Philosophy of Contemporary Challenges
Study philosophical and ethical issues that arise with respect to populism, migration, terrorism, inequality, sustainability, and the role that science and technology play in our society. In doing so, you develop crucial skills that enable you to think critically, conceptualize things clearly, and argue convincingly, each of which is a valuable asset in today’s job market.
On Campus if we can | Online because we can
National Student Survey (Philosophy studies, all tracks), 2018 | n=27
Keuzegids Masters, 2018
Alumni of Philosophy (all tracks) | National Alumni Survey, 2016-2018 | n = 12
Program and courses
- Develop a philosophical perspective on society
Learn to question the conventional ideas of sociologists, economists, and other specialists about migration, democracy, justice, market forces, the environment, science, and technology. - Enrich yourself with skills that matter
You will analyze, synthesize, and critically question philosophical texts and problems in clear and concise ways and according to high academic standards. You will refine your presentation and writing skills and learn how to formulate to-the-point arguments and evaluate the claims made by others. - Challenge yourself
All courses are taught by experts in the respective fields and revolve around state-of-the-art literature by contemporary thinkers. You learn to come to grips with these at a high academic level and apply them to contemporary challenges in society.
Typical courses are:
- Sustainability and Environmental Ethics
- Migration, Refugees and Human Rights
- Populism and Active Citizenship
- Justice and Inequality
- Terrorism and Security
Career prospects
As a trained philosopher, you are able to analyze and reflect critically on social, political, and ethical issues. You can formulate well-founded and to-the-point proposals to solve societal problems. Major newspapers and magazines emphasize the wide variety of professions open for philosophers in the labor market:
- The Atlantic: “Is Philosophy the Most Practical Major?”
- Huffington Post: “The Unexpected Way Philosophy Majors Are Changing The World Of Business”
- The Guardian: “What can you do with a degree in philosophy?”
- The Guardian: “I think, therefore I earn. The rise in stock of philosophy graduates”
After graduating, you can also continue your career in various fields as an academic researcher who has already acquired an interdisciplinary background.
Alumni facts
- Number of months until first paid job: 3.6
- 75% of our alumni find a job within 4 months after graduation, and 50% within 1 month
- 94% would choose this program again at Tilburg University
Source: Alumni of Philosophy (all tracks) | National Alumni Survey, 2016 - 2018 | n = 12
Application and admission
This Master's program starts:
End of August and end of January (both the Master’s and the Pre-Master’s programs)
Best preparatory programs:
Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Culture Studies, Political Studies, or Liberal Arts and Sciences and Global Management of Social Issues
Pre-Master's program:
Open to both Research University students and students of a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (HBO).
Tuition fees and scholarships
International students find all information about tuition fees and scholarships here.
Interested in this Master's program?
More information
Please feel free to contact us for your personal queries. You can contact us on every page of the master's website. Or find out more by choosing one of the options below.
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Meet us
In accordance with the guidelines of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), all on-campus events until September 1 will not take place. To help you choose your Master’s program as best as we can, you can replay the sessions of our Online Master's Open day and participate in an online Q&A session for the program(s) you are interested in.
Interested in the Philosophy of Contemporary Challenges track?
Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application