Bachelor in Philosophy (Philosophy major)

The Bachelor program in Philosophy (Philosophy major) provides the basis for successful studies in philosophy. The comprehensive range of courses on offer and flexible module registration offer students a solid and individual grounding in the subject.

Disclaimer for our English websites

We need to point out that the official and legal effective language of the information about our studies, the current semester and forthcoming examinations is German (except the information about the Master in Logic and Philosophy of Science). To be safe, we recommend our students to compare the English with the German websites.

Main language during the studies

The main language of most of our studies including the teaching language, related examinations in different forms and the final theses is German. Although some courses are held and examinations are written in English, there is no legal claim for courses, examinations and final theses in English. If you want to write exams and theses in English please ask the particular examining lecturer.

Overview of the Bachelor in Philosophy (Philosophy major)

Academic qualification
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Start of program (first academic semester)
Winter Semester - it is not possible to start in the Summer Semester
Language of instruction
German. Some optional courses are offered in English. Knowledge of Latin or Ancient Greek is not required.
Standard duration of program
6 semesters
Form of program
Full-time, in-person (with flexibilities and individual tailoring)
Number of obtainable ECTS credits
120 ECTS credits in the major and 60 ECTS in a compulsory minor subject
Fees
None, apart from the basic fee and solidarity fee of the Studierendenwerk
Basic entry requirements
allgemeine Hochschulreife (general school leaving qualification). Not satisfactory: Fachhochschulreife or fachgebundene Hochschulreife
Other special conditions of entry for the first semester
Obligatory online pre-registration - must be completed by 15 July in the year you intend to start the program
Trasnfer students wishing to begin in a later semester by transferring already accumulated credits
In this situation, please contact Dr. Wyrwich at latest by mid-August (if intending to transfer in the following winter semester) or by mid-February (if intending to transfer in the following summer semester)
Certification / accreditation of the course
unconditionally accredited in 2019 by the accreditation agency ACQUIN

Course aims and content, requirements and job prospects

The Bachelor program in Philosophy (Philosophy major) offered at LMU Munich introduces students to fundamental philosophical methods and familiarises students with central problems and viewpoints from across philosophy. Students who successfully complete the program, which standardly lasts six semesters, are awarded the qualification "Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)". The program teaches, in particular:

  • the ability to critically discuss philosophical questions, and to analyze and evaluate complex arguments;
  • the ability to formalize facts and problems from a logical point of view;
  • the development of hermeneutical skills: how to engage critically with sources, and interpret philosophical texts in their historical and systemic situation, taking into account the current state of research;
  • the ability to synthesize and organize philosophical positions and methods into larger contexts, as well as the transfer of analytical methods to new problems within particular philosophical approaches and to problems in non-philosophical disciplines.

The major in Philosophy, which makes up two thirds (120 ECTS) of the program, is distinguished by a balanced proportion of compulsory basic modules, on the one hand, and in-depth elective modules, on the other, as well as a thorough involvement of students in the seminar courses. Usually, no more than 20 students take part in a single seminar. This promotes an atmosphere of concentrated discussion, the opportunity for all those interested to take part in a joint investigation of a topic or a text, thorough supervision of presentations and essays, as well as opportunities for long-lasting learning.

Particular emphasis is placed on oral presentations and the independent preparation of short and long academic texts on set and chosen topics. In the first four semesters, the foundations of academic work, as well as various core areas of philosophy (logic, philosophy of science, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, ethics, political philosophy, history of pre-modern and modern philosophy), are taught.

From the second semester onwards, the basic instruction is complemented with in-depth seminars, where students have a wide range of choices and opportunities for specialization. In this way, students acquire solid fundamental knowledge and a broad overview in the areas of theoretical philosophy, practical philosophy and history of philosophy, as well as deeper, more specialized knowledge in selected sub-fields.

Furthermore, (optional) seminars in English are offered every semester, so that the international outlook which is fostered at the faculty is already evident at the Bachelor level (as it is later in the Master program).

This degree program supports the initiative and extraordinary engagement of students through a study abroad module or a double major module in the fifth semester, which can be chosen as an alternative to specialisation in a historical or systematic topic. The research module and the BA thesis (Bachelorarbeit), which must be presented in an advanced seminar as well as defended in a disputation, offer students in their sixth semester a chance to develop their own preferences and skills.

Download the module and degree plan (PDF, 228 KB) for the Bachelor program (the Bachelor major) in Philosophy.

  • Registration (Immatrikulation) for the Bachelor program in Philosophy requires that you are entitled to study at a German university. If you have questions about your entitlement to study, please contact the Office of the Registrar at LMU directly (and not the Philosophy Faculty).
  • Furthermore, you must complete an online pre-registration process before 15 July in the year you wish to begin the program (which always starts in the Winter Semester). The online pre-registration is open every year from around the end of May until the deadline. Those who wish to be enrolled in a higher semester of the program, and who therefore have to show evidence of previous academic achievements, do not have to pre-register online.
  • The fulfilment of further formal registration requirements (evidence of health insurance, entitlement to study in Germany, etc.) will be checked before you take up your studies either by the Office of the Registrar or by the International Office of the LMU (for international students or applicants who do not meet the criteria for being deutsche Bildungsinländer/Bildungsinländerinnen).

International applicants must - in addition to the online pre-registration - submit an application for admission to the International Office by the 15 July.

What you should ideally bring to the table, if you wish to take up Bachelor studies in Philosophy at LMU:

  • a good capacity for logical thinking;
  • precision of linguistic expression, or at least the intention of developing such a precision;
  • willingness and eagerness to engage constantly with long, complicated academic texts, to read lots and write critically;
  • a vital and continuous interest in philosophical questions (Is everything just physical matter? Do I have an immortal soul and free will? Are there "moral laws"? etc.), combined with the ambition to study these academically;
  • a serious interest in precisely reconstructing arguments and problems;
  • high self-motivation and self-discipline;
  • openness to discussion (including listening to others), a lack of bias or prejudice, as well as the willingness to learn certain forms of thinking methodically, from the ground up.

The course does not require any particular previous philosophical knowledge, nor specific language skills (apart from German), although it is assumed that prospective students have good knowledge of English.

This degree program also requires that you choose a minor subject, which you must (typically) complete within the first five semesters, and which makes up a third of the degree (60 ECTS credits). The great diversity of available minor subjects, which proved a success in the former Master program in Philosophy, and is a special feature of the Bachelor in Philosophy at LMU, reflects, on the one hand, the fact that philosophy can be studied in relation to various subject areas and domains of enquiry, so that the program can be more strongly orientated towards the humanities or cultural studies, social sciences or natural sciences. On the other hand, the faculty would like to offer students the chance to choose a minor subject according to their previous learning, preferences and ambitions: do you want to complement philosophy with another specific area? Do you have a second area of interest? Do you want to choose a minor subject with a view to a particular career path, which you might pursue after graduating?

Moreover, a range of key skills are taught in the context of the courses in the Philosophy major and the minor subject. These include especially: the ability to research, to evaluate, to condense and to structure knowledge and information; connected thinking; organisational and transfer skills; informational and media literacy; learning and presentation techniques; the ability to impart knowledge to others; teamwork and communication skills as well as frequent use of English.

Like other philosophical degree programs, this program also contributes furthermore in a specific way to the personal development of its students. It helps them to understand, rationally and scientifically, the conditions under which existential questions of humanity (such as the existence of freedom to do good as well as bad, or of an immortal soul, or God) can be answered, and allows them to assess the meaning of these questions in the context of their own lives.

Typically, graduating from the Bachelor program in Philosophy (majoring in Philosophy) qualifies one excellently for further studies or a further qualification in the form of a Master program in Philosophy (or a related subject). Further study in the context of the Master program in Philosophy at LMU is open to all graduates under the current conditions. Additionally, you can apply for one of the special Master programs at the faculty or a (philosophy-related) Master program at another university. If you take one of these paths, the Bachelor in Philosophy will have already provided solid foundations for a philosophy-related career in academia or in the field of research, especially if you graduated with outstanding grades.

Regardless of the suitability of LMU graduates for academic careers, it should be pointed out that there are few (permanent) positions in academic philosophy at universities, especially universities in the German-speaking world, in proportion to the number of (outstanding) applicants. It is therefore advisable to always keep in mind alternatives to a possible academic career.

Graduates of this degree program also have good chances to take up other, usually text-related, professional fields as graduate trainees (for example, through trainee programs), especially

  • in publishing houses,
  • in the field of journalism,
  • in public relations,
  • in advertising,
  • in adult education,
  • in corporate communication and consultancy,
  • in scientific or cultural management,
  • in foundations and associations (as a consultant).

In many cases, it is advisable for graduates who want to go directly into a career to acquire additional qualifications to improve their chances in the job market, for example through experience in internships, developed IT skills, business and management knowledge or special language skills, some of which are already taught in certain minor subjects.

The LMU Career Service offers valuable support in this area.

Further general guidance on "Philosophy and Careers"

Name Title Email Tel Position
Wyrwich, Thomas Dr. Thomas.Wyrwich@lrz.uni-muenchen.de +49 89 2180-2099 Student advisor and Philosophy degree program coordinator

Frequently asked questions about the Bachelor in Philosophy

No. Nevertheless, the program is designed as an in-person program. There is no guarantee that the content of lectures and seminars will be made available online; this is often not the case for seminars.

Active participation in courses, involvement in discussions and joint explorations of topics and texts in seminars, etc., are essential parts of your studies.

Furthermore, essay topics (or equally exam topics) might be specified by the lecturers and linked back to particular seminar sessions and discussions.

In this sense, there is always a connection between the actual content of the course and the assessments on that content, through which the ECTS credits (which are necessary to graduate) are acquired.

Yes. Otherwise, you will not graduate, nor acquire the qualification of Bachelor. Specifically, you must choose one of these minor subjects and (in accompaniment with the major in Philosophy) complete the minor program. It is not possible to study Philosophy alone at LMU.

Unfortunately not. There is no way to use ECTS credits from another degree to fulfil the minor subject requirement.

Depending on the case, you can pick one of the available minor subjects, which is related to your other degree, and ask the degree program coordinators in the minor subject whether certain modules can be transferred.

If you already majored in the corresponding subject (e.g. sociology, economics, psychology, law, etc.) in your earlier degree, there is a good chance of a significant, if not complete, transfer of modules into the minor subject. The minor subject makes that decision, however.

Unfortunately not. The BA program in Philosophy is designed as a full-time program. In the course of the program (Philosophy major, assuming that the program begins in the Winter Semester 2018/19), students must pass seven examinations for lecture courses (among other requirements), which take place on a specific, one-off date each semester. Lectures can take place at various times of day (in the morning, midday and in the early evening).

Nevertheless, the major program (and usually the minor program too) is distinguished by a high degree of flexibility. The semesters laid out in the program and module plans are recommendations, which students can deviate from (although deviations are the student's own responsibility). None of the modules in the major program has eligibility requirements: all modules can be taken independently of each other and can be completed in a different order than specified in the module plan. All modules begin and end in the same semester, so that students, when registering for modules, are not forced to plan their timetable beyond a single semester. In seminar modules, there are usually various choices of content and also of scheduling. In fact, the relatively high proportion of time (70%) spent on self-directed study (at home) often allows students in this program to balance familial and work duties with the time commitments of the program. There is no minimum number of ECTS credits which has to be achieved in each semester: the only binding limits are the standard program duration and the maximum program duration. Students can work towards completing the major and minor subjects independently of each other during this time.

You should inform yourself separately about the exact situation in the minor subject.

A maximum of nine semesters for the major subject, where one must register the BA thesis and pass the BA thesis disputation in the eighth semester at latest.

Some minor subjects are based on a shortened maximum program duration of eight semesters.