Program Overview
The Metaphysics and Epistemology (Research) at Radboud University is a MA programme in Natural Sciences over 24 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of natural sciences. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Metaphysics and Epistemology (Research) programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across Netherlands and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 24 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 6.5
- Tuition: EUR 9,432 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 2,006 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Metaphysics and Epistemology (Research) programme are prepared for diverse careers in natural sciences:
- Research Scientist
- Environmental Consultant
- Laboratory Manager
- Science Writer
- Policy Advisor
- Academic Researcher
Program Curriculum
Course Structure
- In Metaphysics and Epistemology you focus on the development of the hermeneutic tradition - key figures being Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricoeur and Derrida.
- This specialisation covers the classic metaphysical tradition from Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas to Hegel, but more particularly the hermeneutic philosophical tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. The hermeneutic tradition is studied from a metaphysical and ontological point of view, with particular attention to hermeneutic philosophers of the 19th century (Schleiermacher, Dilthey) as well as to the 20th-century authors who continued this tradition in a phenomenological framework (Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricoeur, Derrida).
- Research in this line mainly focuses on the meaning and status of being, truth and subjectivity in the hermeneutic tradition. Those authors in the continental tradition who were critical of these hermeneutic developments in philosophy are also included.
- Current research projects are devoted to Ricoeur and Derrida on Metaphor and Truth and The Hermeneutics of Strangeness. Finally, the section has for some years been running a successful Heidegger seminar.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
Admission requirements for students with a Dutch university Bachelors diploma
Admission requirements for international students
On the page "Conversions of international grades" you will find an indication of what the equivalent of a Dutch 7.5 or 8 might be in the country where you obtained your Bachelors degree.
English Proficiency: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
EUR 9,432 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 2,006 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: EUR 9,432 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 2,006 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 6.5
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact Radboud University directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About Radboud University
Radboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Visit the university profile page to learn more about this institution.
University Profile- Application Deadline Apr, 2027
- Start Date Feb, 2027
- Language English
- Duration 24 months
