Philosophy has been studied at the Catholic Univeristy of Louvain since its foundation in 1425. In 1889, at the request of Pope Leo XIII, the Institute of Philosophy attained an independent status due to the efforts of the future Cardinal Désiré Mercier. Since its inception the Institute of Philosophy has undergone a steady process of growth and development, which has enabled it to make continual contributions within the university and the world at large. During the first decades it focused on mediaeval philosophy, especially the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. At the same time this was complemented by an ongoing dialogue with the new sciences and their offshoots, positivism and scientism. This double interest matured into an emphasis on the history of philosophy and the writings of the great philosophers. Along with the historical tendency there arose an increasing interest in the human and natural sciences. Then, during the 1920s and 1930s, the Institute focused largely on the debate surrounding idealism. In the post-war years the center of attention shifted once again: this time to phenomenology and those philosophers drawing on Edmund Husserl for inspiration (the Institute houses the Husserl-Archives, founded in 1939). Finally, in the last few decades, contemporary continental and Anglo-Saxon philosophy have all contributed to the interplay of ideas. Many of the great names of twentieth-century Christian philosophy have studied or lectured at the Institute, including Fulton J. Sheen, Albert Dondeyne, Etienne Gilson, Paul Ricouer, and Robert Sokolowski, just to name a few.

Philosophy Programs

The Institute of Philosophy offers a complete undergraduate and graduate philosophy program in English leading to BA, MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees. All classes are taught by professors; a few seminars are taught by teaching assistants. In the 2007-2008 academic year, the Institute of Philosophy had 677 students, of which 201 were international students coming from 45 different nations (180 of these were registered in the English-language philosophy program).

Seminarians & Philosophy

Seminarians of the American College take advantage of the excellent philosophical training offered at the Institute of Philosophy. In addition to their regular classes at the Institute, they follow a special in-house course, “From Mercier to MacIntyre: Contemporary Catholic Philosophy,” focusing on the fundamental contribution of recent Catholic philosophy in service of the new evangelization.

College-level seminarians who have already completed at least two years of a BA program in the United States or elsewhere may apply to the American College as students of philosophy with the permission of their diocesan authorities. If accepted, they may complete a BA degree in one or two academic years. In some cases, they may also be able to pursue an MA in philosophy.

Seminarians in Pre-theology programs who are in need of philosophical studies prior to beginning a theology program may also complete their required philosophical study program through the American College and the Institute of Philosophy.

 For a full listing of the current curriculum, please click here.