MA Philosophy

Year 1

(Award available for year: Master of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:

demonstrate in-depth knowledge and a sophisticated critical understanding of concepts, information and techniques at the forefront of analytic philosophy;

exhibit command of a range of generic and philosophical intellectual skills and abilities;

critically and creatively to evaluate current issues and research in philosophy across a range of topics/areas;

proactively to formulate philosophical ideas and arguments and to practice independent research to develop and evaluate these;

organise, research and write an extended piece of independent research, demonstrating advanced scholarship, in a focused subject area;

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

Transferable (key) skills

Masters (taught), Postgraduate Diploma and 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;

analytical skills including the ability to detect irrelevance, construct arguments, and evaluate competing perspectives on an issue or debate

the ability to evaluate one’s own achievement and that of others;

independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;

ability to work with and manage projects and deadlines;

communication, oral and written;

critical engagement 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 include:

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;

making reasoned judgements while understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete or definite reasons or evidence.