Philosophy of Mind & Psychology MSc

This interdisciplinary programme is ideal for students interested in studying the mind from a philosophical and psychological perspective. Our affiliation with the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience and our research strengths make this programme especially attractive to students interested in issues relating to perception.
- Academic contact: Derek.Brown.2@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: Monday, 20 September 2021
- MSc: 12 months full-time; 24 months part‑time
Why this programme
Philosophy: study of the mind- Courses reflect up-to-date research, drawing upon staff expertise in philosophy and psychology of mind and perception.
- Students will participate in the ongoing PPN (Philosophy, Psychology, Neuroscience) seminar series, including special sessions where guest speakers meet with students in this program to discuss specific research projects.
- You will participate in ongoing research activities in Philosophy, Psychology, and The Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience - a world-class perceptual research centre.
- Psychology at Glasgow is ranked 8th in the UK and 2nd in Scotland (Complete University Guide 2019).
Programme structure
The programme consists of two philosophy courses and two psychology courses as well as a research methods course in each subject. Modes of delivery include lectures, seminars, and lab work. During the summer, you will also write a dissertation on a topic of your choice, supported by an expert supervisor.
Core courses
Semester 1
Semester 2
- PHILOSOPHY OF MIND B
- PHILOSOPHY RESEARCH METHODS C
- RESEARCH METHODS IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE (PGT)
- ADVANCED PERCEPTION AND COGNITION (PGT)
Summer
- DISSERTATION (10,000 - 15,000 words)
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
This programme provides students with rigorous and personalised training in problem solving, writing, presentation and research. These invaluable skills can be applied in a wide range of careers, including journalism, teaching, the Civil Service, local government, business, publishing, law, and the arts. It also provides students with an exceptional foundation for doctoral level research.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2021-22
MSc
UK
- Full-time fee: £9000
- Part-time fee: £1000 per 20 credits
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £19350
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Fee information is subject to change and is for guidance only
Funding opportunities
GREAT Scholarships 2021 – Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Malaysia and Mexico
In partnership with the British Council and the GREAT Britain Campaign, the University of Glasgow is offering 6 scholarships to students in Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Malaysia and Mexico applying for postgraduate courses in Arts & Humanities, Life Sciences, Social Sciences (excl. Business Management and related), Physical Sciences and Chemistry and Geography.
The GREAT Scholarships 2021 programme, launched by the British Council together with 41 UK universities, supports postgraduate students from Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand to access world-class UK higher education opportunities.
The scholarship programme offers financial support of a minimum of £10,000 to students pursuing one year postgraduate study in the UK. Students can apply for courses in a range of subjects, at the 41 institutions across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For more information on the GREAT Scholarships 2021, please visit Study UK and the British Council website in your country.
University of Glasgow African Excellence Fee Waiver
For September 2021 entry we are offering 10 scholarships worth the full tuition fee of a one-year Masters programme to academically excellent students from Africa.
University of Glasgow Chancellors Award (Nigeria)
The University of Glasgow has 10 Chancellors Award Scholarships available to Nigerian students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline in academic session 2021-22. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.
Banco de Mexico
The Mexican National Bank (Banco de Mexico) provides special loans for students who wish to undertake a programme of postgraduate study. The University of Glasgow in partnership with Bank of Mexico FIDERH is offering a fee discount to holders of a Bank of Mexico FIDERH loan. See the FIDERH website for further information.
Chevening Scholarship
Chevening Scholarships are the UK government's global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The scholarships are awarded to outstanding scholars with leadership potential. Awards are typically for a one year Master’s degree at universities across the UK. There are over 50,000 Chevening Alumni around the world who together comprise an influential and highly regarded global network.
For further information, please refer to the Chevening website.
PGT Excellence Scholarship
The University of Glasgow has a total of 28 PGT Excellence Awards available to UK Students for Academic session 2021-22. Scholarships are available to students entering any of the University’s colleges and are awarded as a tuition fee discount.
University of Glasgow International Leadership Scholarship
The University of Glasgow has 70 International Leadership Scholarships available to International and EU (non-UK) students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline for Academic Session 2021-22. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fees discount.
Colfuturo Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia
The University of Glasgow offer discounts to all successful Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia (Colfuturo) scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Commonwealth Scholarship Schemes
Commonwealth Scholarships are available each year to fund Commonwealth citizens' study in the UK for undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. A range of scholarship schemes are available for citizens of Commonwealth countries other than the UK. Further information is available on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's website.
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans are EU-guaranteed loans with favourable pay-back terms. They’re designed to help prospective students finance their Master’s courses in an Erasmus+ Programme country while leaving as little of a lasting economic footprint as possible.
The scheme is designed to provide postgraduate students with the means to pay their tuition and living expenses – thereby allowing individuals to focus on their degree instead of managing their bank balance. The programme aims to be as inclusive as possible, working under the following guidelines:
- No need for collateral from students or parents - ensuring equality of access
- Favourable, better-than-market interest rates
- Pay-back terms that allow graduates up to two years to find work before beginning repayment.
Please visit the Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans website for more information.
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)
If you’re starting a master’s degree, you could get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £10,609 to help with course fees and living costs. You have to repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.
Examples of postgraduate master’s qualifications include:
- MSc (Master of Science)
- MA (Master of Arts)
- MPhil (Master of Philosophy)
- MRes (Master of Research)
- LLM (Master of Law)
- MLitt (Master of Letters)
- MFA (Master of Fine Art)
- MEd (Master of Education)
- MBA (Master of Business Administration)
If you plan to study for Master of Architecture (MArch) or an Integrated Master’s qualification, you should apply for undergraduate support
CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement
CONACYT offers a non-refundable scholarship, a monthly stipend and medical insurance of an approximate total of $20,000 USD (in the case of the UK, no medical insurance grant is given since students are already covered by the National Health System) The University of Glasgow offer a 30% discount to all successful CONACyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
Alumni Discount
The University offers a 10% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes.
CONICyT (La Comsion Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica de Chile)
The University of Glasgow offers a 25% discount to all successful CONICyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)
Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £5,500 towards their course.
Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply to us for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.
Please see the Postgraduate funding guide.
For more information visit the SAAS website
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
Postgraduate Master's Finance
If you’re starting a full-time or part-time Postgraduate Master’s course (taught or research based) from 1 August 2019, you can apply for Postgraduate Master's Finance and receive up to £17,000 as a combination of grant and loan:
- a maximum grant of £6,885 and loan of £10,115 if your household income is £18,370 and below
- a grant of £1,000 and loan of £16,000 if your household income is not taken into account or is above £59,200.
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Postgraduate Doctoral Loan
If you’re starting a full-time or part-time postgraduate Doctoral course (such as a PhD) from 1 August 2019 you can apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £25,700.
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Humanitarian Scholarships
The University of Glasgow is offering four scholarships (one per college) for applicants to the University who are staying in the UK on humanitarian grounds and are facing challenges in progressing onto Higher Education. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught students of the University of Glasgow applying for entry in 2021/22. The scholarship meets the full cost of tuition fees for the duration of your programme as well providing an additional £5,000 per year stipend, if the eligibility criteria for university accommodation is met this will also be provided for the duration of your degree. For more information on the accommodation criteria, please see the Accommodation Services section on the website.
We are also offering eight scholarships to students who hold refugee status. This scholarship is awarded as a £2,500 stipend towards study costs, per year of study.
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for postgraduate taught programmes are a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification (for example, GPA 3.0 or above) in a relevant subject unless otherwise specified.
English language requirements
Important information for entry in Autumn 2020 and January 2021
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training):
- overall score 6.5
- no sub-test less than 6.5
- or equivalent scores in another recognised qualification:
Common equivalent English language qualifications
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:
- ibTOEFL: 92; no sub-test less than:
- Reading: 23
- Listening:23
- Speaking: 23
- Writing: 24
- CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 176
- CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 176
- PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English, Academic test): 64 overall; no sub-test less than 62
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII at Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept an IELTS test (Academic module) from any of the 1000 IELTS test centres from around the world and we do not require a specific UKVI IELTS test for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:
- School of Modern Languages and Cultures: English for Academic Study
- BALEAP guide to accredited courses
FAQs
What do I do if...
my language qualifications are below the requirements?
The University's English for Academic Study Unit offers a range of Pre-Sessional Courses to bring you up to entry level. The course is accredited by BALEAP, the UK professional association for academic English teaching; see Links.
my language qualifications are not listed here?
Please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community which attracts students and staff from over 140 different countries.
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English Language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, check Frequently Asked Questions
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application then you should visit the Application Troubleshooting/FAQs page.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your refereeās name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
Apply now