicable supplementary training that students must undertake, depending on the number of applicants, prior studies in philosophy and the cogency of the reasons set out in the cover letter.

Admission Criteria

The criteria to be applied for admission to the programme where students have pre-registered are as follows:

  • Academic record: 3 points
  • Grants awarded: 2 points
  • Publications: 2 points
  • Attendance at conferences, courses and seminars: 2 points
  • Other academic merits: 1 point.

In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, and where there is a tie between candidates, they shall be prioritised based on their entry profile: profile 1 first, profile 2 second and profile 3 last.

Academic and professional goals

The Master's Degree in Philosophy was designed according to European Higher Education Area models, and the objectives of the programme have been derived from the ‘Dublin Descriptors’, and the criteria given by the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ENQA) and the Joint Quality Initiative.

Educational objectives

The Master’s Degree in Philosophy is a research-focused programme that provides students with the basic abilities needed to undertake research in the various fields of philosophy. As a result, graduates are able to access doctoral programmes both at the UIB and at other national and foreign universities. Additionally, the training offered on the programme provides students with specialised knowledge in the various fields of philosophy at a level above undergraduate studies. In this sense, the master’s is aimed at both those interested in subsequently taking PhD studies, as well as those seeking to broaden their knowledge in philosophy.

Programme graduates will have acquired fundamental research skills that are also useful in undertaking other professional activities. They will therefore be able to develop research, write and publish academic work, undertake documentation tasks and work both independently and as part of a team. Furthermore, graduates will have acquired up-to-date knowledge in fields such as the history of philosophy, aesthetics, the philosophy of science, and moral and political philosophy. (See graduate profiles).

Skills acquired on the master’s programme

Core skills

CB10 - Possessing the learning abilities that allow students to continue their studies in a way that is largely autonomous and self-directed
CB6 - Having and understanding knowledge that provides an opportunity or a basis from which to be original in the creation and/or application of ideas, often in the context of research
CB7 – Being able how to apply the knowledge acquired and the ability to solve problems in new or relatively unknown environments within wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study
CB8 - Having the ability to integrate knowledge and confront the complexity of making judgments based on incomplete or limited information, which includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities of applying knowledge and opinions
CB9 - Knowing how to clearly and unambiguously communicate conclusions, knowledge, and underlying reasoning to specialised audiences and the general public.

General skills

C1 - Knowing the theoretical principles that govern academic work in the field of philosophy
C2 - Knowing advanced techniques to produce academic work in the field of philosophy
C3 - Knowing the basic principles to plan academic work
C4 - Knowing the basic principles of knowledge transfer in the field of philosophy
C5 - Solving problems and difficulties that arise when producing academic studies in the field of philosophy
C6 - Communicating hypotheses and ideas in line with academic and scientific criteria in the field of philosophy
C7 - Being aware of how the Spanish R&D&i system and research groups operate with regard to philosophy.

Specific skills

C8 - Fully knowing the details of specific aspects of current topics and debates in the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy, beyond the general content studied at undergraduate level or equivalent
C9 - Thoroughly and rigorously knowing specialised philosophical terminology relating to the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy
C10 - Presenting the outcomes of individual study to a specialised audience and the general public coherently, clearly and in a reasoned manner
C11 - Incorporating knowledge from different areas of philosophy
C12 - Organising information obtained from primary and secondary documentary resources and databases
C13 - Applying the knowledge and techniques learnt in independent study
C14 - Developing critical, respectful reasoning with ideas from different authors, traditions, schools of thought and cultures.

Access to other study programmes and career opportunities

The Master's Degree in Philosophy enables graduates to access the PhD programmes in philology and philosophy at the UIB, thus providing students with the option to further their academic training if they so wish. Additionally, this master's programme enables graduates to study PhD programmes in related scientific fields at other EHEA universities, where they meet other requirements possibly set by said institutions.

Career prospects:

  • Research
  • PhD studies
  • Applied philosophy
  • Project management advice
  • Communication and marketing.

Structure of the study programme

The programme curriculum comprises 60 credits and has been designed so that students are able to obtain their degree within a single academic year. Taking the UIB master’s academic calendar as a reference (set every year), the course will be organised as follows: students shall take the mandatory methodology subject in the first month and, where applicable, any supplementary training assigned to them. After this, they shall take elective subjects worth 24 credits in the first semester and 18 credits in the second semester. They shall also write their master’s thesis throughout the second semester.

Assessment periods shall be set in accordance with the UIB teaching period. Students must pass the six credits from mandatory subjects and 42 from elective subjects in order to sit their master’s thesis viva. Moreover, students who have been assigned supplementary training will need to pass it in order to sit their thesis viva.

The course plan is organised as follows:

Common Mandatory Subject

Philosophy Study Methods (6 credits). This subject is aimed at providing students with the necessary up-to-date tools to undertake any type of advanced research in philosophy (an overview of philosophy research methods and academic dissemination). In this sense, it is a master’s-level introductory subject for students.

Elective Subjects

A wide selection of subjects covering most fields in philosophy that reflect four areas of study: History of Philosophy, Theoretical Philosophy, Practical Philosophy and Philosophy of Science. Students must take 42 credits from the elective subjects available every academic year.

Master's Thesis

The master’s thesis comprises one of the most crucial elements on the curriculum and is thus worth 12 credits. The thesis aims to verify the proficiency in knowledge, skills and abilities attained by students on the programme by applying them to research into a specific field of philosophy. Assessment will be carried out independently by a selected panel in the periods established in UIB regulations.

Supplementary Training

The Master’s Degree in Philosophy plans for supplementary training based on candidates’ entry profiles. This training is based on knowledge of philosophical problems, as well as the main areas and approaches in philosophy.

There are four supplementary training courses worth three credits each, which are solely for students admitted to the programme who do not have an undergraduate degree in philosophy (or equivalent). Namely:

  • 12006 - Foundations of Philosophy I
  • 12007 - Foundations of Philosophy II
  • 12008 - Foundations of Philosophy III
  • 12009 - Foundations of Philosophy IV

The academic committee shall set which and how many of these four supplementary training courses students must take, depending on their entry profile (2 or 3), the number of credits and subjects in philosophy on their previous university courses, as well as the cover letter submitted when applying for the master’s programme. In any event, these students must also take the 60 ECTS credits to be awarded the master’s degree.

Final Exam

The master’s programme ends with the submission and viva of the master’s thesis. This will take place after all other required subjects have been passed to attain the degree.

Evaluation criteria and exams

The assessment criteria are set out in the course guide for each subject. These guides are published every year before the start of the enrolment period.

Study programme leadership

Dra. Noemí Sanz Merino

Telephone
(34) 971 25 9622

Dr. Pablo Frau Burón

Telephone
(34) 971 17 3024
(34) 971 17 3026