Minor Philosophy

The English-taught Minor Philosophy (30 ECTS) or a smaller package of 15 ECTS to be taken in Semester 1a, offers an exciting and comprehensive introduction into the major philosophers and philosophical ideas, methods and theories from ancient times to the present.

The first course, Philosophical Methods and Arguments, offers an introduction to what philosophy is and how to do it, with applications to different areas of philosophy.

In the History of Philosophy course, you will study some major philosophers from antiquity to the twentieth century, including Plato, Leibniz, and Kant. You will develop the skills to critically analyse and engage with various Western philosophical traditions, topics and debates.

The other two courses are devoted to important areas of contemporary philosophical thinking: ethics and social-political philosophy, and philosophy of science and logic.

In these courses, you will learn about the methods of philosophical thinking and about how our understanding of science, knowledge, ethics, and politics has been developed by philosophers over the centuries. You will also learn how to use philosophical reasoning and conceptual reflection to develop your understanding of the fundamentals of science, as well as of ethical and political questions. You will discover how important philosophy is for making progress in debates about science and society.

Socrates famously said that “the unexamined life is not worth living”. If you are a critical thinker and if you would like to broaden and deepen your knowledge and thinking, this minor is an absolute must.

The Minor Philosophy runs the entire Semester 1a-b. Students interested in following the 15 ECTS package take the two courses offered in Semester 1a. The course Philosophical Methods and Arguments (1a) must be completed before taking the courses of semester 1b.

Enrolment details

You need to register for this minor via Progress. The registration period runs from May 24, 2024 (12:00) (the day after the UG Minor Information Market of May 23) to July 5, 2024 (23:59).

Important! Please note that after having registered for the Minor Philosophy, you will be enrolled in the individual courses by the educational administration. This will be done during the summer.

Find general information on the registration procedure for the UG minors.

Eager for more?

If you have enjoyed this Minor, why not upgrade it to a bachelor's degree by adding another 30 ECTS? In the Bachelor Philosophy of a Specific Discipline, you combine your own bachelor with this one-year bachelor programme (30 ECTS Minor, 5 ECTS specialisation course, 15 ECTS discipline-related philosophy electives, and 10 ECTS bachelor's thesis). At the end of three or four years you will be awarded two bachelor's degrees.

Contact the bachelor's study advisor for information.