MLitt in Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy

The MLitt in Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy provides a firm foundation for students wishing to specialise in ethics, and specifically in contemporary ethics, including moral philosophy, political philosophy and legal philosophy.

The MLitt in Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy is a one-year taught postgraduate programme run by St Andrews and Stirling Graduate Programme in Philosophy (SASP), taught by staff from both the University of St Andrews and the University of Stirling. The focus is on introducing students to contemporary debates in the fields of Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy, whilst also encouraging connections between these various specialisms.

Highlights

• Philosophy at St Andrews was ranked top in Scotland and fifth in the UK in the UK Research Excellence Framework 2014.
• St Andrews and Stirling Graduate Programme was ranked the third best Philosophy programme in the UK in the latest Philosophical Gourmet Report.
• Optional modules in moral, political and legal philosophy are available to students on the MLitt.
• Supervisors at both St Andrews and Stirling are available to oversee the MLitt dissertation.

Teaching format

Students on the MLitt in Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy have the opportunity to study topics in these philosophical areas through lectures, tutorials and reading groups. Modules are taught in small groups, normally consisting of four to ten students.

The programme consists of six taught modules taken over two semesters (each assessed by coursework) and a 15,000-word dissertation in an area of your choice.

Every MLitt student is assigned an advisor at the beginning of the year. Your advisor will provide you with individual guidance on essay planning and writing, academic conduct, and advice on how best to apply for a PhD place.

Part-time studies

The MLitt in Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy can also be taken as a part-time programme. Students will be expected to take three modules per year over two years, working on the dissertation over two summers.

Modules

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment.

Compulsory

Students must take three compulsory modules over the course of the programme.

Semester 1 – these two modules are taught in Stirling on Mondays. A coach will take you to and from Stirling without additional cost.

• Current Issues in Philosophy 1: focuses on epistemology and ethics.
• Research Methods: aims to foster the range of skills required for independent research in Philosophy. Students may choose to join a seminar group most related to their interests.

Semester 2

• Current Issues in Philosophy 2: explores the philosophy of language and philosophy of mind.

Optional

You will also have the opportunity to choose three modules from a selection of modules which focus on moral, political or legal philosophy. These modules may include:

• Aesthetics
• Kant
• Philosophy of Law
• Political Philosophy
• Texts in the History of Political Philosophy
• Topics in Recent Moral Theory

If you wish to brush up on your knowledge of logic, or if you have limited prior experience in this area, there is also an optional weekly seminar, Basic Logic, throughout the year.

Optional modules are subject to change each year, and some may only allow limited numbers of students.

Dissertation

The final element of the MLitt is a 15,000-word dissertation. The dissertation should be on an area of philosophy you are interested in; you will be encouraged to start considering a topic for the dissertation during Semester 2. Each student is supported through their dissertation by a relevant supervisor from the Department.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.

The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2019 entry.

Careers

Recent graduates in Philosophy have found openings in:

• local government
• television production (Sky Sports)
• the National Health Service
• the Co-operative Bank
• insurance
• the Crown Prosecution Service
• publishing
• teaching English in Japan

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Entry requirements

• A very strong 2.1 Honours degree in or including Philosophy. If you do not have an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, you may be interested in the Conversion in Philosophy.
• If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• English language proficiency.

The qualifications listed are indicative of minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

• CV.
• personal statement (optional).
• a sample of academic written work (2,500 words maximum).
• two original signed academic references.
• academic transcripts and degree certificates.
• evidence of English language proficiency (required if English is not your first language).

Funding

The following competitive scholarships are available for students on the MLitt in Epistemology, Mind and Language:

Philosophical Quarterly bursaries

SASP will be funding a number of bursaries for students in the MLitt programme in 2019-2020 courtesy of generous funding provided by the Philosophical Quarterly journal. Each bursary will cover the cost of tuition fees at the Home/EU fee level. The Home/EU fee waiver can be awarded to an Overseas fee-paying student, who will then be required to meet the remainder of the tuition fee from other sources.

Recent Graduate Discount

The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews.

Other taught postgraduate scholarships

St Andrews and Stirling are both committed to helping as many students as possible continue in higher education through scholarship opportunities. There is a wide range of postgraduate scholarships available for you to apply for, either via the university or directly via charitable organisations.