The first year of the programme consists of required and elective courses.
Period 1:
- History of the Natural Sciences (FI-MHPSHNS)
- Philosophy of Science (FI-MHPSPS)
Period 2:
- History of the Humanities (OGMV05006).
Students will generally be expected to take at least 30 EC from the list primary optional, which cover a wide range of topics in the history and philosophy of science, mathematics, medicine, social sciences and humanities. Students can also take a secondary optional course from another Master's programme. It is also possible to include relevant courses from other universities, after consulting the study advisor.
This is the complete list of primary optional courses in academic year 2018-19:.
Period 1
| Course | EC | Code |
| Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence | 7,5 | WBMV05003 |
| Topics in Metaphysics | 5 | FRRMV16008 |
| Topics in Early Modern Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV16010 |
Period 2
| Course | EC | Code |
| Science and the Public | 7,5 | FI-MHPSSP |
| Philosophy of Space and Time | 7,5 | FI-MHPSFST |
| Topics in Epistemology and Philosophy of Science | 5 | FRRMV16011 |
| Topics in Moral Psychology | 5 | FRRMV16013 |
| Philosophy of the Social Sciences | 7,5 | 201600160 |
| Pharmaceutical Humanities | 7,5 | FA-MA214 |
| Special Topic #1 | 2,5 | FI-MHPSTOP |
| Art & Science seminar | 5 or 10 | GKRMV16051 |
Period 3
| Course | EC | Code |
| The Quantum World | 7,5 | FI-MHPSFQM |
| History of the Modern Life Sciences | 7,5 | FI-MHPSHLS |
| History and Philosophy of Objectivity | 5 | FRRMV16014 |
| History of Medicine | 7,5 | BMB507812 |
| Investigative Journalism | 7,5 | FI-MHPSIJ |
| Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence | 7,5 | WBMV05003 |
Period 4
| Course | EC | Code |
| Science and the Dilemmas of Modernity | 7,5 | FI-MHPSDM |
| Geschiedenis en Filosofie van de Biologie | 7,5 | B-B3GESB05 |
| 20th century German Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV16015 |
| Current Issues in Analytic Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV16020 |
| Logic of Computation | 7,5 | WBMV13005 |
| Law as an academic discipline | 7,5 | RGMURWOM08 |
| Science in Society | 5 | FI-MSECSIS |
| Professional Skills and Identity | 3,75 | FI-MHPSPSI |
| Special Topic #2 | 2,5 | FI-MHPSTOP |
Other
| Course | EC | Code |
| Research Seminar History of Mathematics | 7,5 | WISM481 |
| Tutorial HPS | 7,5 | FI-MHPSTUT |
| Tutorial Philosophy | 5 | FRRMV17009, FRRMV17010 |