Philosophy MA

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 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 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.

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.

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.

You’ll discover how an arts and humanities masters degree can be used to:

• transform society, politics and culture
• enhance your range of careers and opportunities

You’ll explore the skills particular to your own discipline and how they can impact on wider issues. This will help your understanding of the function of arts and humanities, and how they can be applied, in wider society. In particular you’ll get greater understanding of what is meant by knowledge exchange and public engagement.

With an emphasis on ‘learning through doing' you’ll collaborate with other masters’ students on consultancy projects, working to solve real-life briefs from a range of cultural industries and schools.

By the end of the module you’ll have:

• developed a portfolio of professional skills and experience
• worked on issues of research, networking, grant-writing and cultural exchange
• learnt how to engage, communicate and create.

This module is worth 20 credits.

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.