Philosophy

Use rational argument to make sense of ourselves and the world we live in. Explore – and attempt to answer – some of the oldest and most complex questions raised by natural science, art and literature, language and communication, and history.

At St Andrews, you will become grounded in philosophical tradition and learn how to independently assess your own arguments.

Student looking out to sea

Undergraduate

Postgraduate taught

Postgraduate research

Postgraduate PhD and MPhil research degrees are offered by the St Andrews and Stirling Graduate programme in Philosophy (SASP). To apply, you should first identify and contact a potential supervisor you would like to work with in your intended research area. Find out how to contact a research supervisor.    
 
You may also be interested in the St Andrews and Oslo joint PhD in Philosophy or the St Andrews and Amsterdam Global PhD.  

“Being able to study contemporary issues in philosophy and not just classical problems is important to me. I have written essays on topics such as global poverty, slavery, climate change, the philosophy of race, and intergenerational justice. The teaching style is geared towards encouraging us to learn how to think for ourselves, making us better philosophers.”

Papa
Papa
- Woolwich, London

Awards

First in Scotland and third in the UK for philosophy

Guardian University Guide 2023

First in Scotland and fifth in the UK for philosophy

The Complete University Guide 2023

82% of research activity rated 3* or 4*

Most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)