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Postgraduate research

Welcome to Philosophy

Our excellence in teaching and learning is reflected in our rankings in top university guides. In the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018 and the Complete University Guide 2019, Warwick’s Department of Philosophy is ranked 9th out of all UK philosophy departments. We also rank 13th in the Guardian University Guide 2018. Furthermore, in the latest National Student Survey (NSS), 87% of students reported overall satisfaction, and over 90% agreed that our staff are good at explaining things and that our programmes are intellectually stimulating.

Plus, the University of Warwick as a whole was awarded silver status in the government’s recent Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) exercise. As for our research, in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise, over 90% of our department’s publications were deemed ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

The influential Leiter Report also lists Warwick Philosophy in the top groupings in six areas: epistemology; philosophy of art; philosophy of mind; political philosophy; 19th century continental philosophy; and 20th century continental philosophy. While many UK philosophy departments possess strength in analytic philosophy or continental philosophy, we are distinctive in having world-leading philosophers from both fields.

Why study Philosophy at Warwick?

There are over 20 full-time staff in our department with expertise in all of the major areas of philosophy. The department has particular research strengths in Philosophy of Mind & Psychology, Epistemology, The Philosophy of Art and Literature, Moral and Political Philosophy, 20th Century Continental Philosophy, and Kant and 19th Century Post-Kantian Philosophy.

Additionally, we have individual members of staff with research expertise in the following areas: linguistics and philosophy of language; metaphysics; aesthetics; philosophy of perception; and the philosophy of logic.

We are keen to supervise doctoral research in any of these or related areas. In addition, individual members of staff have research expertise in are able to supervise students who want to work on topics in linguistics and philosophy of language; metaphysics; aesthetics; philosophy of perception; and the philosophy of logic. This list is not exhaustive, however, and you are strongly encouraged to study the staff webpages to identify a potential supervisor for your thesis.

A supportive community

Aside from our permanent staff members, the department has a number of research fellows and visiting fellows who, together with our postgraduate students, pursue a wide range of research activities. These currently include a postdoc and research assistant working on a European Research Council Horizon 2020 project ‘Sense of Commitment’ and a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow working on ‘Mental Action and Cognitive Phenomenology’. Therefore, members of staff aren’t just busily writing books and articles, but are also involved in a number of activities going on in the department that are collaborative, interdisciplinary and which involve the active participation of postgraduate students.

Useful links

General enquiries: the Philosophy PG Office Accommodation: The Accommodation Office
Application process: Rachel Harrington Fees and How to Pay: The Finance Office
Visas: Warwick Immigration Advice The Graduate School

Warwick Students Union 

Terms and Conditions

The International Office

Wellbeing Support Services