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MASTER DEGREE IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

The master’s program will not operate in the 2026/2027 academic year.

The MA in Political Philosophy is aimed not only at graduates in Philosophy, but also at those who have completed undergraduate degrees in other areas. The course may be attended either as full-time students or as part-time students, side to side with a professional activity, and is devoted to all those having a special interest in critical and in-depth study of Political Ideas.

The course covers the analysis of the most relevant themes in the history of modern political thought, as well as a careful exploration of the main current issues in the field. The latter include three fundamental nuclei: theories of justice (equal opportunities, distribution of wealth, fight against poverty, democracy of owners, basic income, etc.); theories of recognition (multiculturalism, feminism, collective identities, etc.); and theories of democracy (representation, participation, deliberation, among other aspects).

This Master Degree has an international nature, with teaching staff from other universities, particularly from Spain, Europe and North America.
​The course also has a more global reach, benefiting from research networks and international events promoted by the Centre for Ethics, Politics and Society of the University of Minho.

Application stages: 

Application dates will be announced soon.

Course
2025/2026

General

Academic degree:
  • Master's degree
ECTS:
120
Duration:
4 curricular semesters
Regime:
Daytime
Place:
Gualtar Campus, Braga (UM)
Main Scientific area:
  • Philosophy

Contacts

    School of Arts and Humanities
    Campus de Gualtar
    4710 - 057 Braga
    Tel: +351253604173 Fax:
    E-Mail: pedagogico@elach.uminho.pt
    URL: http://www.elach.uminho.pt

Description

The Master in Political Philosophy is a postgraduate course, lasting two years, which allows the acquisition of solid knowledge in the areas of political theory and the history of modern and contemporary political thought, as well as effective familiarization with the methodology of investigation appropriate to the discipline.
The Master in Political Philosophy may also prove to be suitable for those who wish to pursue advanced training studies at the doctoral level later on.
The Master in Political Philosophy has a faculty composed of specialists with established recognition in the national university system and a strong internationalization, benefiting from exchange protocols for professors and students with university centers in Spain (Santiago de Compostela, Madrid, Barcelona) and in other european countries.
In the first year, students have to complete curricular units of political theory and history of political thought and obtain practical skills in the methodology of scientific work.
At the end of that year, they must prepare, in writing, a proposal for a research project with a view to preparing the final master's dissertation.
Progression to the second year of the course is conditioned to a satisfactory performance in the first.
In the second year, students must write a dissertation (no more than 20,000 words), under the supervision of an advisor, who, after successfully defended publicly, will confer a master's degree in philosophy.

Key learning outcomes

Graduates of the Masters in Political Philosophy course must have achieved the following learning objectives:
1. demonstrated significantly more in-depth and extensive training, knowledge and research skills than those acquired at the 1st cycle level;
2. were able to use relevant concepts, theories and analytical approaches in the field of political philosophy to formulate arguments that support their own positions on issues discussed within their scope;
3. acquired the ability to critically engage with relevant historical and contemporary literature in political philosophy;
4. acquired the ability to compare and integrate different perspectives on fundamental problems of political philosophy;
5. acquired communication skills to effectively expose, orally and in writing, concepts, theories and arguments of political philosophy;
6. demonstrated the ability to carry out independent and autonomous research work in the field of political philosophy;
7. were able to produce a written dissertation on a political philosophy subject in accordance with the methodological conventions of academic scientific research;
8. They have acquired training, knowledge and research skills that allow them to pursue further studies at the doctoral level in Philosophy.

Access to higher education

This course confers the technical-scientific capacity to access 3rd cycle courses (PhD).

Careers

Postgraduate work in political philosophy not only prepares students for a research career in the field of theory and history of political thought, but also enables them to join governmental and non-governmental organizations nationwide. and international, diplomatic services, and private sector institutions and organizations.

Access

15

Vacancies

15

Minimum

Access forms

The access to this Cycle of Study can be done at the Students Portal of the University of Minho 
https://alunos.uminho.pt/EN/candidates/MastersDegrees/Pages/default.aspx

This information does not replace consultation of the Academic Regulations of the University of Minho and other official documents.

Formal requirements

Students must have a BA in Philosophy or in neighbouring scientific areas (Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Law, Economics, etc.).

Application deadlines

Information on Application Deadlines can be found at:
https://www.elach.uminho.pt/en/Study/Pages/Master/Application-Master.aspx

Registration deadlines

Information on Registration Deadlines can be found at:
https://www.elach.uminho.pt/en/Study/Pages/Master/Application-Master.aspx

Aditional Information

Study Plan

Regime Curricular Unit Scientific Area ECTS
Year 1 60
S1 Ethics and Politics F 10
S1 Themes from the History of Political Philosophy F 10
S1 Theories of Justice F 10
S2 Recognition Theories F 10
S2 Research Seminar in Political Philosophy F 10
S2 Theories of Democracy F 10
Year 2 60
A Dissertation F 60

Assessment/Accreditation

A3ES Accreditation status:
Accredited
Resolution publication date:
06-06-2022
A3ES deliberation:
https://si.a3es.pt/sia3es/page?stage=ConsultaPublicaProcesso&processID=23884
Registry number at Ministry:
R/A-Cr 11/2013/AL02
Registry Date:
23-06-2022
Accreditation validity:
31-07-2028