MSc Philosophy of Science

About the MSc programme 

This programme is based in the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method|. It offers the following benefits:

• The Department draws on the traditions set by its founder, Sir Karl Popper, and distinguished followers such as Imre Lakatos.
• The excellence of research done by faculty of the Department was confirmed in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise: the department was ranked joint third in the UK for the proportion of its work deemed 'world leading'.
• The degree is internationally highly regarded.

This master's programme prepares you for PhD work in philosophy or related disciplines as well as for employment in fields such as science journalism, science administration and science management.

For a selection of reports from graduates see: 

www2.lse.ac.uk/philosophy/Study/mastersProgrammes/MScPHSJobPlacement.aspx|

We will consider applicants with a first or upper second class (2:1) honours degree or equivalent, with a considered interest in the area covered by the MSc. However, the majority of our students fall into one of two groups: (a) those who have studied science as undergraduates and would now like to study in depth the foundations and methods of science; and (b) those who have studied philosophy and would now like to study philosophy of science in greater depth. Our courses are designed to be understandable by, and stimulating for, both groups.

We recruit students from all across the world to assemble a genuinely international group, which enriches the social and intellectual environment that the programme offers.

Student life

Our students typically form a tight social group. The Department facilitates this by hosting a number of social occasions through the year. Needless to say London has a wide range of opportunities for socialising on offer.

Contact hours

A typical student on this programme can expect to have, for each examined course, 20 hours of lecture and 30 hours of seminar (with a guarantee that no seminar will have more than 15 students). In addition, there will be 30 hours of teaching on the dissertation research and writing seminar. Additional contact time concerning one-on-one dissertation and class teaching support is available during office hours and by appointment at the request of the student.

Core courses

• Philosophy of Science or Evidence, Objectivity and Policy
• Dissertation Seminar: Philosophy of Science (non assessed)

You will also complete a 10,000 word dissertation| which is completed over the summer and must be submitted in early September.

Options

Courses to the value of two full units from:

• Philosophy of Science‡
• Scientific Revolutions: Philosophical and Historical Issues 
• Either Philosophy of the Social Sciences or Philosophy of Economics
• Philosophical Foundations of Physics
• Philosophy of Biological and Cognitive Sciences
• Set Theory and Further Logic
• Evidence, Objectivity and Policy‡
• Rationality and Choice

You will sit written examinations for your taught courses in June.

‡ If not taken as a core course