Why Birkbeck?

The Birkbeck Department of Philosophy enjoys an international reputation for research. Its staff regularly publish their work in leading international journals and have produced a range of monographs in their respective fields. They frequently contribute to conferences and workshops in London, in other parts of the UK, and around the world, and some are engaged on collaborative philosophical projects with colleagues from other universities.

The Department has a flourishing community of research students, and is committed to providing them with a first rate and professional philosophical training. We warmly welcome applications from international, EU and UK candidates who wish to study either full-time or part-time.

The research interests of the Department cover an encompassing range of areas within the discipline:

•      Ancient philosophy, history of early modern philosophy, Nietzsche, history of analytic philosophy
•      Logic, language, metaphysics, philosophy of mathematics
•      Philosophy of mind, philosophy of action, philosophy of psychology
•      Ethics, political philosophy, socialist and feminist philosophy
•      Epistemology, philosophy of science

The latest edition of the Leiter Report (an international ranking of departments of Philosophy, compiled by a large team of professional philosophers) rank Birkbeck sixth in the UK. The report also ranks departments for their research excellence on specific subject areas. Birkbeck is ranked second in the US and UK for feminist philosophy. The Department is also mentioned for work in philosophy of action, history of analytic philosophy, history of early modern philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophical logic, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of mind and nineteenth century continental philosophy after Hegel.

You can find details about the research interests of department members on their staff web pages.

The international journal Mind and Language is run from the Department of Philosophy and is edited by Professor Samuel Guttenplan.

Philosophy at the heart of Bloomsbury (map)

The Departement of Philosophy is part of the University of London’s federal Philosophy programme, and is a member of the University’s Institute of Philosophy. Students in the Department therefore belong to a large, intercollegiate community of philosophers, and are welcome at a vast range of seminars, lectures, talks and conferences.

Many of these events take place either within Birkbeck, which is situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, or next door in the University of London Senate House. Although only a few minutes walk from Soho and the West End, Bloomsbury is a centre of intellectual life, and Birkbeck has many academic institutions as neighbours. They include University College London, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), The Warburg Institute, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), the British Museum, and the University of London Student Union.

Birkbeck has its own library. Research students also have access to the University of London Library (located in the University of London Senate House), and the British Library, (less than fifteen minutes walk away on the Euston Road). Specialist libraries, such as the Warburg Institute Library or the library of the Institute of Classical Studies, cater for students with specific research interests.

For further information about regular philosophical events, see the following pages:

The Department of Philosophy contributes to, and supports, a large number of philosophical activities in the Bloomsbury area. The Department belongs to the Institute of Philosophy that provides a programme of special lectures, lunchtime seminars, and national and international conferences. Birkbeck students also enjoy close relations with research students at other colleges of the University of London, participating in intercollegiate seminars, reading groups and conferences. In addition there are fortnightly meetings of the Aristotelian Society and annual lecture series at the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

Because of its location, research students at the Department are ideally placed to take advantage of the University of London Library and the Institute of Philosophy. They are both housed in the University of London Senate House where the meetings of the Aristotelian Society take place. The Royal Institute of Philosophy is located around the corner in Gordon Square and the British Library is nearby on Euston Road.

Department of Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX. Departmental Office tel: +44 (0)20 7631 6383, fax: +44 (0)20 7631 6564, email: office@philosophy.bbk.ac.uk