Ancient Philosophy

This one-year taught graduate course offers graduate training in ancient philosophy of the highest possible quality, and aims to provide a foundation on which you can go on to pursue doctoral work in the area. You will study two subject options, assessed by three 5,000-word essays, as well as a thesis of 10,000 to 15,000 words.

Teaching and learning on the MSt in Ancient Philosophy consists of individual supervisions with members of the faculty during term-time, classes and lectures, and ongoing independent research.

You must choose two subject options, offer a thesis of 10,000-15,000 words, and show that you have attained a satisfactory standard in Ancient Greek.

The first subject option must be chosen from the following list of undergraduate papers in ancient philosophy offered in the original language:

• Plato: Republic, in Greek
• Plato: Theaetetus and Sophist, in Greek
• Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, in Greek
• Aristotle: Physics, in Greek
• Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Pyrrhonism, in Greek
• Latin philosophy, in Latin

Tuition for these subjects is offered in the form of one-to-one supervisions, as well as lectures and classes. Assessment is by one 5,000-word essay on a topic chosen by you and approved by the course co-ordinator.

The second subject option consists of two classes, which change every year, and you must attend both classes. Assessment is by two 5,000-word essays in topics linked to the area covered in the two classes. You may choose to write both essays on topics linked to one class or to write one essay on a topic linked to the first class and the other essay on a topic linked to the second. 

Students must also offer a thesis of 10,000 to 15,000 words on a topic they choose in consultation with the course co-ordinator and a prospective supervisor.

It is a requirement for students without any (or with little) Ancient Greek to attend the language classes run by the Faculty of Classics - this will be determined on a case-by-case basis - while any MSt student should be allowed to attend any of these classes, whether a beginner, intermediate, or advanced. There is no related exam requirement.

If you pass the MSt in Ancient Philosophy, you will have the opportunity to apply to continue to the DPhil in Philosophy via a year as a Probationary Research Student.

Upon completion of the course, you should have:

• pursued a course requiring a high standard in each of the three examined elements (a thesis and two subject options);
• selected at least two areas of ancient philosophy and studied them through individual supervisions with an expert supervisor and either by lectures (offered by an expert or experts in the relevant field) or by classes (convened by an expert or experts in the relevant field) at which students give presentations;
• written a thesis under the guidance of an expert supervisor;
• been examined on your chosen areas by a requirement to write three essays of up to 5,000 words each;
• attained knowledge of Ancient Greek;
• had many opportunities to hear and give talks in philosophy, by attending an annual Graduate Philosophy Conference, talks by invited speakers, philosophy societies, and discussion groups; and
• been a member of a college graduate community, associating with graduates from many countries, cultures, and academic disciplines.

You may attend any graduate or undergraduate classes, seminars and lectures in and outside of the Faculty of Philosophy which are of interest to you, provided those classes, seminars and lectures are open to you.

A weekly workshop during term time allows members of the Faculty of Philosophy and graduate students to discuss work in progress in ancient philosophy by speakers from Oxford and elsewhere. All graduate students specialising in ancient philosophy are encouraged to attend this workshop.

The course has no fieldwork, industrial placement or year abroad element, but you may decide to attend conferences, workshops or research training elsewhere.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in philosophy, Classics or a closely-related discipline. 

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7, a first-class degree or the equivalent. 

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

Applicants without adequate training in Ancient Greek will be required to undergo specialist language training provided by the Faculty of Classics during their MSt studies. There is no related examination requirement.

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Statement of purpose/personal statement: One page
• Written work: Either one essay of 5,000 words or two essays of 2,000 to 2,500 words each
• References/letters of recommendation: Three overall, all of which must be academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships