MSt in Ancient Philosophy

Oxford is widely acknowledged to contain one of the leading groups, arguably the leading group, of ancient philosophers in the world: ancient philosophy at Oxford is ranked top in the Philosophical Gourmet Report's breakdown of programmes by speciality. Through the MSt in Ancient Philosophy the Faculty aims to attract and select the best possible national and international scholars in the subject.

The MSt in Ancient Philosophy offers a graduate education in ancient philosophy of the highest possible quality and provides a foundation from which candidates can go on to pursue doctoral work in the area.

The Faculty intends to admit around eight students for the course each year.

For information on how to make an application please see our Admissions Procedure and Entry Requirements page.

The course aims to allow students to specialise in at least two areas of ancient philosophy, and to write a thesis of 10,000-15,000 words. It is not a course requirement that students without any (or with little) Ancient Greek attend the Ancient Greek language classes currently run by the Faculty of Classics but it is highly recommended that they do so as being able to read philosophical texts in the original language is an advantage for Ancient Philosophy studies. 

Subject Option A

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

  • 130. Plato: Republic
  • 131. Plato on Knowledge, Language, & Reality in the Theaetetus & Sophist
  • 132. Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics
  • 133. Aristotle on Nature, Life and Mind
  • 134. Knowledge and Scepticism in Hellenistic Philosophy
  • 135. Latin Philosophy

Tuition for this subject is normally provided in the form of one-to-one tutorials, usually in the first or second term. While the syllabi for these subjects are borrowed from the Faculty’s undergraduate courses, assessment will be at master's-level. Subject Option A is examined by one 5,000-word essay.

Subject Option B

The second subject consists of two classes, which run during the first and/or second term. The ‘subject options’ covered by the first class are different from those covered by the second class. Details of the classes and the subject options to be covered are published in the Graduate Student Handbook before the beginning of the academic year. Students must attend both classes.

Subject Option B is assessed by two essays of no more than 5,000 words on topics relevant to the subject options covered in the dedicated classes. The topics must be chosen by the student and approved by the Course Coordinator, and must not overlap substantially with the choice of option for Subject Option A. Students may choose either to write both essays on topics covered in one class or to write one essay on a topic covered in one class and the other essay on a topic covered in the other class.

The reading lists for both subjects will include texts both in the original language and in translation; students’ readings should be guided by their supervisor(s) according to their level of Ancient Greek and/or Latin.

The Thesis

Students are required to write a thesis (of 10,000-15,000 words) during the Easter vacation and their final term, to be submitted at the end of their final term. The thesis can be on a topic of the student’s choice, within ancient philosophy, but is subject to approval by the student’s supervisor and the Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee.

Admission to the MSt in Ancient Philosophy

For information on admissions to the MSt in Ancient Philosophy please check the Admissions Procedure and Entry Requirements page.

Please find answers to frequently asked questions about admissions to the MSt in Ancient Philosophy here.

Other Options for Ancient Philosophers

Students who want to specialise in Ancient Philosophy may also consider our two-year BPhil in Philosophy programme, in which they will be able to submit up to two 5,000-word essays and a 30,000-word thesis in Ancient Philosophy, alongside teaching and assessment in other subjects in theoretical and practical philosophy.

After the MSt in Ancient Philosophy

MSt in Ancient Philosophy students are eligible to apply for a place to study for a DPhil in Philosophy, initially as a Probationary Research Student (“PRS”), although progression is not guaranteed. Detailed guidance on how to apply for progression to the DPhil will be provided early on in the academic year in a special information session about applying to doctoral programmes here and abroad.

Candidates who achieve a distinction on the MSt in Ancient Philosophy are eligible to progress to the DPhil, provided that the Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee is satisfied that their proposed thesis topic and outline indicates that they can be adequately supervised by members of the Philosophy Faculty. MSt in Ancient Philosophy graduates who continue to the DPhil, will be expected to have reached a certain standard in classical Greek. While there is no related examination requirement, it is a requirement for the MSt in Ancient Philosophy students without any (or with little) knowledge of classical Greek to attend language classes run by the Faculty of Classics, if they want to progress to the DPhil. 

Candidates who pass the MSt without a distinction can progress to the DPhil at the discretion of the Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee. 

During their PRS year students who have progressed from the MSt in Ancient Philosophy will be required to satisfy certain formal conditions, which are specified in the Graduate Student Handbook, in order to progress to DPhil status. It is envisaged that a typical student might finish a doctoral thesis within three years of completing the MSt.

Entry Requirements

For a detailed description of the entry requirements for the MSt in Ancient Philosophy, please visit the MSt in Ancient Philosophy page on the central university’s Graduate Admissions webpages.

Open Day

We hold a Graduate Open Day in March each year, for applicants who receive an offer of a place. If your application is successful, you will receive further information about this in due course.

Fees

For the latest information on fees charged by the University, and living costs, please visit the Fees and Funding page.

Funding

Please visit our Graduate Funding page to identify various sources of funding for the Philosophy Faculty’s graduate programmes.

Enquiries

Please read through our applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Admission to our courses.

Workshop in Ancient Philosophy

The Ancient Philosophy community at Oxford meets weekly at the Thursday work-in-progress seminar, which hosts guest speakers from inside and outside Oxford. More details can be found on the Workshop in Ancient Philosophy page.

Oxford Network for Ancient Philosophy (ONAP)

ONAP brings together the faculty and studentsspecializing in ancient philosophy across the University of Oxford. Oxford is an extraordinarily rich environment for the study of ancient philosophy, with leading researchers working on ancient Chinese, Greek, Indian, Roman philosophy, and more across a range of Humanities faculties, including the Faculties of Philosophy, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Classics, and Theology and Religion. This forum seeks to support the vibrant community of staff and students working in all areas of ancient philosophy by providing up-to-date, cross-departmental resources and information geared to the study and teaching of ancient philosophy within Oxford. More details can be found on the ONAP website. 

Faculty Members

You can find a list of Faculty Postholders as well as other members of the Faculty of Philosophy or a related Faculty with a research interest in Ancient Philosophy on our Faculty Members page.