Philosophy and Public Affairs

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The Masters of Arts in Philosophy and Public Affairs is is a one-year interdisciplinary programme (or two years part-time), designed to offer graduates of either philosophy or the social sciences (politics, economics, history) the opportunity to study some of the many areas of overlap between the disciplines, and especially to explore foundational questions in public policy formulation. The innovative programme mixes the abstract and the applied, with half the modules from the School of Philosophy, and half from existing MA modules in the School of Politics and International Relations, the School of Applied Social Science, the School of Social Justice and the School of Sociology.

The student must take SIX modules. The modules below are offered in 2011-12 academic year and may change year to year. These comprise:

(A) one compulsory module, PHIL 40420 The Good Society (John Rundall), Semester II

(B) two philosophy modules, chosen from the following three:

Semester I

* PHIL40350 Law, Liberty & the State
* PHIL40840 Autonomy

Semester II

* PHIL40190 Paradigms in Socio-Cultural Criticism

(C) one theoretical social science module, chosen from the following list:

Semester I

* EQUL40310 Masculinities, Gender & Equality
* SOC40050 Contemporary Sociological Theory
* POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
* SOC40390 Cultural Theory and Analysis

Semester II

* EQUL40050 Theory of Equality
* POL40130 Development and Global Justice
* POL40550 Debates on Citizenship

(D) two social science modules from the following list (which includes the modules of section C):

Semester I

* EQUL40310 Masculinities & Equality
* SOC40050 Contemporary Sociological Theory
* POL41030 Theory of Human Rights
* SOC40390 Cultural Theory and Analysis
* EQUL40180 Sociology of Inequality
* EQUL40190 Education and Inequality
* EQUL40200 Disability and Equality
* POL40390 Northern Ireland
* SOC40580 Comparative Politics of Inequality

Semester II

* EQUL40050 Theory of Equality
* POL40130 Development and Global Justice
* POL40550 Debates on Citizenship
* EQUL40240 International Human Rights Law
* POL41020 Politics of Human Rights
* POL40160 Comparative Public Policy
* SLL40170 Minority Policies Development

Please note: the School of Philosophy is not responsible for modules in other schools. Some of these modules may not be accessible to students on this MA programme because of (i) cancellation, (ii) oversubscription, or (iii) a timetable clash. Some timetable changes might be made as late as August.If you have any questions about the content of these modules, please contact the School in question: POL modules are offered by the School of Politics and International Relations; SOC modules are offered by the School of Sociology; EQUL modules are offered by the School of Social Justice; and the SLL module is offered by the School of Languages and Literatures.

In addition to the six modules, students must write a dissertation of 12-15,000 words, due on 17 August 2012. The dissertation must be supervised by a staff member of the School of Philosophy, although students may consult staff in other schools for informal advice.

Candidates may apply for admission to the MA Degree Programme if they have obtained one of the following: * A BA degree with at least Second Class Honours, Grade I in Philosophy (or in a subject where the degree programme contained a significant proportion of philosophical components) * A Joint-Honours BA degree with at least Second Class Honours, Grade II in Philosophy (or in a subject where the degree programme contained a significant proportion of philosophical components) and at least Second Class Honours, Grade II in the second subject * Second Class Honours, Grade I (or equivalent standard) in a relevant postgraduate diploma