Philosophy and Politics MA (Hons) Level: Undergraduate Subject: Philosophy Year of entry: 2026 Key facts UCAS Code VL52 Award MA (Hons) Duration of study 4 years Delivery Full-time Study location Central Area Start date September 2026 School School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Study abroad Available Placement No Open days and events Overview About the degree programme PhilosophyPhilosophy has been at the core of Western intellectual life for at least 2,500 years. It is central to our understanding of the world and our interaction with it. Philosophy gives you the skills to think about great philosophical questions in a clear and systematic way.While there are different approaches that philosophers have taken, the study of philosophy focuses on:argumentcritical enquiryrigour in reasoningclarity of expression, including making important distinctionsFind out what we study in Philosophy in this video. PoliticsPolitics studies the theory and practice of how societies are governed. It asks questions such as:How do our political institutions create collective rules and who has the power to make them?What are the consequences of political decisions?What is the nature of a just society, and how do we get there?Drawing on the expertise of leading academics and researchers in the field, you will explore the origins and present-day contexts of societal conflicts about power and resources.You will also study the:processes of governance at the local, national, and international levelsmorality of political actionlimits of freedom and justice How long it takes to complete this degree programme This programme is studied over 4 years.A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.How long it takes to complete our degree programmes How a joint degree programme works This joint programme gives you in-depth knowledge in both subject areas, and the opportunity to specialise in the topics that interest you most. Programme benefits Philosophy has been taught at the University since its foundation in 1583. Edinburgh was the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment and has a distinguished place in the history of philosophy.You will have a choice of more than 40 option courses in Years 3 and 4 in all the main branches of philosophy.Our world-leading academics are especially strong in:philosophy of mind and cognition, language and scienceethicsepistemologyhistory of philosophyThe University has a strong historic connection to the subject, with Adam Ferguson and Sir William Hamilton among its former students.Edinburgh has one of the UK’s largest philosophy departments and the Philosophy Society attracts high-profile speakers.Our programme covers the basics of Western philosophy. Later in the degree, you can select from a variety of courses on subjects from the philosophy of wellbeing to feminism. Entry requirements Find your entry requirementsUse the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.Select the qualification you are studying or studied. Where you are studying or where you studied United KingdomAfghanistanAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBhutanBoliviaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanYemenZambiaZimbabweMy country is not listed Qualification - Select a qualification -SQA Highers: standard requirementsSQA Highers: widening access requirementsA levels: standard requirementsA levels: widening access requirementsIB: standard requirementsIB: widening access requirementsOther UK qualificationsMature applicants (including adult returners)International qualifications by country United Kingdom, Fees and funding Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics. Accommodation and living costs You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.This estimate covers the costs of:accommodationfoodutility billstravel within Edinburghhealth and wellbeing costsSee a breakdown of living costs Scholarships and funding Funding information You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section. Funding Programme details What you will study Year 1 PhilosophyIn Years 1 and 2, you will take a range of courses that introduce you to a variety of the main areas of philosophy. Year 1 courses will include topics in the following areas:EthicsHistory of Philosophy (Western and non-Western traditions)LogicPhilosophy of SciencePoliticsYou will also study two compulsory courses in politics:Politics and International Relations 1A: Concepts and DebatesPolitics and International Relations 1B: The Global DimensionOption courses You will complete your Year 1 studies with an option course chosen from a wide range of courses. Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 2 PhilosophyYou will take courses in areas, such as: Epistemology Metaphysics Philosophy of Language Philosophy of MindPoliticsYou will also study two compulsory courses in politics: Comparative Politics in a Globalised WorldPolitical Thinkers (an introduction to political theory)Option coursesYou can also choose to take courses in other subjects with links to philosophy and politics. Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 3 PhilosophyYou will take the Philosophy Dissertation Information Course.You will start to specialise. You can choose from a range of courses linked to our areas of expertise. In philosophy, these include topics related to areas of the subject, such as: language, cognition and sciencemorality and valueknowledge and realityhistory of philosophyPoliticsIn politics, topics will cover subjects such as: British politicspopulismhuman rightsgenderAfrican politicsthe Middle East Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 4 You will choose another four to six courses from a wide variety available. You will also complete either of the following:an independent dissertation on a philosophy or politics topic of your choicea coursework dissertation through two extended essays in philosophy Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Study abroad There are opportunities to study abroad in Year 3 through international exchange programmes.What are my options for going abroad? Teaching and assessment Teaching Courses are taught through a mix of:• lectures• seminars• tutorialsIn Year 1 and 2, philosophy courses are taught through lectures and tutorials.In Year 3 and 4, philosophy courses are taught through seminars and tutorials. Assessment You will be assessed through coursework and exams.In Year 4, you will also complete either:• an independent dissertation on a topic of your choice• a coursework dissertation through two extended essays Support for your studies You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.Support for your studies Where you will study Study location Most teaching takes place at the University's Central Area. Academic facilities You can use all the University's libraries and computing facilities. Virtual tour You can take a closer look at the University’s Central Area and explore our facilities on the Virtual Visit site. Take a virtual tour of the Central Area Career paths and further study Career paths The philosophy and politics courses you study during your programme provide you with analytical and critical-thinking skills that are valued by employers. Previous graduates have gone on to work in:educationcommercejournalismfinancelawcomputingSome graduates also choose to continue with their studies through research or an academic career. Careers Service Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.With the Careers Service, you can:access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisionsVisit the Careers Service website Further study After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:a masters degreea postgraduate diploma or certificatea PhDa second undergraduate degreeFind out about options for further study Applying How to apply You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.Guidance on applying through UCAS What you need to apply As part of your application, you will need:your academic qualificationsa personal statementevidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)a reference How we select If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.How we select applicants When to apply 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.Search degrees that are open on the UCAS websiteKey application dates and deadlines After you apply After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:How to submit your qualificationsAttend an offer holder eventReceiving our decisionAccepting your offerAfter you’ve accepted your offerIf you have a disability and need more support at university Applying as an international student As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS. Find out more about applying through UCAS Visas and immigration If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme. Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. Applying for a visa Agents An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact. Find contact details for an education agent Life at Edinburgh What our students say PoliticsStudent testimonialsHear about what it is like to study with us, and about life in Edinburgh from those who know it best, our students and graduates.Hear from our students and graduatesCheck out our student blogOur team of SPS student writers share their experiences and thoughts on the things that matter to them on our student blog.Read our student blogYou can read about:writing your first assignmentwhat to do in Edinburgh on the weekendwhat to expect in Welcome Weekliving away from homehybrid learningliving sustainablyand more Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.University accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaIf you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place Societies and clubs Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.SocietiesSports clubs The city of Edinburgh Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.Find out more about living in Edinburgh Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities to daily life, including: sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) Health and wellbeing support You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.The support services we offer include:a student counselling servicea health centre (doctor's surgery)support if you're living in University accommodationdedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentHealth and wellbeing support services Contact and events
