Masters Degrees (Phenomenology)

Philosophy at Essex takes philosophy back to its roots in everyday existential, social and political issues. Our radical approach cuts across traditional boundaries, fostering dialogue between different schools and disciplines, and we are one of the few universities in the world that bridges the divide between the two great traditions of Analytic and Continental philosophy.

Our MA Philosophy will provide you with a rigorous grounding in modern and contemporary European philosophy. We have leading expertise in critical theory, phenomenology, German Idealism, nineteenth Century German philosophy, aesthetics, existentialism, contemporary French philosophy, philosophy and psychoanalysis, and medical humanities.

You study modules of your choice, develop your research, writing, and employability skills through an intensive Writing Workshop, and prepare an MA dissertation in your chosen area of research.

Our department is widely regarded as among the very best in the UK, having been recognised as one of the top 10 UK universities for research excellence (REF 2014), and being placed in the top 10 in The Guardian University Guide in 2010, 2011, and 2013.

As an alternative to our more flexible MA Philosophy, you can focus your study on a more specific area by following one of the following pathways:

MA Philosophy (Continental Philosophy Pathway)
All of our academic staff work on Continental Philosophy, including classical German philosophy (Kant and German Idealism), Frankfurt School Critical Theory (Adorno, Habermas, Honneth), nineteenth-century philosophy (Kierkegaard, Marx, Nietzsche), and phenomenology (Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty). On this pathway you choose from a range of specified topics in these areas, in addition to some outside options and a dissertation on a topic in Continental Philosophy.

MA Philosophy (Critical Social Theory Pathway)
We are the leading centre for Critical Social Theory in the UK with five members of academic staff working on the Frankfurt School (Adorno, Habermas, Honneth), contemporary French thought (Derrida, Foucault, Rancière) and issues in Critical Social Theory, such as activist political theory, theory of recognition, aesthetics and politics, deliberative democracy, and the moral limits of markets. On this pathway you study modules on the Frankfurt School and Contemporary Critical Theory, in addition to some outside options and a dissertation on a topic in Critical Social Theory.

MA Philosophy (Philosophy and Art History Pathway)
Drawing on the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach of the School, our new Philosophy and Art History pathway enables students to get a thorough grounding in philosophical aesthetics. You explore issues in aesthetics and their bearing on other areas of philosophy (such as critical theory or existentialism) and Art History (such as aesthetic practices and curating), and profit from the wide-ranging expertise of our staff in both disciplines. On this pathway you study modules on Philosophy/Aesthetics and Art History (dealing, for example, with Art & Politics, Art, Architecture and Urbanism, or Art, Science & Knowledge), in addition to some outside options and a dissertation on a topic in Philosophy and Art History.

Our expert staff

Our courses are taught by world-class academics, and over three quarters of our research is rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014), which puts us fifth in the UK for research outputs.

Our open-minded and enthusiastic staff have an exceptionally broad range of research interests, so whatever questions in philosophy catch hold of your imagination, there is certain to be someone you can approach to find out more.

Recent projects and publications include:
-Béatrice Han-Pile and Dan Watts’ major new research project, The Ethics of Powerlessness: the Theological Virtues Today
-The Essex Autonomy Project, a major interdisciplinary project funded by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council), which aims to investigate the role of autonomous judgment in many aspects of human life
-Peter Dews’ The Idea of Evil, Polity, 2007
-Béatrice Han-Pile, Foucault’s Critical Project: Between the Transcendental and the Historical, Stanford University Press, 2002
-Fiona Hughes, Kant’s Critique of Aesthetic Judgement: A Reader’s Guide, Edinburgh University Press, 2007.
-Wayne Martin, Theories of Judgement: Psychology, Logic, Phenomenology, Cambridge University Press, 2006
-Irene McMullin’s Time and the Shared World: Heidegger on Social Relations, Northwestern University Press, 2013
-Fabian Freyenhagen’s Adorno’s Practical Philosophy: Living Less Wrongly, Cambridge University Press, 2013

Specialist facilities

-Graduate students have access to desk space in the School and many students work there on a daily basis
-A dedicated German-language course for graduate students in philosophy
-Attend our Critical Theory Colloquium
-Attend the Werkstatt, where recent work on phenomenology is presented
-An exciting programme of research seminars, reading groups and mini-courses that help you expand your philosophical knowledge beyond what you learn on your course
-Access a variety of philosophy textbooks and journals in the Albert Sloman Library and in our departmental library

Your future

Many of our philosophy graduates embark on doctoral study after finishing their MA. We offer supervision for PhDs in a range of fields including:
-Continental philosophy
-Critical Social Theory
-History of philosophy
-Applied ethics

Our graduates have also gone into careers in law, the media, local administration, HM Revenue and Customs, and top jobs in the Civil Service.

We work with our university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Example structure

-Dissertation: Continental Philosophy (optional)
-Dissertation: Critical Social Theory (optional)
-Dissertation: MA Philosophy (optional)
-Dissertation: Philosophy & Art History (optional)
-Phenomenology and Existentialism (optional)
-Kant's Revolution in Philosophy (optional)
-Hegel (optional)
-Contemporary Critical Theory (optional)
-Topics in Continental Philosophy (optional)
-MA Writing Workshop (optional)
-The Frankfurt School (optional)
-Philosophy and Aesthetics (optional)
-Collecting Art From Latin America (optional)
-Art & Politics (optional)
-Current Research in Art History (optional)
-Art, Architecture and Urbanism (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-Political Economy (optional)
-Political Theory (optional)
-Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-The New Nature Writing (optional)
-Foundations of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (optional)
-The Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in International Law (optional)
-Human Rights and Development (optional)
-International Trade, Investment and Human Rights. (optional)
-Human Rights for Women (optional)
-Transitional Justice (optional)
-Psycho Analytic Theory (optional)
-Psychoanalytic Methodology (optional)

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Open for 2016 entry, Royal Holloway's MA in European Philosophy offers one of the few Masters-level programmes in the country to specialise in the 'European' tradition in philosophy.

Drawing on core research and teaching strengths in 19th and 20th-century French and German thought, the MA gives students the opportunity to study the development of European philosophy from Kant’s critical philosophy onwards, with a focus on German Idealism, the German phenomenologists and the Frankfurt School on one side, and the French philosophical movements in the 20th Century from Bergson and the existentialist movement through to poststructuralism and psychoanalysis.

Options focus a variety of topics and thinkers, focusing on the Continental tradition in political philosophy, the Frankfurt School, the role of aesthetics in the development of European thought, and more.

Subject to validation.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/philosophy/coursefinder/maeuropeanphilosophy.aspx

Why choose this course?

- you will be able to explore key issues, thinkers and texts from the European tradition on one of the few programmes in the country to specialise in European philosophy

- academic staff have a broad range of interests including German Idealism, the Frankfurt School, French and German phenomenology, poststructuralism, and modern European political theory

- the flexible structure of the course allows students to concentrate on European philosophy, or to also engage with a broader range of options

- we offer some studentships and bursaries in support of students taking the MA

- you will have access to the vibrant intellectual community provided by being a part of the University of London.

Department research and industry highlights

- Members of the teaching staff have a wide range of expertise, having published major works in a number of areas and on a number of figures, including Adorno; Aesthetics and Subjectivity; Altruism; Hegel; Deleuze; French and Continental Philosophy; Greek and Roman Aesthetics; the Holocaust and the Postmodern; Music, Philosophy, and Modernity; Richard Rorty; Romanticism to Critical Theory; Scepticism; Schelling; Time and Politics.

Current projects include:
- examining the possibilities offered by aesthetics, and music in particular, for developing a non-cognitive model of thinking

- investigating the coherence of the notion of tacit knowledge, and its implications for knowledge more generally

- tracing the development of modern French thought to its origins in German Idealism

- imagination in ancient aesthetics

- a pragmatist theory of deliberative democracy

- arguments in defence of associative duties

- psychoanalytic and post-Nietzschean conceptions of agency and selfhood

Course content and structure

- Programme structure
Advanced Topics in Philosophy (1 unit)

Two courses from among:
Contemporary Continental Political Thought (½ unit); The European Philosophical Trajectory (½ unit); and Twentieth Century French Thought (½ unit).

Two half-unit option courses from available options

Dissertation (1 unit)

Core course units:
- Advanced Topics in Philosophy (1 unit)
The aim of this course is to allow students to engage with cutting edge research from across the range of philosophical sub-fields. The course also allows students to develop their understanding of the nature of philosophy and the diversity of philosophical methods, as well to further improve their abilities at written and oral communication of philosophical ideas and arguments. The course will be taught by a number of philosophers who teach on the wider MA programmes, and will be divided into four parts, each presenting a five week introduction to a topic researched by the academic. It will allow students enrolled on the different MA Philosophy streams to compare approaches, and see their own specialism within a wider philosophical context. The module will be taught via a two hour weekly seminar.

- Contemporary Continental Political Thought (½ unit)
The course addresses key questions and arguments concerning the relationship between identity, power, meaning and knowledge, through examination of key figures in contemporary Continental political thought and philosophy. Specific content varies from year to year, but may include key texts from Nietzsche, Heidegger, Adorno, Sartre, Lacan, Irigaray, Foucault, Ranciere, and Deleuze & Guattari.

- The European Philosophical Trajectory (½ unit)
The unit will involve ten two-hour seminars on key figures in European Philosophy. The course will run through a number of central figures and problems from Immanuel Kant to the work of Jacques Derrida and Theodor Adorno. Texts will not necessarily be read in their entirety.

- Twentieth Century French Thought (½ unit)
This course will trace the development of French philosophical thought from its early assimilation of Husserl’s phenomenology to later post-modern and post-structuralist thinkers. The course is research-led, and so specific philosophers covered on the course are subject to change, but indicative philosophers would include Gabriel Marcel, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Gilles Deleuze, Michel Foucault, and Alain Badiou.

- Dissertation on European Philosophy (1 unit)

Elective course units:
- Anglo American Political Theory (½ unit)
- Continental Aesthetics (½ unit)
- The Frankfurt School (½ unit)
- The Future of Phenomenology (½ unit)
- Human Rights (½ unit)
- Identity, Power and Political Theory (½ unit)
- Legacies of Wittgenstein (½ unit)
- Neo-Platonism (½ unit)
- Identity, Power and Radical Political Theory (½ unit)
- Political Concepts (½ unit)
- Post-Holocaust Philosophy (½ unit)

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- a knowledge of the broad range of philosophical approaches adopted in the European tradition, such as phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics, and transcendental empiricism

- detailed understanding of some of the key philosophers in the European tradition

- an ability to read complex philosophical texts with an appreciation of the role of style and context in their composition

- an understanding of the broader philosophical landscape, and the place of European philosophy within it.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and would be prepared for careers in a wide range of areas. This course also equips you with the subject knowledge and a solid foundation for continued PhD studies.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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The History of Design and Material Culture MA focuses on both objects from everyday life and representations of them since the eighteenth century as a basis for research and analysis.

The course allies theory and practice in seminar-based discussions that embrace various methodological issues and perspectives, including Marxism, discourse theory, phenomenology, semiology, museology, gender, race, class, memory and oral testimony. Depending on the material you analyse in your essays and seminars, as well as the dissertation topic you choose, you can also emphasise your own intellectual and subject-specific interests.

Since its inception in the late 1990s, the MA has garnered a national and international reputation as one of the pioneering and most successful programmes of its kind. As a research-led course, it harnesses the academic expertise of staff with a recognised wealth of teaching and research excellence in subject areas such as fashion and dress history, the history and theory of advertising, photography and the mass-reproduced image, and heritage and museum studies.

Under guidance, you will be encouraged to explore the relationship between theory and practice and to develop your own skills as an independent researcher, thinker and writer.

Course structure

The History of Design and Material Culture MA draws on the wide-ranging academic expertise of staff in the fields of the history of decorative arts and design, dress history, material culture, museology and social history.

It stimulates innovative and interdisciplinary study in the history of design and material culture in both their western and non-western contexts, considering the relationship between local, national and international patterns of production, circulation, consumption and use.

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, study visits and tutorials. Considerable emphasis is placed on student involvement in the weekly seminar readings and discussions within the two thematic core modules, Exploring Objects and Mediating Objects.

Based at Pavilion Parade, a Regency building overlooking the famous Royal Pavilion, teaching takes place close to the seafront and city centre amenities.

Syllabus

• Exploring Objects

The Exploring Objects module introduces you to a series of different research methods and historiographical approaches, as you interrogate and make sense of designed objects in terms of how they are designed, produced, circulated, consumed and used in everyday life. It covers the period from the late eighteenth century to the present time and typically involves discussion and debate on the following themes, theories and methods: Marxist and post-Marxist historiography; production and consumption; gender and taste; phenomenology; object-based analysis; the use of archives; and 'good writing/bad writing'. It also introduces you to the academic rigour of postgraduate dissertation research.

• Mediating Objects

This module complements Exploring Objects by focusing on the mediation between 'this one' (the object itself) and 'that one' (the object as represented in word and image). On one level, it examines how objects are translated in various texts and contexts, from museum and private collections to photographs, advertisements, film and fiction. On another level, it examines how objects are transformed through the embodied processes of everyday rituals such as gift-giving and personal oral and collective memories. The module therefore deals with the idea of intertexualities and how the identities of things and people are phenomenologically bound up with each other. By extension, you examine objects in relation to ideas concerning sex, gender, class, generation, race and ethnicity.

• Dissertation

The centrepiece of your MA studies, the dissertation is a piece of original writing between 18,000 and 20,000 words on a research topic of your own choosing. It allows you to pursue a specific research topic related to your own academic and intellectual interests in a given area of the history of design and material culture, for example fashion and dress, textiles, ceramics and glass, product design, interior design and architecture, graphic communications, advertising and photography, film, museums, collecting and curating, and design pedagogy. The dissertation is largely based on primary research, often using specialist archives and surviving historical material.

Facilities

This course makes use of the University of Brighton Design Archives, which include the archives of the Design Council, Alison Settle, FHK Henrion and the South of England Film and Video Archive.

Close professional contact with national institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as with local collections and centres of historical interest (such as Brighton’s unique Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, with its internationally famous collection of decorative art from the 1890s onwards), present research opportunities for students registered on the course.

The course is closely linked to our arts and humanities research division through a joint research lecture series, and we have successfully encouraged high achievers to register for the MPhil/PhD programme.

The student environment also includes the thriving postgraduate Design History Society as well as opportunities for conference presentation, professional contact and career development in the field.

Careers and employability

The course has an extremely healthy track record in helping students to take up careers in related areas of employment and further study. Many of our postgraduates have succeeded in finding work as lecturers, curators, journalists, designers and design consultants, while many others have pursued doctoral research, most often also securing prestigious funding from the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council).

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The MA in Archaeology at Kent introduces you to the archaeology of selected periods and regions, through a distinctive programme that relates this to wider spheres of evidence and understanding in archaeology.

Archaeology involves the material study of past human activity across a range of time periods, though a variety of techniques such excavation and artefact examination. This MA provides you with a robust grounding in theories, methods and approaches within contemporary archaeology (covering, for instance, phenomenology and post-processualism) through a core taught module. You can then specialise in selected periods (such as later prehistory or the Roman era) and regions through a range of taught and directed study modules provided by the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies (http://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/classics/index.html).

The programme gives you the opportunity to engage directly with first-hand archaeological evidence, exploring areas such as the relationship of sites to their wider landscape and cultural setting, processes of continuity and change within the archaeological record, and the interpretation of material culture. The teaching is geared towards students’ interests and career needs where possible and is especially geared to skills acquisition and preparation for PhD study. In the summer, you write a 15,000-word dissertation with advice from one of our experts to demonstrate the skills that you will have gained during your MA.

This is an ideal programme for graduates of history, ancient history, classics or the wider humanities, wanting to gain practical experience in applying their expertise.

Visit the website: https://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/classics/postgraduate/taught-archaeology.html

Assessment

The programme is assessed by coursework for each of the modules and by the dissertation.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- introduce you to the archaeology of selected periods and regions, through a distinctive and unique programme, relating this to wider spheres of evidence and understanding in archaeology

- provide you with a robust grounding in theories, methods and approaches within contemporary archaeology (covering, for instance, phenomenology, materiality), examining too areas of controversy and differing expression

- explore a range of types of evidence appropriate to the periods and regions studied.

- establish the relationship of sites to their wider landscape and cultural setting

- identify processes of continuity and change with the archaeological record and to examine explanations for such trends

- confirm the extent of participation in broad European processes through time

- firmly develop your practical archaeological abilities, for instance in handling, characterising, assessing and reporting types of material culture finds (artefacts) and other classes of evidence of the past

- enable you to engage critically with a selected theme or topic within the field of archaeology and history.

- assist you to acquire the critical and organisational skills necessary for successful completion of research for your supervised dissertation and other project work (this work being on an approved topic/s or theme of your choice)

- assist you to develop the necessary range of generic and subject-specific skills – in research, in data handling, in writing, and in the communication of ideas, using both traditional resources and the full range of contemporary IT resources.

Careers

Our MA programmes include much scope for vocational training, skills acquisition and guided project work, often with use of our extensive facilities. These aspects of our programmes have been praised by external assessors in recent years. Recent graduates have progressed to careers in a wide range of related professional and leadership areas, including national and local museums, teaching and senior roles with archaeological organisations (national government institutions, contracting units and trusts). A large proportion of completing Master’s students have progressed onto PhD study.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Master's specialisation Philosophical Ethics (Research)

This course is about researching the moral conflicts and ethical issues in contemporary Western culture and setting them against the backdrop of continental European philosophy.

There is no philosophical discipline that is more deeply rooted in the current and controversial socio-cultural debates than practical philosophy and more specifically than philosophical ethics. The rejuvenation of the philosophical tradition, when it comes to contemporary issues, is never more necessary or more exciting than in this field of philosophy. The hermeneutical perspective – which is so characteristics of philosophical ethics at Radboud University – combines the precise interpretation of influential texts with a focus on culture philosophical approaches, phenomenological analysis and ethical applications. A unique addition in the ethical discussion is the attention for ethical issues, especially in literary sources.

Key authors for this specialisation are, in chronological order, Aristoteles, Thomas van Aquino, Kant, Hegel, Schleiermacher, Heidegger, Gadamer, Levinas, Ricoeur, Habermas, Taylor and Toulmin.

Information for students of the Research Master

In Philosophical Ethics, you investigate the moral implications of human actions from the point of view of virtue ethics (Aristotle, MacIntyre), phenomenology (Heidegger, Levinas) and hermeneutics (Gadamer, Ricoeur). This section also runs an international Nietzsche research project.
The department of ethics participates both in the research programme 'The project of a hermeneutic philosophy' as well as in the research programme ‘Ethos, Polis, Religion' (research programme in practical philosophy).
This section of the faculty investigates the moral implications of human actions from the point of view of virtue ethics (Aristotle, MacIntyre), phenomenology (Heidegger, Levinas) and hermeneutics (Gadamer, Ricoeur). For its ethical research it cooperates closely with the Centre for Ethics of Radboud University (in Dutch). The section also runs an international Nietzsche research project.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/ethics

Admission requirements for international students

1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Philosophy or in a related discipline (in the latter case, students must have acquired at least 60 EC in Philosophical disciplines).
The applicant must have a degree with merit or distinction or equivalent. Meaning: a student’s weighted grade-point average in philosophy in the 2nd and 3rd year of their Bachelor's programme must be the equivalent of 7.5 or more (on the Dutch scale of 10).
On the page "Conversions of international grades" you will find an indication of what the equivalent of a Dutch 7.5 or 8 might be in the country where you obtained your Bachelor’s degree.

2. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English* without a Dutch Master's degree must either have obtained a higher diploma from an English-teaching institution or be in possession of one of the following certificates:
- A TOEFL score of >577 (paper based) or >233 (computer based) or >90 (internet based)
- An IELTS score of >6.5
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

3. Highly motivated
An applicant must be able to demonstrate to the Examination Board that they have serious research interests and skills. Applicant must write a motivation letter and send a writing sample which can help evaluate their research and writing skills.

Career prospects

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess essential skills, including he ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate. They require intensive training. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Job positions

This programme has been designed for people with the ambition to do research. A majority of the students continue their research within academia by applying for a doctoral programme in the Netherlands or abroad. We take particular pride in the fact that more than 75 percent of our graduates manage to obtain a PhD position within two years of graduating. A second group goes on to teach philosophy at secondary schools. And a third group enter research-related professions outside of education. Our graduates are also represented in journalism, science policy, and politics.

Our approach to this field

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Our research in this field

What makes this programme special?
The English-taught Research Master's programme in Philosophy is a two-year course that is meant for students of proven ability who wish to prepare for an academic career in philosophy. We offer the following to provide you with the best possible academic background:
- A combination of internationally acclaimed research and excellent teaching
- A big offer of research seminars in the history of philosophy, continental philosophy and analytic philosophy
- A broad range of specialisations in Philosophical Anthropology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of mind, Philosophy of language and Logic, Philosophical Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy and the History of Philosophy
- An emphasis on the training of research skills
- A personal supervisor who guides you throughout the programme
- An excellent preparation for post-graduate life by means of the specialised character of the Research Master's thesis, which is composed of a publishable article and of a PhD research proposal
- A high chance of obtaining a PhD position in the Netherlands or abroad
- An international climate.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/ethics

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This course is for you if you need to improve your English language skills and subject knowledge of philosophy before going on to a Masters course. You improve your language fluency and academic vocabulary, develop your academic skills, and gain experience of western methods of teaching and learning so that you can progress onto a relevant Masters course in our School of Philosophy and Art History.

At Essex, you can progress onto our MA Philosophy, MA Philosophy (Continental Philosophy Pathway), MA Philosophy (Critical Social Theory Pathway), MA Philosophy (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis Pathway), or MA Philosophy (Philosophy and Art History Pathway).

Our International Academy offers some of the best routes for international students to enter higher education in the UK. Our innovative courses and programmes have proved very successful with international students and have also attracted UK students because of the distinctive learning environment we offer.

If you are an international student, you may find that the education system in the UK is slightly different from other countries and, sometimes, that the transition to the British system can be challenging. Our courses help you to settle in and adapt to life in the UK.

Our School of Philosophy and Art History is widely regarded as among the very best in the UK, and are ranked Top 10 in the UK for research quality (REF 2014), and being placed in the top 10 in The Guardian University Guide in 2010, 2011, and 2013.

Our expert staff

Our courses are taught by world-class academics, and over three quarters of our research is rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014).

Our open-minded and enthusiastic staff have an exceptionally broad range of research interests, so whatever questions in philosophy catch hold of your imagination, there is certain to be someone you can approach to find out more.

Recent projects and publications include:
-Béatrice Han-Pile and Dan Watts’ major new research project, The Ethics of Powerlessness: the Theological Virtues Today
-The Essex Autonomy Project, a major interdisciplinary project funded by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council), which aims to investigate the role of autonomous judgment in many aspects of human life
-Peter Dews’ The Idea of Evil
-Irene McMullin’s Time and the Shared World: Heidegger on Social Relations
-Fabian Freyenhagen’s Adorno’s Practical Philosophy: Living Less Wrongly
-David McNeill’s An Image of the Soul in Speech: Plato and the Problem of Socrates

Specialist facilities

By studying within our International Academy, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer:
-We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
-Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
-Our social space is stocked with hot magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends

You can also take advantage of our excellent philosophy facilities:
-Postgraduate students have access to desk space in the School and many students work there on a daily basis
-A dedicated German-language course for graduate students in philosophy
-Attend our Critical Theory Colloquium
-Attend the Werkstatt, where recent work on phenomenology is presented
-An exciting programme of research seminars, reading groups and mini-courses that help you expand your philosophical knowledge beyond what you learn on your course
-Access a variety of philosophy textbooks and journals in the Albert Sloman Library and in our departmental library

Example structure

-English for Academic Purposes
-Advanced English for Academic Purposes
-Extended English for Academic Purposes Project
-Critical Reading and Seminar Skills
-Knowledge & Reality (optional)
-Narrativity, Truth and Flourishing (optional)
-Philosophy and Religion (optional)
-Ethics (optional)
-Contemporary Political Philosophy (optional)
-Freud and the Philosophy of the Unconscious (optional)
-Topics in the Philosophy of Religion (optional)
-Philosophy and Medical Ethics (optional)
-Capitalism and its Critics (optional)
-Topics in Analytic Philosophy (optional)
-Ancient Philosophy (optional)
-Nietzsche (optional)
-Modern Social and Political Thought (optional)
-Feminism (optional)
-Phenomenology and Existentialism (optional)
-Kant's Revolution in Philosophy (optional)

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This specialist programme aims to provide you with a foundation in modern european philosophy from the late 18th century to the present day, focusing on the European tradition (Leibniz, Hume, Ravaisson, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche and Bergson) as well as 20th century and contemporary philosophers (Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Derrida, Foucault, Lyotard and Nancy), and on the major areas of contemporary philosophy such as phenomenology, post-structuralism and deconstruction. The programme allows you to grasp the relations between philosophy and other disciplines such as aesthetics, art-theory, literary theory and political theory. The modules offered vary from year to year, but all draw on the research specialisms of members of the department.

The course is available to distance learning students via the internet. You can participate in the programme through an international forum following the same units as you would if attending in person. Teaching and learning is tailored for distance-learning students and includes online discussion groups and tutorials.

Features and benefits of the course

-Focus on European (continental) philosophy.
-Study in a friendly, supportive environment acclaimed for its high levels of pastoral care.
-Research seminar and reading groups on offer.

About the Course

The MA European Philosophy focuses on some of the key philosophers and philosophical movements in European philosophy from the 18th century through to the present day. It is designed to allow students to develop advanced philosophical and research skills, and encourages the application of these skills to significant contemporary issues and concerns.

Assessment details

Assessment is continuous and based on a range of different coursework assignments (critical reviews, short and longer essays and a final dissertation of 12-15,000 words. You will also be able to participate in research seminars and reading groups.

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This unique transdisciplinary course, open to people from all backgrounds, offers a special focus on contemporary social sculpture, ecological citizenship, connective eco-social practices, cultural activism, expanded art practices and transformative, creative action. It enables you to explore strategies of engagement, agency and the relationship between imagination and transformation. The programme also makes special reference to the proposals and legacies of Joseph Beuys, Schiller and Goethe, as well as other pedagogies of transformation such as Joanna Macy's and Paulo Freire's. It introduces theoretical and philosophical frameworks, with a special emphasis on phenomenology and experiential knowing; explores the relationship of social sculpture to ecological sustainability and offers practice-based research methodologies and creative strategies as the basis for developing individual and collaborative social sculpture processes, interdisciplinary expanded arts and reflective social practice.

The MA is Social Sculpture is, with the MA in Sound Arts, one of two taught postgraduate courses for socially-engaged artists, composers and transdisciplinary practitioners currently offered by the School of Arts at Oxford Brookes University. These MAs share two core modules in Creative Strategies and Phenomenological Methods of practice-based work. These shared modules enable cross-pollination and potential for collaboration between social sculpture and connective practice practitioners and those working in the field of sound arts. The MA in Social Sculpture is linked to the Social Sculpture Research Unit and is part of a thriving post-graduate research culture. There are opportunities to volunteer in social sculpture projects like University of the Trees: Lab for an Eco-Social Future.

Why choose this course?

The MA in Social Sculpture is an internationally renowned programme, running since 2006, linked to the Social Sculpture Research Unit at Oxford Brookes. A dedicated team of international specialists and emerging practitioners delivers innovative cross-disciplinary and socially-engaged creative practices that many students have described as 'life changing'.

-Participating in a community of dialogue and reflection: the unique 'Feedback Forum' approach which runs throughout the programme replaces the traditional art-school 'crit', offering a radical, supportive and creative form of feedback on your work. Another special feature is the regular MA Forum, in which students and staff meet to discuss creative practice in a supportive and stimulating environment. It also offers fortnightly individual tutorials and small group supervision.
-Coherent and unique teaching approach: a carefully sequenced set of modules enable you to uncover, explore and develop your own concerns within the field of contemporary social sculpture, creative cultural action and other interdisciplinary connective practices.
-Research culture and opportunities beyond the programme: MA Social Sculpture students are welcome to participate in 7 day-long 'PhD Social Sculpture Fora' per year. This is part of a stimulating environment where tutors, alumni, research fellows and student interns work closely together in the Social Sculpture Research Unit, and in projects like University of the Trees: Lab for New Knowledge and an Eco-Social Future.
-Based in the School of Arts' beautiful Richard Hamilton Building: situated very close to the city centre in a wooded landscape and arboretum, it offers excellent technical support; well-equipped workshops in video, photography, sound, artists books, printmaking and a variety of 3-D processes; a well- equipped library with materials appropriate to our programme and dedicated support for practice-based research students. There is bookable installation space, a group studio base and 24/7 studio access.
-Wider context: research and teaching programmes in the School of Arts are linked to some of Oxford’s leading cultural organisations such as Modern Art Oxford, and the annual Social Sculpture Festival of MA student work takes place in an around Oxford, using accessible local venues as a hub. You are encouraged to make links with local communities and social and ecological organisations as well as being able to design certain projects related to their home contexts. Once you graduate from the programme you have the opportunity to participate in the annual Social Sculpture Platform which is open to the public.

This course in detail

MA in Social Sculpture students take five compulsory modules - Creative Strategies 1 and 2, Social Sculpture 1 and 2 and a Major Project - in which they develop their particular concerns.

PGDip in Social Sculpture students take four compulsory modules - Creative Strategies 1 and 2 and Social Sculpture 1 and 2.

Teaching and learning

Our teaching methods include:
-Seminars and lectures on interdisciplinary creative practice, practice-based research, phenomenological root methodologies and social sculpture.
-Team teaching in group seminars, involving research methodologies for practice-based research.
-Feedback from staff and students during group feedback sessions, in which you receive constructive feedback on your work.
-Staff-led group discussions arising out of practical presentations.
-Regular individual tutorials that address your research concerns.
-Introductions to creative strategies for generating and making practice-based social sculpture and other forms of connective cultural action and reflective social practice.
-Introductions to the School of Arts technical facilities.
-Induction sessions with subject librarians.

The learning methods include:
-Regular forums where staff and students formulate and articulate responses to work.
-Social sculpture and interdisciplinary creative practice presentations.
-Presentations of practical research.
-The researching and writing of reflective reports, assignments and self-evaluations.
-Private research and study.
-Presentations to peers and group feedback via the 'feedback forum' approach to 'reception theory' in practice.

Careers and professional development

In this unique programme graduates develop excellent creative capacities and new ways of thinking that enable them to identify and develop interdisciplinary arenas and contexts for public engagement with specific communities, organisations and other constituencies.

A strong aspect of the programme is the way it enables graduates to return to existing professions and contexts in new ways: as interdisciplinary practitioners with insightful understandings, greatly enhanced imaginal capacities and knowledge of new forms of reflective and interdisciplinary connective practice.

Many Social Sculpture graduates continue as social sculpture practitioners or eco-cultural activists, whilst others develop careers related to their knowledge, expertise or interests, for example within organisational change, social enterprise programmes, festival management, tertiary education, agro-ecology, arts administration; arts and music teaching, medical humanities, educators and practitioners in arts for health, promoting ecological citizenship, community cross artform work and as sustainability activists.

These diverse career possibilities have much to do with the close relationship between the content and the pedagogic approaches offered on the MA Social Sculpture programme with its focus on experiential knowing, active citizenship and connective practices.

Combining the rigour of a traditional academic programme with innovative practical and vocational components makes graduates well placed for roles as practitioners as well as for further research in territory that includes the arts and sustainability, ecological citizenship, individual and community change processes, cultural and ecological activism and the field of contemporary social sculpture and connective aesthetics.

The methodologies taught also enable new forms of interdisciplinary and postdisciplinary practice and research.

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This one-year programme (two years part-time) provides an ideal academic environment for those who would like to study the subject at a higher level in preparation for a PhD or as a basis for future employment. Significant numbers of former students go on to further study. The programme includes research training and allows you to write a substantial dissertation on a topic you wish to pursue at PhD level. Our staff members have expertise in a very wide range of areas, so there is considerable flexibility over choice of dissertation topic. Modules are taught via group seminars and one-to-one tutorials. There is also a weekly student-led work-in-progress seminar, which all MA students attend.

Course structure

Candidates shall study and be assessed in the following modules:

List A:

Dissertation- 60 credits
Philosophical Research Methods- 30 credits

Candidates shall also study and be assessed in modules to the value of 90 credits from Lists B, C and D. The module titles below are those offered in previous academic years. Not all the modules will necessarily be available every year.

List B:

Ancient Philosophers on Necessity, Fate and Free Will- 30 credits

Forms After Plato- 30 credits

Mind and Action- 30 credits

Philosophical Issues in Science and Medicine- 30 credits

Phenomenology and the Sciences of Mind- 30 credits

Current Issues in Aesthetics and Theory of Art- 30 credits

Current Issues in Metaphysics- 30 credits

Current Issues in Ethics- 30 credits

Philosophy and Religion- 30 credits

Gender Theory and Feminist Philosophy- 30 credits

Science and the Enlightenment- 30 credits

Ethics, Medicine and History- 30 credits

Philosophy of the Social Sciences- 30 credits

Ethics of Cultural Heritage- 30 credits

Environmental Philosophy- 0-30 credits

List C:

Candidates taking modules from List C must take both modules:

BUSINESS ETHICS 1: Ethical Leadership- 15 credits

BUSINESS ETHICS 2: Society and Sustainability- 15 credits

List D:

Candidates taking modules from List D must take both modules:

Moral and Corporate Trust: Trust and Accountability- 15 credits

Moral and Corporate Trust: Trust and Business Ethics- 15 credits

Learning and Teaching

The Taught MA in Philosophy provides the opportunity for in-depth engagement with areas of philosophy in which the Durham department has internationally recognised expertise. In the process, students develop critical abilities and independent research skills that prepare them for further postgraduate study in Philosophy and for a wide range of careers where such skills are highly prized.

Students choose three optional ‘topic’ modules from a list of approximately twelve. They are also required to take a ‘philosophical research methods’ module and to complete a double-module dissertation. Topic modules are taught via seven two-hour seminars and two one-to-one tutorials. Seminars incorporate staff-led discussion of topics, student presentations and small group discussions, in the context of a friendly, supportive environment. Seminars serve to (i) familiarise students with topics, positions and debates, (ii) help them to navigate the relevant literature, (iii) refine their oral and written presentation skills and (iv) further develop their ability to independently formulate, criticise and defend philosophical positions. Students are expected to do approximately four hours of reading for each seminar. Having completed the seminar-based part of the module, they decide upon an essay topic, having received guidance from the module leader. At this point, they begin a more focused programme of reading and independent study, and also benefit from two one-to-one supervisions with an expert in the relevant field. These supervisions provide more focused teaching, tailored to a student’s chosen essay topic. Supervisions further enable students to develop and refine their own philosophical positions, convey them clearly and support them with well constructed arguments.

The core modules of the programme are the ‘Philosophical Research Methods’ module and the double-module Dissertation. The former consists of ten seminars of 2 hours duration. Seven of these introduce students to different philosophical methodologies and to contrasting conceptions of what philosophy is. Critical refection upon the nature of philosophy, cultured through seminar discussions and subsequent reading, equips them with the ‘meta-philosophical’ skills required to write a ‘Philosophical Methods’ essay. The other three seminars include training in library use, referencing, writing abstracts, structuring an MA-level essay and other research-related matters. They also include focused advice and discussion concerning dissertation proposals, which students are required to submit as part of this module.

Having completed the three topic modules and the research methods module, students start work on their dissertations. They are offered six one-to-one tutorials of up to an hour each, with a supervisor who will be an expert in their chosen field. There is also a ‘dissertation mini-conference’ in August, where students present work from their dissertation and receive feedback from members of staff and from their peers. The supervisions and the conference both help them to further refine skills acquired during the academic year (such as presenting and defending an argument in a clear, structured fashion) and to complete a substantial piece of high quality independent research. Through the conference, they also engage with the work of other students in ways that are mutually informative.

In addition to this core teaching, students benefit from a range of activities, including an MA Master-class, a student-led ‘work-in-progress group’ and regular meetings of EIDOS, the department’s postgraduate philosophy society. They are welcomed as full participants in the department’s research culture, and are thus strongly encouraged to attend a range of other events, including weekly Research Seminars, and occasional Royal Institute of Philosophy Lectures, conferences, workshops and reading groups. The programme director remains in regular contact with the students throughout the year and is always available to discuss any issues that might arise (personal or academic).

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This one-year programme (two years part-time) is designed to give a deeper understanding of historical, philosophical and cultural issues in science and medicine from antiquity to the present day. Research training includes historical methods, philosophical analysis and socio-cultural models, providing an interdisciplinary environment for those interested in progressing to a PhD or those simply interested in HPSM studies.

Former students have gone on to attract major doctoral funding awards and jobs in the media, government and NGOs. The core teaching staff are attached to the Department of Philosophy, the Northern Centre for the History of Medicine (co-run with Newcastle University) and the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health. Modules are taught via lectures, seminars, personal tutorials and workshops. The diversity of staff research interests allows you to focus your research on a wide variety of topics, including historical, philosophical and/or cultural aspects of biology, biomedical ethics, the body, the environment, gender, medical humanities, medicine, and the physical sciences.

Programme Structure

Core Modules:
-Research Methods in the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine
-Dissertation (Philosophy, Health, or History)

Optional Modules:
Students choose a total of three optional modules, with at least one from List A and one from List B. The module titles below are those offered in 2015/16. Not all the modules will necessarily run every year.
List A:
-History of Medicine
-Science and the Enlightenment
-Ethics, Medicine and History
-Gender, Medicine and Sexuality in Early Modern Europe
-Gender, 'Sex', Health and Politics

List B:
-Philosophical Issues in Science and Medicine
-Phenomenology and the Sciences of Mind
-Current Issues in Metaphysics
-Philosophy of Social Sciences
-Ethics of Cultural Heritage

Learning and Teaching

The MA in the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine (HPSM) provides the opportunity for in-depth engagement with historical, philosophical and cultural issues in science and medicine from antiquity to the present day. In the process, students develop critical abilities and independent research skills in an interdisciplinary environment that prepare them for further postgraduate study and for a wide range of careers where such skills are highly prized.

Students select three topic modules from two lists of usually five historical and five philosophical options. They are also required to take a Research Methods in the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine module and to complete a double-module dissertation in the Department of Philosophy, the Department of History, or the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health.

Topic modules are typically taught via seven two-hour seminars, two one-to-one tutorials, and a workshop at the end of the module. Seminars incorporate staff-led discussion of topics, student presentations and small group discussions, in the context of a friendly, supportive environment. Seminars serve to (i) familiarise students with topics, positions and debates, (ii) help them to navigate the relevant literature, (iii) refine their oral and written presentation skills and (iv) further develop their ability to independently formulate, criticise and defend historical and philosophical positions. Students are expected to do approximately four hours of reading for each seminar. In consultation with the module leader students decide upon an essay topic, and the most appropriate supervisor available for their topic is allocated. At this point, they begin a more focused programme of reading and independent study, and also benefit from the one-to-one supervisions with the expert supervisor. These supervisions provide more focused teaching, tailored to a student’s chosen essay topic. Supervisions further enable students to develop and refine their own historiographical or philosophical positions, convey them clearly and support them with well constructed arguments. In the workshop students present a draft of their essay and receive further feedback from their peers as well as staff.

The core modules of the programme are the Research Methods module and the double-module Dissertation. The former consists of nine seminars, each of 2 hours duration and a feedback session. They introduce students to relevant methodologies and approaches in the history of medicine, history of science, philosophy of science, and medical humanities, as well as to HPSM resources in the University Library, research tools, MA-level essay composition and format, and other research-related matters. They also include focused advice and discussion concerning dissertation proposals, which students are required to submit as part of this module.

Having completed the three topic modules and the research methods module, students start work on their dissertations. The nature of the dissertation will vary depending upon the topic studied and the department in which the module is undertaken. Students are offered up to six one-to-one tutorials of up to an hour each, with a supervisor who will be an expert in their chosen field. The supervisions help to further refine skills acquired during the academic year (such as presenting and defending an argument in a clear, structured fashion) and to complete a substantial piece of high quality independent research.

In addition to this core teaching, students benefit from a range of activities, including an MA Dissertation Workshop, research seminars of the Centre for the History of Medicine and Disease, and regular meetings of EIDOS, the Philosophy Department’s postgraduate society. They are welcomed as full participants in the Department’s research culture, and are thus strongly encouraged to attend a range of other events, including weekly Research Seminars, and occasional Royal Institute of Philosophy Lectures, conferences, workshops and reading groups. The programme director remains in regular contact with the students throughout the year and is available to discuss any issues that might arise (personal or academic).

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The course offers a study of contemporary strategies of analysis in theatre and performance, with special consideration of the practices of Irish theatre, involving input from the professional field. The course structure consists of core modules leading to a directed research project and dissertation.

Core Modules

Contemporary Irish Theatre in Context: an exploration of the theatre practice of contemporary Irish and visiting theatre productions, and the institutional frameworks which shape the production or reception of contemporary Irish theatre. Invited speakers will discuss their work with students, supplemented by sessions focusing on contextual or background information.

Strategies of Analysis:

an exploration of the various methodologies of critical enquiry in theatre and performance. The seminar covers areas of Gender, Race and Identity, Nationalism and Postcolonialism, Performance Analysis, History and Historiography, Globalisation, Psychoanalysis, Poststructuralism, Phenomenology and Postmodernism.

Movement Practices and Applied Performance Project*:

This core module for the MPhil Theatre and Performance will offer a consideration of movement practices in performance from scholarly and practical points of view. In both semesters the class will meet on a weekly basis to practically and theoretically explore movement forms and key texts, watch video excerpts and review recent productions that foreground the moving body. In Hilary Semester, the class will undertake a performance project, where students will get the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the body in performance and develop strategies for practice-based research.

*Subject to University Council approval

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Why take this course?

The Master of Architecture provides a vibrant, challenging and expansive programme aimed at equipping you with the professional and creative skills for a successful career as an architect and leads to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Part 2 exemption. Through the design studios you will be exposed to a range of related architectural interests, including urbanism, landscape, practice, sustainability and culture, providing a cross-disciplinary learning environment that is appropriate in today’s professionally complex architectural world. We can also provide all incoming, full-time MArch students with funding toward a Course field trip.

What will I experience?

On this course you will undertake studio-based design projects, with opportunities to:

Engage with current collaborative projects with academic institutions in other countries – in the past these have included Turkey, Spain, Denmark and Australia
Work on projects with 'live' clients through our RIBA registered Project Office practice
Opt to study at a choice of European universities through the ERASMUS exchange scheme

What opportunities might it lead to?

This course is professionally accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It is structured to ensure the integration and synthesis of contextual, technical and professional complexities inherent within the design process, helping you to engage with the prescribed ARB/RIBA criteria, and attain RIBA Part 2 exemption.

Module Details

The design curriculum is delivered through studios, each having a distinct research topic relating to the research and practice of the studio tutors. The studio topics and pedagogy provide a framework and guidance for student projects in Year One and support in Year Two as you develop your particular thesis questions into design propositions. Studios topics change annually in response to current issues in practice and society, challenging the architectural profession, and offering variety in scale,content and context in the UK and abroad.

Please see our proposed 2016/17 MArch studios below. You can find more information on our course blog and see output in our MArch Gallery.

MArch Studios 2016-17*

Latent Culture- Exploring the Reading, Mapping and Making of Place: Mapping, reading and drawing out, Studio 1 will explore cartography, archaeology, memory, narrative and material of place. Through a series of thematic studies – text and making based – the studio will bring together an understanding of place using artefacts, films, maps and narratives.

Littoral Landscapes: Change Labs for Coastal Experimentation: This studio will experiment with the ‘seeds’ of transformation, focussing on littoral landscapes – coastal villages, towns and cities in the UK and abroad. The studio is the Lab, the seeds are about speculation, growth, invention and entrepreneurialism - small changes which can lead to revolutions.

Urban Futures. Cities constantly change in response to changes in society: Today, major environmental and economic challenges we are facing require new models for the built environment that are capable to be resource efficient, adaptable to environmental modifications and designed to facilitate placemaking.

The Emergent Studio: Architecture of, on and around the Edge: The Emergent Studio explores the idea of making architecture within cultural contexts that are not ‘our own’; always in a location that in some way exemplifies an edge condition. Our theoretical platform for exploring these conditions has been, and continues to be, rooted within phenomenology, drawing from the writings of the humane Nordic modernist tradition, in informing our methodologies of interrogation and design.

Portsmouth: The Anatomy of "The Island City”: This studio continues our reflections on Portsmouth's response to climate change induced rise in sea levels adding an analysis of infrastructures and their impact on developing Urban & Architectural visions for the city.

Tactical Urbanism: Tactical Urbanism will investigate, in a radical and provocative way, how a university environment will change in the future and create alternative and hypothetical social scenarios as starting point for your design project. The aim is not to create a futuristic environment but to challenge the current paradigms and try to address the real problems and issues that our society will face in a near 2050 future.

Coastal Latent Dynamics: Material Voids: This new studio will frame the architectural process, starting with a close up of the Micro (the detail, the material qualities of place, prototyping), continuing to a wide shot of the Macro (the notion of municipality in a coastal context) and then zooming into the Meso (dealing with the opportunities of voids, empty buildings and their environs).

*Please note: studio offers may change due to staff and student numbers.

Programme Assessment

You will be taught through a combination of individual and group tutorials in your selected studio, while year-wide units are lecture-based, complemented by seminars and workshops. Our studio-teaching method will mean that you will be working with tutors with professional and academic experience in their field and all unit programmes are complemented by contributions from external professionals.

Studio programmes will often entail shared sessions with European and, sometimes, other overseas institutions, in countries such as Denmark, Turkey, Morocco, Italy and Spain. Representatives of local public and private bodies and agencies frequently contribute to studio tutorials and crits. All this helps to ensure that your learning and studio research outputs can have regional impact and global reach.

Design assessment is through studio review (crit) as work progresses and portfolio assessment at the end of the academic year. ‘Taught’ units, in support of the design curriculum, are assessed through various forms of illustrated written coursework – both individual and group, such as reports and the Dissertation.

Student Destinations

Careers in architecture are demanding ever-increasing specialism and professional competence.

The unique learning experience we offer on this course will enable you to develop as an expansive, creative and professional individual capable of success in a range of creative and professional environments. The breadth of engagement with the discipline and range of studios ensures that you will become confident in responding to the demands of the profession. The regional, national and international destinations of the School’s alumni are testament to this, as are our graduate employment take-up statistics.

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This degree offers specialist interdisciplinary study within Philosophy and English Studies. It brings together modules addressing the interrelations between literary practice and philosophical perspectives.

Why study Philosophy and Literature at Dundee?

You will work closely with an enthusiastic team of lecturers, and receive a high degree of individual supervision in an active research culture. The Philosophy Programme at Dundee is one of the main centres in the UK for the study of European Philosophy. We have the highest number of specialist researchers and teachers on Nietzsche, existentialism, phenomenology and recent French and German philosophy in Scotland.

This course is a pathway on the MLitt in Humanities with Specialisation programme.

Research Excellence

The School of Humanities at Dundee is a centre of research excellence. Postgraduate students join a vigorous research culture led by world-leading scholars. In the most recent RAE, a full 90% of English's research publications were rated as of international excellence in terms of their 'originality, significance and rigour' and 45% of our research output was rated in the two very highest categories of 'international excellence'.

What's so good about Philosophy and Literature at Dundee?

As a student in both the English and Philosophy departments, you will be a member of an active postgraduate community where students regularly participate in research seminars, reading groups and conferences.

Philosophy's Postgraduate Work-in-Progress Seminars are a forum for MLitt, MPhil and PhD students to present and discuss their work. Students are also encouraged to organise and participate in specialist reading groups. In recent years, staff and students have met to examine Kant's Critique of Judgement, Schopenhauer's World as Will and Representation, and Deleuze's Francis Bacon: the logic of sensation.

There are also regular research seminars, with papers given by invited international and UK speakers, reflecting the Philosophy Section's research specialisms in both continental and analytic fields. The English department also offers a regular postgraduate forum, a postgraduate website, visiting speakers and an annual postgraduate conference.

Who should study this course?

This course is ideal both for students who wish to prepare for doctoral work in either Continental Philosophy or English Studies and for return-to-study students who are looking for a wider breadth of learning and are interested in the close connections between Continental Philosophy and literary practice.

How you will be taught

The course starts in September each year and lasts for 12 months on a full time basis or 24 months on a part time basis. All the core teaching is conducted 5.30-7.30pm to allow attendance by part-time and full-time students alike. Other classes are scheduled for the mutual convenience of staff and students. A variety of teaching methods will be used, including: small group teaching, supervised study, seminars and presentations.

Learning methods will include oral and written presentations, as well as research essays and a dissertation. One-to-one supervision of a dissertation is designed to promote continuity in the learning experiences provided and students with the opportunity to work on a topic of their own choosing (subject to approval by the tutor).

What you will study

Students must take:

Approaches to Literary and Visual Culture (core)
Optional modules (80 credits in total) either from MLitt English Studies or MLitt Philosophy
Either the English dissertation or the Philosophy dissertation
All students must attempt the dissertation. Students whose dissertation fails to satisfy the examiners will be awarded the PG Diploma, provided that the taught elements of the course have been successfully completed.

How you will be assessed

Assessment includes essays, skills tests, a presentation and a dissertation.

Careers

The opportunity of advanced philosophical study may serve as the grounding for PhD research. Our recent postgraduate students have been successful in obtaining funding from the AHRC, the Carnegie Trust, the UK Overseas Research Scheme, and the Royal Institute for Philosophy. Postgraduates and Postdoctoral Research Fellows in the Department have gone on to academic posts in Philosophy and related disciplines in Britain, Ireland and the United States.

However, due to the non-vocational nature of a Philosophy degree many students also enter jobs unrelated to their course of study. For these students this course provides them with an opportunity to further develop their written presentation skills, as well as the ability to work independently and plan independent research and study.

Learn more about careers related to the Humanities on our Careers Service website.

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As a cultivated form of invention, design shapes, modifies and alters the world around us for better or worse, and the need for modern design to be more sustainable and ethically responsible has never been more important.

Many multinational companies, research centres, governments and individuals acknowledge that a change in attitude to the way we design products, spaces, communications and communities is a positive step and long overdue. Indeed, over the last 10 years, commercial understanding of sustainable design has transformed, shifting from being about risk and compliance to a dynamic leadership issue.

Our Sustainable Design MA helps you to rethink the parameters of good design in an unsustainable age. Working alongside experts in ecology, psychology, design and business, you will gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to focus your practice and become a more effective agent of change.

Why study with us?

• Interdisciplinary approach to sustainable design that incorporates ideas from ecology, psychology and business with a balance of theory and practice
• Campus in one of Europe's most progressive and creative cities
• World-renowned staff, including sustainable design expert Professor Jonathan Chapman
• Guest lecturers from industry including Louis Joseph (head of global strategy at Puma), Richard Gilbert (director of The Agency for Design) and Oliver Heath (founder of OH Designs)
• Diverse student body with backgrounds in graphic design, illustration, architecture, fashion, education, politics and product design

Areas of study

• Sustainable Design: Present(s)
Semester one, 20 credits

You start with a foundation in sustainable design principles, theories and methodologies. Themes include cradle to cradle, low-carbon building and production, design for recycling, biodegradability, biomimicry, alternative energy, ecological thinking, permaculture, and disassembly.

• Research Methods
Semester one, 20 credits

This module gives you an overview of design research methods and how they are used in professional practice. It enables you to construct the kind of research questions, hypotheses and methodologies that underpin innovative design, as you develop a more autonomous position in the process of critical inquiry.

• Studio
Semesters one and two, 60 credits

The Studio module spans two projects – ‘Behaviours’ and ’Matters’. The Behaviours project takes place in semester one and provides you with a theoretical context for the studio-based investigation, analysis and generation of essential design criteria that shape patterns of consumption.

In semester two, you undertake the Matters project, a studio-based experience that places emphasis on materiality and the nature of physical experience as mediated through the design, production and physical manifestation of things.

• Sustainable Design: Future(s)
Semester two, 20 credits

This module takes the form of a series of seminars, workshops and discussion groups where specialist practitioners, writers, researchers, manufacturers and theorists present their work on sustainability. It covers themes including consumer motivation, behaviour, phenomenology, deep ecology, temporality, consciousness, emotional durability, materiality, defuturing and experience-authoring.

• Master
Semester three, 60 credits

The Master project represents the culmination of your work throughout the course. It allows you to apply all of the experiences and skills that you have accumulated, as you choose an area of sustainable design that you want to pursue in detail.

You work is structured by an individually defined 'statement of intent' that provides the framework through which you will be assessed. This process enables you to explore distinctive areas of expertise with a unique approach to the ubiquitous issues of sustainability and design.

The final body of master work must be developed through practices relevant to you and your statement of intent. These might include the development and production of design proposals, a written thesis, a documentary, an ad campaign, an article for a leading publication, a touring exhibition or a combination of the above.

Our studio

From 2016, students will work in the new Masters Centre, which provides studio, seminar and tutorial space for all postgraduate students in the School of Architecture and Design.

Students on MA Sustainable Design will have dedicated studio space with access to workshop and digital model making facilities. More specialised materials and making requirements can be supported on an individual basis with colleagues in engineering, crafts and arts.

Careers and employability

After graduation, many students secure influential positions within major global businesses, charities and NGOs.

A number of our students establish independent design agencies, social innovation labs and research centres. Many decide to continue their research in the form of a PhD, and have a particularly strong record of achieving fully funded studentships, both here at Brighton and internationally.

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The MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling provides high quality BACP-accredited training, with a strong research focus. It offers an opportunity to critically and creatively evaluate current theory and practice issues.

You’ll benefit from the knowledge of experienced counsellors and psychotherapists, with senior levels of registration.

Teaching staff are also active researchers, with a range of specialisms. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to conduct independent in-depth research into a complex specialist area. In your final year, our innovative annual student conference gives you chance to share your research with peers.

The programme aims to equip you to work with self-direction and make effective decisions in complex and unpredictable situations. Many students also bring a wealth of personal experience that helps them to reflect on a range of human issues. Our excellent relationships with a range of agencies throughout the region will assist you in finding a practice placement.

More information

Staff research specialisms include: values and ethics, power and politics, person-centred approaches, phenomenology, reflexivity in research, eating disorders, addictions, crosscultural research, maternal wellbeing and eating behaviours, mother-infant mealtime interactions.

You can also study this subject at Postgraduate Diploma level.

Accreditation

The MA Psychotherapy and Counselling has received British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course status which, on successful completion, will allow you to be added to their voluntary assured register of practitioners.

Course content

Over the first two years you study nine modules: four theory and four concerned with development as a reflective practitioner, plus research methods. In the third year, you have the opportunity to undertake small-scale research.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Year 1 Compulsory modules

• Counselling and Psychotherapy Theories 15 credits
• Becoming a Reflective Practitioner 1a 15 credits
• Theories of Human Intersubjective Development 15 credits
• Becoming a Reflective Practitioner 1b 15 credits

Year 2 Compulsory modules

• Ethical and Cultural Issues for Psychotherapeutic Counselling 15 credits
• Becoming a Reflective Practitioner 2a 15 credits
• Integration of Psychotherapeutic Theory, Practice and Intersubjectivity 15 credits
• Becoming a Reflective Practitioner 2b 15 credits
• Research Methods 15 credits

Year 3 Compulsory modules

• Dissertation 45 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Psychotherapy and Counselling MA in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

You are encouraged to develop as an independent learner and scholar. Teaching approaches emphasise reflection and reflexivity and encourage you to bring personal and professional experience into discussion as a source of critical wisdom alongside wide reading.

Students starting in 2017 will have a teaching day of Tuesday throughout the first and second year

Assessment

Assessments include essays, oral presentations, live skills demonstrations, audio recorded extracts from client work, and reports from supervisors and placement mentors.

Career opportunities

Many of our graduates go on to combine counselling and psychotherapy with their existing professions, such as nursing or education. Some continue to work in a voluntary capacity to build sufficient supervised client hours to join the advanced category of individual BACP accreditation, while others set up in private practice.

Our graduates are highly sought after by employers within the region, many of whom are closely associated with the course as practice providers or supervisors. Many of our graduates have gone on to hold positions of responsibility as counsellors or psychotherapists within the NHS and voluntary bodies, and some have returned to us to undertake PhD research or teaching.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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