MA Philosophy(Part-Time)

Year 2

(Award available for year: Master of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have shown evidence of being able:
- to demonstrate they have acquired skills enabling them to embark upon and complete successfully a PhD in Philosophy within 3-4 years.
- to demonstrate in-depth, specialist knowledge and mastery of techniques relevant to the discipline and/or to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of concepts, information and techniques at the forefront of the discipline;

All modules taken by students in the programme meet this requirement, the relevant concepts, information and techniques specified in the relevant module syllabus being selected with reference to recent research in the field of Philosophy

- to exhibit mastery in the exercise of generic and subject-specific intellectual abilities;

All Philosophy MA modules
Generic intellectual abilities:
Analytical Skills
Critical Thinking skills
Communication skills
Self-organisation

Module Specific
Identification of central issues regarding the module topic
Identification of central literature regarding the module topic
Development of the student's own ideas regarding the module topic

- to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;

Students develop techniques required for their own research or advanced scholarship by participating in module seminar discussion and preparing module essays as well as preparing their dissertations.

- to take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others;

All modules require students to adopt a proactive and self-reflective role in their study since they are expected to follow up their classwork with readings chosen from module bibliographies/reading lists, and to reflect on these in writing their assignments. Active participation in seminar discussions is expected from all students in all modules.

- proactively to formulate ideas and hypotheses and to develop, implement and execute plans by which to evaluate these;

All modules require students to formulate responses to studied literature, directly addressing claims therein to evaluate them in written assignments.

- critically and creatively to evaluate current issues, research and advanced scholarship in the discipline.

All modules require students to undertake some critical evaluation of current issues and research in the field of Philosophy.

Transferable (key) skills

Masters (Taught), Postgraduate Diploma & Postgraduate Certificate students will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

- the skills necessary to undertake a higher research degree and/or for employment in a higher capacity in industry or area of professional practice;
- evaluating their own achievement and that of others;
- self direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
- independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;
- critically to engage in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms.

Assessment

Achievement for the degree of Master (taught programme) will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will involve the achievement of the students in:

- evidencing an ability to conduct independent in-depth enquiry within the discipline;
- demonstrating the ability to apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area;
- drawing on a range of perspectives on an area of study;
- evaluating and criticising received opinion;
- make reasoned judgements whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data.