Philosophy (MA) (120EC)

Career preparation

Our goal is to prepare you to make a difference in your future career.

Knowledge and skills

The master’s programme in Philosophy (120 EC) at Leiden University aims to equip you with a range of intellectual skills and academic attitude that can help you thrive in any position. Your high-level skills in abstraction, reasoning and critical thinking are intellectual skills that can be applied within any role, to any conceptual problem.

Relevant professional skills and experience

Every student is encouraged to apply what they learn in a professional, practical or foreign situation. This may include studying abroad, working as an intern at an organisation, or getting involved in extracurricular activities. These experiences are valued by organisations, as are strong communication skills. In class, every student is invited to participate in discussions, learning how to confidently and clearly articulate their ideas.

Internships

A growing number of students choose to do an internship during their study. Internships are a great way to gain firsthand experience in your area of interest before you decide on making it a career.

In recent years students from the MA Philosophy (120EC) have been doing internships at the following organisations:

Filosofie Magazine
Koninklijke Bibliotheek (Royal Dutch Library)
Peace Palace The Hague
Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment Dutch Consulate Office in Chongquing, China

Humanities Career Service

Our staff can help you identify both the career that is right for you, and the necessary steps to get you there. Our team at Humanities Career Service provide all Leiden University humanities students with professional advice and guidance on everything from internships and career planning to job applications. Humanities Career Service also organises regular workshops on topics such as effective interview skills and creating a successful CV.

Online Career Week

The first Online Career Week was organised in May 2020. Every day there were 2 events that students could sign up for.

For example, there was a Q&A with interns. Three interns working for respectively Philips, the Dutch Mission to the UN, and the World Economic Forum provided the participants with information on their internships, the application processes and working from home. In addition, a live webinar CV writing took place, and students were able to schedule an appointment with a career counselor for personal advice.