MA Philosophy
About this course
MA (Hons) in Philosophy, a philosophy degree focused on historical and analytical approaches to human thought. Core topics include Research Methods and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning. Students complete an independent dissertation and shorter dissertations in the final year. The first year introduces foundational subjects through morality and value, history of philosophy, logic, and philosophy of science. The second year covers epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mind. The third year offers advanced study in areas such as beauty and art, language, cognition and science, history of philosophy, knowledge and reality, morality and value, political philosophy, Philosophy of Language, Modal Logics, Mind and Cognition, Late Modern Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Early Modern Philosophy, Japanese Philosophy, Social Philosophy, Epistemology, Metaphysics, Political Philosophy, Aesthetics, Feminist Philosophy, and Moral Philosophy. The fourth year involves specialised modules including Islamic Philosophy, Philosophy of Death and Dying, Philosophy of Fiction, Gender and Beauty, Buddhist Philosophy, Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge, Ignorance and Power, Free Will and Moral Responsibility, Ancient Theories of Mind, and Philosophy of Time Travel alongside research dissertations.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: from A*AA to AAB (required: no specific A level subjects required) IB: from 36 points with 665 at HL to 34 points with 655 at HL
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Real offers for this course
Applicants have posted 1 UCAS decision for MA Philosophy (V500) at the University of Edinburgh for 2027 entry so far. The published offer is AAB at A level.
Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 32%: 122 offers from 383 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 30 final-year students who answered
- Teaching on my course: 87%
- Learning opportunities: 69%
- Assessment and feedback: 72%
- Academic support: 86%
- Organisation and management: 82%
- Learning resources: 89%
- Student voice: 75%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 60 students who started
- Continued on course: 89%
- Left higher education: 6%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 5%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 90 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 6%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 1%
- East Midlands: 1%
- West Midlands: 4%
- East of England: 3%
- London: 43%
- South East: 5%
- South West: 2%
- Wales: 1%
- Scotland: 34%
Who gets in
Based on about 55 students who started
- A levels: 86%
- Access course: 4%
- Other HE qualification: 7%
- No formal qualifications: 4%
Modules
- morality and value
- history of philosophy (may include Western and non-Western traditions)
- logic
- philosophy of science
- epistemology
- metaphysics
- philosophy of language
- philosophy of mind
- beauty and art
- language
- cognition and science
- history of philosophy
- knowledge and reality
- morality and value
- political philosophy
- Philosophy of Language
- Modal Logics
- Mind and Cognition
- Late Modern Philosophy
- Ancient Philosophy
- Philosophy of Religion
- Early Modern Philosophy
- Japanese Philosophy
- Social Philosophy
- Epistemology
- Metaphysics
- Aesthetics
- Feminist Philosophy
- Moral Philosophy
- one long independent dissertation on a topic of your choice
- two shorter dissertations related to two courses
- Islamic Philosophy
- Philosophy of Death and Dying
- Philosophy of Fiction
- Gender and Beauty
- Buddhist Philosophy
- Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
- Knowledge, Ignorance and Power
- Free Will and Moral Responsibility
- Ancient Theories of Mind
- Philosophy of Time Travel
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh earn?
The median salary is £27,500 after 3 years, £33,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £27,000 and £48,000. The £33,000 median after five years is £500 more than the UK median for Philosophy.
Are students happy with the teaching on MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh?
87% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh?
The typical offer is AAB at A level, or 36 points in the IB. The average entrant had 159 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh?
32% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 122 offers from 383 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
Does MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on MA Philosophy at University of Edinburgh?
89% of students continued into their second year, and 6% left higher education.