Degree from a Dutch research university

Competencies

This is a selective Master's. You will be considered for admission to the Master’s programme in Applied Ethics if you can demonstrate the following knowledge, insight, and skills:

• You have a strong interest in applied ethics as a discipline that takes its starting point on moral problems, practices, and policies and aims to make an effective contribution to pressing contemporary ethical issues by drawing from moral and political philosophy as well as empirical research. Its interdisciplinary nature and focus on the interplay between theory and practice is what appeals to you. Your motivation can be demonstrated by the selection of undergraduate courses, the topic of your Bachelor’s thesis, extracurricular activities, and/or volunteer work.
• You have adequate knowledge of the most important and currently debated theories in the field of philosophical and applied ethics, and you have the related philosophical skills (esp. writing skills), as demonstrated by:
  • a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, or
  • a Bachelor’s degree in a different discipline combined with a major in Ethics or Philosophy, or
  • a Bachelor’s degree combined with a suitable minor in Ethics and Political Philosophy of at least 30 EC. This minor should contain courses at both the introductory and advanced undergraduate levels. An example of a suitable minor is the Minor in Ethics in Modern Society, offered by Utrecht University.
• You are able to meet academic standards consistently and on time, as demonstrated by completing the undergraduate programme on time and with good grades (typically an average of at least 7/10 or B-, please explain any delays in your motivation letter).
• You have a strong motivation to follow your Master at our Ethics Institute. Your motivation letter should make clear why you think the Ethics Institute and the Philosophy Department of Utrecht University is in line with your interests. For example, you may be particularly interested in one of the branches of Applied Ethics (such as sustainability/environmental ethics, ethics of economics, or bioethics) or in Political Ethics.
• Inasmuch as the Master of Applied Ethics students have different disciplinary and national backgrounds and individual as well as group assignments are part of the programme, you must possess cooperative skills and be interested in working closely in an interdisciplinary team.
• Finally, because all your coursework – and your Master’s thesis – will be in English, it is crucial that you have a high level of reading, listening, speaking, and writing proficiency in English, as demonstrated by your writing sample and letter of motivation.

Selection procedure

The Admissions Committee will decide on your application. The committee will make an assesment as to whether you will be able to successfully complete the Master’s programme within the nominal duration. The committee takes into account:

• Motivation and talent.
• Level of required knowledge and the mastery of methods and techniques used in the subject area.
• General high level of professional and intellectual ability.
• Command of the English language.

An interview may be part of the selection procedure. Alternatively, if you live outside the Netherlands, the Admissions Committee may ask for additional written material or for an interview via Skype.

Previous education

The following Bachelor’s programmes are a good preparation for this Master’s programme:

Do you have a university degree and do not yet meet the admission requirements? Please contact the Programme Coordinator. 

Not sure if you are eligible?

You can contact the Programme Coordinator with questions about your eligibility.