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When you enrol on the master’s programme in Philosophy at Reading, you will be part of a thriving, dynamic community of students and staff.

You will have access to all the resources of the Department, as well as attending events such as visiting speaker sessions, graduate classes, reading groups, and research conferences.

An inclusive and welcoming community

We cultivate a friendly environment, where every student and staff member is a part of our inclusive and thriving community. From your first day in the Department, there will be lots of opportunities for you to meet new people and make friends, starting with the University-wide Welcome Week.

A calendar of events starting with the weekly master’s seminar and including other academic events such as visiting speakers and research seminars, along with social events, will help you to widen your social and academic community within both the School of Humanities and the Graduate School.

Engage with guest speakers

These seminars display the latest philosophical research from experts around the UK and the world. They sometimes feature past Reading students, so you can find out about their academic careers since graduating.

Reading is so welcoming! As an international student coming here was a very new experience for me. I instantly met amazing people who helped me settle in. There were so many opportunities to meet people from across the University and a range of social events and societies to join. The philosophy academics were very much part of this fantastic community, hosting weekly philosophical debates and after-lecture pub trips.

Silvia Lazzaris

MRes Philosophy

Staff - Student committee

During your time with us, you can participate in the Staff-Student Committee and provide valuable feedback to help us maintain our consistently high standards of teaching excellence.

Build great friendships

Join our flourishing student-run Philosophy Society and get to know your fellow students and academic staff.

You will receive a warm welcome at a range of social events, from a staff vs. student rounders match and study advice sessions, to film nights and meals out.

Summer Philosophy Day 

Join us at our annual Summer Philosophy Day.

Students and staff come together to socialise and get to know one another in a relaxed setting. We play games, debate and socialise.

How we support you

We like to get to know our students on a personal level and forge excellent student-staff relationships. We are on first-name terms with students, and your needs and aspirations are important to us.

At all times you will be supported by our dedicated MRes Coordinator who oversees the master’s programme. You will also receive one-to-one supervision from an assigned supervisor for each essay project that forms part of your master's degree. In this way, you will receive tailored guidance on how to take a research idea and develop it into a high-quality written assignment or oral project.

The wider University has a range of services available to you to support your personal and professional development during your studies.

Learn more about the University's support services

Student using a laptop outdoors

Life on campus

Our main campus is set on 130 hectares of beautiful parkland, so you'll find plenty of places to relax. Our campus is home to a thriving community and features the Students' Union, Library and places to eat.

Meet our experts

Our academic staff are experts in a wide variety of philosophical topics, with particular strengths in moral philosophy, philosophy of language, metaphysics, Aristotle, Aquinas, Wittgenstein, and aesthetics including the philosophy of film.

Life in Reading

Step off campus and you'll find yourself in a bustling town centre offering a variety of shops, restaurants and activities. We're also well-connected – you can reach London Paddington within half an hour by train.