Philosophy - master

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Our MA in Philosophy heightens your analytical and critical thinking skills, trains your problem-solving abilities and teaches you to communicate complex ideas clearly. You will also improve your argumentation and project management skills. All of these skills are relevant for professions within cultural institutions, political organizations, nature management, non-profit organizations, public administration and management, journalism, the publishing-, media and communication industries, and in business.

In combination with other teaching subjects and practical pedagogical education, an MA in Philosophy also qualifies you for teaching in primary and secondary schools in Norway.

Provided you achieve an average grade B or above, an MA in philosophy can also qualify you for admission to PhD studies in philosophy or other relevant disciplines.

Access to further studies

A master’s degree in philosophy qualifies you for admission to PhD studies in philosophy or other relevant disciplines. In addition, you must achieve a grade requirement, which varies between different institutions.

At the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Teacher Education (HSL), a grade point average of B (or equivalent) is required.

Programme structure

How is the teaching organized?

This is a full-time program (ca. 37,5-40 hours of work/week) located at the campus in Tromsø. In the first year, you will be attending discussion-based seminars and will use the study rooms for MA students or the university library to read the course literature, prepare for classes, and write term papers. The teaching is in small groups, which allows an individualized approach and close supervision.

In your second year, you will be mostly working with an individual supervisor to write your thesis. Throughout both years, a specialized MA colloquium gives you and other students the chance to discuss your own work. You will find further opportunities for learning and discussion in the institute's research seminars and in individual meetings with your teachers.

Cross-disciplinary contacts at UiT let you connect your philosophical ideas to real-world problems and international partnerships let you spend some time abroad, working with a specific expert in your area. We also offer opportunities to apply for financial support to present and discuss your work at national and international conferences.

Language of instruction

The teaching and course literature is in English, but students can choose whether to write their term papers and their MA thesis in English, Norwegian, or another Scandinavian language.

Study plan

Outgoing exchange

It is possible to use one semester to travel on exchange. We recommend that you use the department and faculty's well-established exchange agreements. Before leaving, the student must have prior approval, i.e. the supervisor helps the student choose courses that can be approved as part of the programme.

Final approval at UiT is sought with documentation of passed exams in the recommended courses abroad. For an updated overview of which universities the study program in philosophy has agreements with, please refer to UiT’s website about internationalization, or contact the international coordinator.

Destinations for studies abroad

Bachelor's degree in philosophy or a related disciplinary field with a specialization of at least 80 credits in philosophy or equivalent.

The specialisation should show a progression from introductory to more advanced courses in philosophy.

Applicants must have a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (2,5) in the ECTS scale.

Admission capacity
8 places

Find out which applicant category you belong to and which documents you need to upload.