Program Overview
The MA Philosophy (Public Policy) program at the University of Liverpool equips students with a comprehensive understanding of public policy and philosophical theory. Through seminars, workshops, and a dissertation project, students develop critical thinking, communication, and research skills. The program prepares graduates for careers in academia, the arts, business, and other fields where analytical and problem-solving abilities are valued.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
MA Philosophy (Public Policy) builds on the University of Liverpool's long-established MA in Philosophy by offering a specialist route in public policy. This program aims to equip students with the skills to understand and shape public policy, scientific practice, and social and political change through the lens of philosophical theory and analysis.
Objectives:
- To develop an understanding of current issues in metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, religion, ethics, and practical philosophy.
- To gain an understanding of public policy and how policies are devised.
- To learn philosophical critiques of society and social institutions.
- To enhance critical reading and critical thinking skills.
- To develop communication skills, both verbally and in writing, through open debates and written assessments.
- To gain practical experience of being part of a university research community.
- To acquire key research and professional skills.
- To receive training in the forensic, dialectical, and analytical tools that characterize good philosophical practice.
Outline:
The program is structured as a full-time 12-month or part-time 24-month course. It is divided into three semesters:
Semester One:
Compulsory Modules:
- Philosophy and Social Change (PHIL771): This module explores the role of philosophy in understanding and contributing to social change. Topics may include (dis)trust in science, political polarization, science communication, propaganda, and philosophy of class, disability, gender, race, and sexuality. Assessment includes a 1000-word op-ed and a 2000-word essay.
- Religion, Ethics and Practical Philosophy (PHIL704): This module introduces current issues in ethics, philosophy of religion, and practical philosophy, as considered by current staff actively researching them. Assessment is through coursework. It includes regular workshops covering key skills for research and professional life, supplemented by ‘Insights’ workshops with visiting researchers and participation in the department’s research activities.
Optional Modules:
- AESTHETICS (PHIL716): This module delves into central themes of aesthetics and art theory, including questions about aesthetic judgment, aesthetic experience, and aesthetic value. Assessment is through a 3,000-word essay.
- CONSCIOUSNESS (PHIL709): This module provides a survey of significant debates in contemporary philosophy of mind, examining topics of consciousness, perception, and artificial intelligence. Assessment is through coursework.
- Words and Ideas: Realism, Nominalism, and the emergence of the modern concept of the Individual.
- (PHIL772): This module presents disputes between ontological individualism and ontological holism, with close attention to the etymology and semantic history of philosophically relevant words. Assessment is through coursework.
- Science, Society and Public Policy (PHIL732): This module introduces students to philosophical critiques of society and social institutions, particularly science. It aims to equip students with the tools to better understand the world in which they live. Assessment includes group projects leading to presentations and posters, and an individual project leading to a 3500-word essay.
Optional Modules:
- Cultural Institutions B (PHIL770): This module explores theories, processes, and practical conditions of art exhibitions within cultural institutions, addressing the relationship between the artist, art, curator, and institution. Assessment is through a 3,000-word essay.
- METAPHYSICAL AND EPISTEMIC ISSUES IN PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION (PHIL715): This module examines key contemporary debates in the philosophy of religion, addressing questions about the nature of God, the relationship between faith and reason, and the problem of evil. Assessment is through coursework.
- PHILOSOPHY OF FILM (PHIL757): This module considers philosophical approaches to the nature of film, examining the thinking of philosophers, critics, and filmmakers on vital issues surrounding film as art. Assessment is through a 3,000-word essay.
- SUBSTANCE AND PROCESS IN INDIAN METAPHYSICS (PHIL726): This module familiarizes students with traditions of belief and practice associated with Hinduism and Buddhism, exploring how Indian philosophers have considered topics also discussed in Western traditions. Assessment is through a 3,000-word essay.
Final Project:
Compulsory Module:
- M.A.
- DISSERTATION (PHIL706): Students write a dissertation (15,000 words, maximum) on a topic they have researched in depth, under the guidance of their supervisors. There are also two seminar sessions focusing on dissertation preparation and writing skills.
Assessment:
Assessment is primarily through coursework, including essays, essay plans, research proposals, a reflective journal, and a dissertation. Presentations are also required in certain modules. Other assessment formats may apply depending on the optional modules taken.
Teaching:
Teaching is delivered through a combination of seminars and workshops held on campus. Depending on the module options taken, there may be lectures and separate seminar sessions scheduled. Class sizes for master’s programmes in the Department of Philosophy tend to be small, typically including between 8-10 students.
Careers:
The program aims to equip students with analytical, argumentative, and problem-solving skills valued by employers. Other career destinations include business, the media, the civil service, and education.
Other:
- The Department of Philosophy is based in the School of the Arts, although teaching will take place across the campus.
- The department has a long history of combining research excellence in core areas of philosophy with innovative work at the frontiers of the discipline.
- The department is ranked 4th in the sector for outstanding (4 ) research impact (REF 2021).
- The department is home to PHILOS-L, the largest Philosophy mailing list in the world, with over 13,000 members in over 60 countries.
- The department works with partners in the Bluecoat Gallery, Tate Liverpool, National Museums Liverpool, NHS, and more to inspire thinking and the practices of communities.
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland) Full-time place, per year £10,800 Part-time place, per year £5,400 International fees Full-time place, per year £22,400 Part-time place, per year £11,200 Fees stated are for the 2024-25 academic year. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support. You can pay your tuition fees in instalments. All or part of your tuition fees can be funded by external sponsorship. International applicants who accept an offer of a place will need to pay a tuition fee deposit.