The MA programme can be completed entirely in German or entirely in English or by attending some seminars in German and others in English.
Lecture periods are from around 15 October until 20 February (winter semester) and from around 15 April until 20 July (summer semester).
9 May – 15 July for the following winter semester
29 November – 15 January for the following summer semester
Students from a European Union (EU) member state or from the European Economic Area (EEA) are not required to pay tuition fees for their first degree in Germany.
Students from countries outside of the EU or EEA are required to pay 1,500 EUR in tuition fees per semester.
You can find information about tuition fees and scholarships on our website.
This MA programme is research oriented. Both branches, practical philosophy and theoretical philosophy, work closely together and even collaborate on topics and areas of study.
We focus on contemporary topics in analytical philosophy, especially on topics in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science & philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of mind, moral philosophy & ethics, and political philosophy.
Students have to successfully complete 12 graduate seminars (either four seminars each in practical philosophy, theoretical philosophy, and history of philosophy or six seminars in two of these fields).
They can freely choose the seminars they wish to attend in any given semester.
During the last semester, students write the MA thesis.
Students from a European Union (EU) member state or from the European Economic Area (EEA) are not required to pay tuition fees for their first degree in Germany.
Students from countries outside of the EU or EEA are required to pay 1,500 EUR in tuition fees per semester.
You can find information about tuition fees and scholarships on our website.
Students currently pay the following fees:
The average monthly cost of living in Konstanz amounts to around 800–900 EUR, including rent:
Students with great academic credentials and community service experience can apply for scholarships in Germany. In cases of unexpected financial hardship, the university will try to help with emergency financial support. For an overview of financial support options, check our website.
For example, you may apply for the Deutschlandstipendium.
The scholarship amounts to 300 EUR per month and is awarded without regard to income for a minimum of two semesters.
Bachelor's degree in philosophy with a grade corresponding to the German grade "good" (2.5 or better)
Applicants with a degree from a Bachelor’s or Master's programme that was taught in English do not have to document their English language skills.
9 May – 15 July for the following winter semester
29 November – 15 January for the following summer semester
If you want to earn some extra cash while you study, you can get a student job. The university administration and many departments offer student assistant jobs. You can find a number of advertisements for jobs both on and off campus on online platforms (in German), for example:
Jobbörse Seezeit: the job portal of our student services
Jobs are also posted on the notice boards of the university in the foyer and canteen areas as well as in the departments.
There are a number of possibilities for accommodation for students: in apartments, flat shares, or residence halls. Check out our website, where we provide an overview of the different options as well as general tips. You can also contact the team of our international office for advice on housing.
For more information about support, please see:
https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/international-office/study-in-konstanz/degree-studies/how-we-support-you/
https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/welcome-centre/
https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/asd/services/research-careers/doctoral-research/
https://www.philosophie.uni-konstanz.de/en/advice-and-service/departmental-student-advisory-service/
Would you like to study at one of the best research universities in Germany? Then the University of Konstanz is the right place for you. We offer you excellent study conditions in a beautiful location between Lake Constance and the Alps. For us, excellence in studies and teaching also means cultivating close cooperation. We encourage our students to take part in discussions and get involved in research from the start.
Our university is currently home to some 11,000 students enrolled in around 120 different degree programmes in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences, humanities, politics, law, and economics. With students from more than 90 countries around the world, we are proud to call our university an international community.
The University of Konstanz is a campus-based university: you will get to know other students quickly, come into contact with other departments and feel at home right away. Our university has an open-door policy: professors are very accessible and happy to help you with any questions or issues you might have.
We will give you a very warm welcome and support you in every stage of your stay. We have an excellent supervision ratio and top advisory services. You will learn in small groups and work across disciplines. We promote innovative teaching methods and strategies such as transfer formats or virtual classrooms and support lecturers in further developing their teaching. Our Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track (ADILT) complements all study programmes by teaching the fundamentals of computer science and data processing methods, along with their legal foundations. Additionally, it provides reflection on their relevance for society.
In Konstanz, you will find optimal conditions for research, studying, and teaching.
The University of Konstanz has set the following five research priorities:
We want to give you the best possible opportunities to develop personally and professionally. You will have many opportunities to put your own ideas into action – whether you conduct research or start a spin-off. The idea behind our "creative.together" concept as a University of Excellence is that close communication and a strong sense of community enhance the creative potential of our university members at all levels. We bring together our different backgrounds and disciplines to create something truly extraordinary. At the same time, you will enjoy an extraordinarily beautiful environment with a historical city, lake, and nearby mountains as well as excellent sports facilities.
Find out more about our university and student life in Konstanz on our website.
Konstanz is situated in south-west Germany in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, and it shares its border with the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen. It is beautifully located on the shores of the Rhine River and Lake Constance, central Europe's second-largest lake, where the borders of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland converge. The lively university city, with about 86,000 inhabitants, among them more than 15,000 students, is the economic and cultural centre of the Lake Constance region. Take a stroll through the shopping mall and the historical centre, with its department stores and small specialist shops. Take a break in one of the many cafés, restaurants, ice cream parlours, pubs, and wine bars. Konstanz is not only a popular tourist destination but also an attractive business location (light industry, commerce, high technology). It is a very safe place to live, and it offers a high quality of life, with its excellent infrastructure and its diverse range of cultural and recreational facilities. Konstanz has a long and rich historical tradition. The first settlements were erected in Konstanz Bay in 2000 BC, and the city was given its name "Constantia" by the Romans in the fourth century AD. Konstanz has a well-preserved medieval town and numerous historical buildings from the Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque periods.
Konstanz has the perfect location for all kinds of outdoor leisure activities. The region has an excellent network of routes for walking, cycling, and in-line skating tours. The beaches are a major attraction for relaxing in the sun and swimming in the lake or the Rhine. The lake offers various water sports, such as sailing, canoeing, and diving, and the nearby Alps provide year-round enjoyment for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and climbers. Konstanz is the home of the oldest running theatre in Germany and of the famous Southwest German Philharmonic Orchestra. There are several museums, art galleries, and art centres offering a broad spectrum of events: art and documentary exhibitions and concerts in all genres of music. Konstanz is also an ideal starting point for excursions to many attractions in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein. On the city's doorstep are the famous gardens of Mainau Island and the Island of Reichenau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can take boat trips to beautiful towns around the lake, such as Meersburg, Überlingen, and Lindau. The lakeside town of Friedrichshafen is the home of the Zeppelin, and the Austrian city of Bregenz is renowned for its summer festivals, featuring spectacular opera and musical performances on a floating stage in the lake. A boat trip along one of the most beautiful parts of the Rhine takes you to the magnificent Rhine Falls at the Swiss town of Schaffhausen. From Konstanz, you can easily reach major cities, such as Zurich, Basel, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Milan.
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