The first year of the programme consists of required and elective courses.
- Introducing Natural Sciences (GSNS-INTRO)
- Dilemmas of the scientist (FI-MHPSDIL + FI-MHPSDL1)
Period 1:
- History of the Natural Sciences (FI-MHPSHNS)
- Philosophy of Science (FI-MHPSPS)
Period 2:
- History of the Humanities (OGMV05006)
Students are expected to take at least 22.5 EC from the list of primary optional courses, which cover a wide range of topics in the history and philosophy of science, mathematics, medicine, social sciences and humanities. In addition, students can take a secondary optional course from any other Master's programme. It is also possible to include relevant courses from other universities, after consulting the study advisor and the board of examiners.
HPS curriculum 2021-22
*alternating course: offered in 2021-22 but not next year
Period 1
| Course | EC | Code |
| * Topics in Philosophy of Language and Logic | 5 | FRRMV17003 |
| Making Modern Science | 7,5 | Beta_B3MMS |
Period 2
| Course | EC | Code |
| Science and the Public | 7,5 | FI-MHPSSP |
| Philosophy of Space and Time 1 | 5 | FI-MHPSST |
| Professional Skills and Identity | 5 | FI-MSECPSI |
| * Topics in German Idealism | 5 | FRRMV17006 |
| * Topics in Philosophy of Mind | 5 | FRRMV17007 |
| Art History I: Knowledge, Technologies, and Material Culture | 5 or 10 | GKRMV16051 |
| Philosophy of the Social Sciences | 5 or 10 | 201600160 |
| Pharmaceutical Humanities | 7,5 | FA-MA214 |
Period 3
| Course | EC | Code |
| The Quantum World | 5 | FI-MHPSQW |
| History and Philosophy of the Modern Life Sciences | 7,5 | FI-MHPSHLS |
| Investigative Journalism | 5 | FI-MHPSIJ |
| History and Philosophy of Objectivity | 5 | FRRMV16014 |
| Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence | 7,5 | WBMV05003 |
| Tutorial: Science Archives | 7,5 | tutorial |
| History of the Early Modern Book | 5 | GKRMV17007 |
| History of Medicine | 7,5 | BMB507812 |
| Logic and Computation | 7,5 | WBMV13005 |
| * Research Seminar History of Mathematics | 7,5 | WISM481 |
| Law as an Academic Discipline | 7,5 | RGMURWOM08 |
Period 4
| Course | EC | Code |
| Science and the Dilemmas of Modernity | 7,5 | FI-MHPSDM |
| * Foundations of Quantum Mechanics | 5 | FI-MHPSQM |
| * History and Philosophy of Magic | FI-MHPSMAG | |
| tutorial: History and Philosophy of the Climate & Environmental Sciences | tutorial | |
| Science in Society | 5 | FI-MSECSIS |
| 20th century German Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV16015 |
Other:
| Course | EC | Code |
| Tutorial HPS | 5 or 7,5 | FI-MHPSTUT |
| Tutorial HPS 2 | 5 or 7,5 | FI-MHPSTU2 |
| Tutorial Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV17009, FRRMV17010 |
Secondary optional courses can be any course at master’s level from Utrecht University. It is worth thinking about the skills you need for your thesis research, for example digital history, Latin, logic, paleography, or a course from a scientific field that you intend to study. You can look at courses from, for example, master’s programmes in Philosophy; Science Education & Communication; History, Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Science and Business Management; Innovation Sciences; etc.
The courses BETA-B3LH Living Pasts and B-B3GESB05 Geschiedenis en Filosofie van de Biologie are also eligible as secondary elective.