Course syllabus

Welcome!

bild2.jfif

Below you find information about the online masters level courses we offer this Fall as well as about how to use those courses to build towards a Masters Exam in theoretical philosophy. This information is of relevance for those of you planning to apply for our courses on the masters level in theoretical philosophy for the first time.

Those of you who have already taken one or several of our online masters courses and plan to take some more can find relevant information about your options HERE.

 

Courses 

This semester (Fall 2025) we offer the following courses:

  • FTW200 (Foundations)
  • FTW210, FTW220, FTW230 (Topics)
  • FTW310 (Specializations)

All of our courses are given at half pace across 10 weeks. Those of you who plan to study full-time (100%) across the entire semester take four courses: 2 in parallel on the first half of the semester and 2 in parallel on the second half of the semester. Those of you who plan to study half-time (50%) across the entire semester take two courses: 1 during the first half of the semester and a second during the second half.

The course codes indicate which type of course it is (FTW200 = Foundations, FTW2X = Topics, FTW3X = Specialization) as well as on which half of the semester the course is given, thus:

1st Period: Sep 1-Nov 7 2025

FTW200

FTW210

2nd Period: Nov 10 2025-Jan 16 2026*

 

FTW220

FTW230

FTW310

*The Swedish education system operates with two semesters per year: the Fall semester runs from September to mid-January, the Spring semester starts immediately after the end of the Fall semester (mid-January) and runs until early June.

 

About our Courses

Sep 1-Nov 7:

Foundations: course that serves to introduce the student to online studies in theoretical analytical philosophy. A special focus is on practicing the important skills of reading and discussing philosophy through various tasks. The course is mainly focussed on studying important philosophical concepts and distinctions, in particular a couple of (surprising) combinations of philosophical concepts first defended by Saul Kripke.

NOTE! the Foundations course is obligatory if you want to take out a Masters Exam (more information below). And even if you don't plan to take out a Masters Exam starting with this course is highly recommended: apart from giving an advanced introduction to central philosophical distinctions, this course is also an introduction to (i) online tools, (ii) analytic theoretical philosophy, and (to some extent) (iii) the Swedish education system.

Topic Philosophy of Language: This course is designed to orient beginning master’s students to some central topics in contemporary philosophy of language. The goal is to provide a basic understanding of several central topics and debates: meaning, reference, truth, language games, intuitions, speech act theory, pragmatic implications, contextualism, and generics. The course is designed as a survey, although intertwining themes and evolving discussions will be highlighted throughout.

 

Nov 16-Jan 16:

Topic Metaphysics: This course is designed to orient beginning master’s students to some central topics in contemporary analytic metaphysics. The goal is to provide good basic understanding of several central topics and debates: ontology, properties, substance, mereology, persistence, modality, fundamentality, and grounding. The course is designed as a survey, although intertwining themes and evolving discussions will be highlighted throughout.

Topic Philosophy of Mind: This course is designed to orient beginning master’s students to some central topics in contemporary philosophy of mind. The goal is to provide good basic understanding of several central topics and debates: the mind-body problem, monisms and dualisms, identity theory, intentionality, content, behaviorism, functionalism, consciousness, and panpsychism. The course is designed as a survey, although intertwining themes and evolving discussions will be highlighted throughout.

Specialization Philosophy of Language: to take this course, you must first have taken FTW210 on the first half of the semester Evaluative language includes a wide range of terms and phrases like thin terms (e.g., great and bad), thick terms (e.g., rude and courageous), dual character terms like art and gangster, as well as slurs. This specialization course explores the nature and function of evaluative language, examining how these terms convey descriptive and normative content. We will discuss key debates on the semantics, pragmatics, and philosophical implications of evaluative expressions, including their role in moral and social discourse. The chief learning outcomes will be gains in the students’ respective abilities to recognize, formulate, and critically assess the key claims and arguments at work in some of the central literature on these topics.

 

Instructors

The courses this Fall will be given by Daniel Giberman (Topic: Philosophy of Mind, Topic: Metaphysics), Kevin Reuter (Topic: Philosophy of Language, Specialization: Philosophy of Language) and Anna-Sofia Maurin (Foundations). Anna-Sofia is also the person in charge of the overall education on this level.

Click on their pictures (below) to get to our instructors' respective research webpages. There you find all sorts of information about what they're up to research-wise.

DanG.jpgreuter.jfifmeme2-2023.jpg

 

Master's Exam

To earn a Master's in Theoretical Philosophy you need minimum 120 HEC (if you are unfamiliar with the Swedish credit-system: one course is normally worth 7,5 HEC, where this is to be read as the equivalent of 5 weeks study, full time). Of these, minimum 90 HEC need to be in Theoretical Philosophy. Of these 90 HEC, 30 HEC need to be spent writing a Master's Thesis (FTW410) (a course we will offer starting Spring 2026). The remaining 60 HEC should include:

      • FTW200

Minimum 3 or 4 of:

      • FTW210
      • FTW220
      • FTW230
      • FTW240

Minimum 3 or 4 of:

      • FTW310
      • FTW320
      • FTW330
      • FTW340

(or equivalent)

 

Administrative Support

Besides the course's instructors, the course also features two excellent course administrators Anja Ehn and Peter Johnsen (pictured below). Click on their respective picture for information about how to reach them!

Peter J.jpgAnja.jpg