Philosophy MA

You'll examine contemporary debates in ethics including applied ethics, normative ethical theory and meta-ethics.

Representative topics include (but are not limited to):

• the nature of moral obligations
• the demandingness of moral obligations
• the action-guidingness of ethics
• ethics and decision procedures
• the objects of ethical evaluation
• moral principles such as the Doctrine of Doing and Allowing, and Double Effect
• the nature and evaluability of moral emotions such as guilt and shame
• theories of right action such as consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics and particularism
• axiology
• the value of nature
• feminist ethics
• the objectivity of ethics (realism and anti-realism)
• the nature and structure of moral concepts
• applied ethical topics such as the ethics of abortion, euthanasia, vegetarianism and cloning

Representative authors include (but are not limited to):

• Dale Jamieson
• Brad Hooker
• Philippa Foot
• Christine Korsgaard

By the end of the module you'll be familiar with the current debates at a level suitable for further research.

The course may include detailed study of particular theories which aim to articulate and justify the nature and content of morality.

This module is worth 20 credits.

The module will cover questions in the philosophy of mind and metaphysics.

Typical topics covered include (but are not limited to):

• essence, grounding, and the nature of modality
• causation, counterfactuals, and laws of nature
• nature of time and space
• the nature of mind and consciousness
• perceptual experiences and illusion
• alief and belief

 This module is worth 20 credits.

The module will cover questions in epistemology and the philosophy of language.

Typical topics covered include (but are not limited to):

• approaches to theories of knowledge (including conceptual analysis and formal approaches)
• internalism, externalism, and contextualism
• social epistemology
• theory of meaning (including proper names)
• speech act theory and pragmatics
• discourse about fictions

 This module is worth 20 credits.

A masters-level introduction to a range of topics in philosophy. Each week we'll focus on particularly influential pieces of work in that area. 

Topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Philosophy of Language (for example Frege, Russell, Geach, Milikan, Saul)
• Epistemology (for example Haack, Zagzebski)
• Philosophy of Mind (for example Putnam, Chalmers, Churchland)
• Metaphysics (for example Quine, Kim, Thomasson)
• Political Philosophy (for example Rawls, Arendt, Appiah)
• Ethics (for example Ayer, Anscombe, Parfit, Nussbaum)
• Feminist Philosophy (for example Alcoff, Anderson, Haslanger, Fricker)
• History of Philosophy (for example Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Cavendish, Spinoza)

 This module is worth 20 credits.

You'll examine some of the major questions of social and political philosophy through the detailed study of traditional and contemporary writings.

Representative topics could include (but are not limited to):

• political obligation
• immigration
• structural injustice
• civil disobedience
• punishment
• multiculturalism
• war and pacifism
• global poverty
• distributive justice
• philosophy of social categories (including race and gender).

 This module is worth 20 credits.

A 10,000-15,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed with the supervisor and the Director of Postgraduate Studies. Your supervisor will have regular meetings with you to support your research and writing.

Recent dissertations include:

• Marxism and Sex Work: A Question of Voluntariness
• Ameliorative Approaches in the Philosophy of Illness
• Monism, Coherentism, and the Interdependent Network
• Is Inference to the Best Explanation Compatible with Bayesianism
• Populism: A Conspiracy Theory at Heart
• Can Virtue Ethics Govern our Interactions with Animals?

This module helps postgraduate students recognise the range of careers and opportunities that an Arts and Humanities MA/MRes can provide.

It highlights the skills and abilities present within these programmes and provides examples of the successful application of these skills. Students will explore how subjects within the arts can be ‘applied disciplines’ that serve to be impactful in wider society through research and engagement.

Through ‘live brief’ assessments, students work in groups, utilising their Arts and Humanities skill sets, to present and produce a consultancy report for a range of organisations, including SMEs/Third-sector.

This module introduces you to the wide range of interdisciplinary research happening in the Faculty of Arts. We invite you to ‘think outside the box’ in relation to your own research, while learning key research techniques and methods. The module aims to:

• introduce the ideas, practices, complexities, and opportunities of interdisciplinary research in the arts
• enable you to practice critical self-reflexivity about the conventions and expectations of your own disciplines in relation to those of others
• train you in core research skills necessary for graduate-level study
• develop your confidence in communicating research findings to non-specialist audiences

You will build on your existing research skills gained from your university career to date. Furthermore, you will develop a more nuanced understanding of your own research practice, inspiring you to explore different approaches questions. In addition, you will develop an understanding of professional practice in areas such as:

• academic publishing
• knowledge exchange
• dissertation planning and writing
• professional communication

This module is worth 20 credits.