MA, 1 year full time/2 years part time
Subject overview
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Philosophy at Sussex was ranked in the top 10 in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2013 and in the top 30 in the UK in The Complete University Guide 2014.
Philosophy at Sussex also achieved a strong result in the 2008 Research Assessment exercise (RAE), placing it 18th in the subject nationally. It is one of only nine philosophy departments in the UK to have 100 per cent of its research activity rated as world leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.
The Department is notable for encouraging a wide range of approaches to philosophical issues, allowing you to specialise in either the analytic or continental traditions, or to combine both.
Our faculty have a wide variety of research interests, with strengths in various traditions of European and analytic philosophy including aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, Kant, Hegel, German Idealism, Marx, critical theory, phenomenology, ancient philosophy, Indian philosophy, and social and political philosophy.
- Academic activities
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Postgraduate students attend regular reading and work-in-progress seminars, giving them the opportunity to discuss their own ideas and work with peers and faculty. There is also a weekly Philosophy Society meeting, showcasing current research both by Sussex philosophers and by internationally recognised philosophers from around the world.
Programme outline
This MA offers an advanced general grounding in philosophy, which forms a good basis for further research. It includes modules in both the analytic and continental traditions of philosophy, reflecting the wide range of interests within the Department of Philosophy. You may decide to concentrate on just one of these traditions, or to take modules from both of them.
If you have a particular philosophical interest, you can choose one of our three designated MA pathways:
- analytic philosophy
- continental philosophy
- aesthetics.
Assessment
Taught modules are assessed by term papers of 5,000 words. At the end of the year you also submit a dissertation of up to 15,000 words.
We continue to develop and update our modules for 2014 entry to ensure you have the best student experience.In addition to the course structure below, you may find it helpful to refer to the 2012 modules tab.
Autumn term: Philosophical Topics, plus one of Kant • Mind and Reality • Phenomenology.
Spring term: Philosophy Reading Seminar, plus two of Ethics • Hegel and Marx • Language and Truth • Philosophy Special Subject • Political and Legal Philosophy • approved alternative option (refer to the list, below).
The Philosophy Special Subject module allows you to work at an advanced level on a topic close to a tutor’s research interests. Topics that may be on offer include Adorno • epistemology • Hegel • Heidegger • Husserl • Kant • Marx • metaphysics • philosophical logic • philosophy of language • philosophy of mind • Wittgenstein.
One of the spring-term options may be replaced by an approved module from another MA, eg Derrida (MA in Literature and Philosophy) • Emotion and Consciousness • Gender and Representation (MA in Media and Cultural Studies) • Photography and 20th-Century Visual Culture (MA in Art History) • Power and Religion: Nietzsche, Foucault, Kafka (MA in Literature and Philosophy) • The Frankfurt School and Critical Theory (MA in Social and Political Thought).
Summer term: you take the Dissertation Training Workshop and undertake supervised work on the MA dissertation.
Current modules
Please note that these are the core modules and options (subject to availability) for students starting in the academic year 2012.
Analytic Aesthetics
30 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This gives you a thorough grounding in certain central areas of aesthetics, approached from an analytic perspective, and fosters independent critical thinking about issues raised in these areas. Issues covered may include: the objectivity or otherwise of aesthetic judgement; the relation between the aesthetic properties of an object and its descriptive properties; what sort of thing an artwork is; definitions of art, both pre- and post-Wittgenstein; the relation between art and emotional expression; the relation between aesthetic and ethical value; the value of tragedy. Along the way, you will explore works both by major historical figures, and by important recent thinkers in contemporary analytic aesthetics.
Ethics
30 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
This module will be focussed on the foundations of ethics. We will look at questions of the objectivity of ethics and the central challenges to it, as they arise both in central historical texts (such as Hume's Treatise and Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals) and in philosophical work from the recent past (such as the work of Mackie and McDowell). All essential reading will be made available online through the Study Direct site, which will be established before the end of the calendar year.
Hegel and Marx
30 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
The first half of this course examines Hegel's social and political philosophy, and its place in his overall account of human consciousness, historical change, and the Absolute. You will consider notions such as recognition, spirit, freedom and ethical life in Hegel and their political implications. The second half of the course examines Marx as an ethical and political thinker. You will look at a range of his works, beginning with his earliest, investigating his ideas of freedom, species-being, alienation, class, ideology, fetishism and capital, and asking on what basis he advocates and expects the replacement of capitalism by communism.
Kant
30 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
Kant's metaphysics has shaped all later philosophy, in both the analytic and the continental traditions. His moral philosophy is of crucial importance to contemporary ethics, and to political philosophy from Hegel and Marx to Rawls. His aesthetic theory still has a continuing influence in all work in that field. The course will provide you with an advanced introduction to his work, concentrating on one or more of the central texts.
Language and Truth
30 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
This module will focus on certain aspects of the important relationship between language and truth
Mind and Reality
30 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module will focus on selected aspects of the relationship between Mind and Reality.
Phenomenology
30 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module will examine works in the phenomenological tradition, which includes such philosophers as Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, Levinas and Derrida. Usually the readings will be focused around a specific theme. Central questions include: how did phenomenologists after Husserl modify his phenomenological method? How does one best address the question of 'the other' phenomenologically? How do phenomenologists tackle issues of language, art and history?
Philosophical Topics
30 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module introduces central topics in analytic philosophy, such as: realism and idealism; the nature of perception; the possibility of knowledge; the nature of thought; freedom and determinism; the possibility of metaphysics; language and thought; moral truth. Two or three topics will be covered each year.
Philosophy Reading Seminar
0 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
Each week an article or chapter will be read together and discussed, with a view to developing and reinforcing skills in argument extraction, analysis, and critical thinking.
Philosophy Special Subject
30 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
In exceptional circumstances, where you can demonstrate a specific need to work on an area of philosophy which is directly related to the current research of a faculty member, that faculty member may agree to supervise you on that topic for a term.
Philosophy Work-in Progress Seminar
0 credits
Spring & summer teaching, year 1
A group seminar to discuss dissertation work-in-progress and to present problems, issues and portions of writing for discussion and improvement.
Political and Legal Philosophy
30 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
This module addresses some of the major issues in contemporary political philosophy and philosophy of law, both national and international. Topics covered may include: the nature and justification of the state and of political ideals such as democracy, justice, freedom, equality and legality; natural law and positivist theories of law; rights and natural rights; political legitimacy and political obligation; arguments for and against private property and the market economy; perfectionism, neutrality, communitarianism and multiculturalism in political philosophy; Marxist, feminist, postmodern and postcolonial approaches to political philosophy; the nature and ground of international law; the ideas of global justice and cosmopolitanism; and the justification of war. The main focus is contemporary writers such as Hart, Rawls, Nozick, Dworkin, Walzer and MacKinnon, but texts from the history of political and legal thought may also be used.
Entry requirements
UK entrance requirements
A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in philosophy, but related disciplines may also be considered.
Overseas entrance requirements
- Overseas qualifications
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If your country is not listed below, please contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Country Overseas qualification Australia Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division Brazil Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 8 Canada Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+) China Bachelor degree from a leading university with overall mark of 75%-85% depending on your university Cyprus Bachelor degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5 France Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 13 Germany Bachelor degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better Ghana Bachelor degree from a public university with second-class upper division Greece Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.5 Hong Kong Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division India Bachelor degree from a leading institution with overall mark of at least 60% or equivalent Iran Bachelor degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15 Italy Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105 Japan Bachelor degree from a leading university with a minumum average of B+ or equivalent Malaysia Bachelor degree with class 2 division 1 Mexico Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8 Nigeria Bachelor degree with second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 Pakistan Four-year bachelor degree, normally with a GPA of at least 3.3 Russia Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4 South Africa Bachelor (Honours) degree or Bachelor degree in Technology with an overall mark of at least 70% Saudi Arabia Bachelor degree with an overall mark of at least 70% or CGPA 3.5/5.0 or equivalent South Korea Bachelor degree from a leading university with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent Spain Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4 Taiwan Bachelor degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university Thailand Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent Turkey Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 depending on your university United Arab Emirates Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent USA Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university Vietnam Masters degree with CGPA 3.5/4.0 or equivalent If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas qualifications, contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the other sections. Internet TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
Visas and immigration
Find out more about Visas and immigration.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex
For pre-application enquiries:
Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
For post-application enquiries:
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk
Related programmes
Fees and funding
Fees
Home UK/EU students: £5,5001
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £5,5002
Overseas students: £13,0003
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The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Chancellor's International Scholarship (2014)
Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 1 May 2014
25 scholarships of a 50% tuition fee waiver
Fulbright-Sussex University Award (2014)
Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 15 October 2013
Each year, one award is offered to a US citizen for the first year of a postgraduate degree in any field at the University of Sussex.
Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust for Postgraduate Study (2014)
Region: UK
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 1 October 2013
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust are offering bursaries to Postgraduate students following any postgraduate degree courses in any subject.
Santander Scholarship (2014)
Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 1 May 2014
Two scholarships of £5000 fee waiver for students studying any postgraduate taught course.
USA Friends Scholarships (2014)
Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 3 April 2014
Two scholarships of an amount equivalent to $10,000 are available to nationals or residents of the USA on a one year taught Master's degree course.
Faculty interests
Research interests are briefly described below. For more detailed information, visit the Department of Philosophy.
Dr Lucy Allais Kant, transcendental idealism, forgiveness.
Dr Corine Besson Philosophy of language, epistemology, philosophy of logic, early analytic philosophy.
Dr Anthony Booth Epistemology, philosophy of mind, ethics, applied ethics.
Dr Andrew Chitty Political and legal philosophy, Hegel, German Idealism, Marx.
Dr Ron Chrisley Philosophy of cognitive science, artificial intelligence, mind, consciousness, representation and computation.
Dr Paul Davies Kant, phenomenology, aesthetics, philosophy and literature, 19th- and 20th-century European philosophy.
Dr Katerina Deligiorgi Kant, Hegel, moral philosophy, ethics and literature, contemporary aesthetics.
Dr Gordon Finlayson German Idealism, 20th-century German philosophy, the Frankfurt School, Adorno, Horkheimer, Habermas.
Professor Jonardon Ganeri Indian Philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of language.
Professor Michael Morris Philosophy of language, metaphysics, aesthetics, Wittgenstein, Plato.
Dr Sarah Sawyer Epistemology, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, philosophy of language.
Dr Tanja Staehler Contemporary European philosophy, German Idealism, Plato, continental aesthetics.
Dr Kathleen Stock The nature of imagination; philosophy of fiction, music and film; aesthetics.
Careers and profiles
Our graduates have gone on to careers in arts administration and management, business, charities, the Civil Service, HR and recruitment, investment and banking, IT, journalism, law, local government, management consultancy, the media, non-governmental organisations, NHS management, publishing, sales and advertising, social services, teaching, and university lecturing.
For more information, visit Careers and alumni.
School and contacts
School of History, Art History and Philosophy
The School of History, Art History and Philosophy brings together staff and students from some of the University's most vibrant and successful departments, each of which is a locus of world-leading research and outstanding teaching. Our outlook places a premium on intellectual flexibility and the power of the imagination.
Dr Gordon Finlayson,
Arts A, University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9QN, UK
T +44 (0)1273 876629
E j.g.finlayson@sussex.ac.uk
Department of Philosophy
Postgraduate Open Day 2013
4 December 2013, 1pm-4pm
Bramber House, University of Sussex
- talk to academic faculty and current postgraduate students
- subject talks and presentations on postgraduate study, research and funding
- choose from our exciting range of taught Masters and research degrees
- find out how postgraduate study can improve your career prospects
- get details of our excellent funding schemes for taught postgraduate study.
To register your interest in attending, visit Postgraduate Open Day.
Can’t make it to our Postgraduate Open Day? You might be interested in attending one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions.
Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions
If you can’t make it to our Postgraduate Open Day, you’re welcome to attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions. These are held in the spring and summer terms and enable you to find out more about postgraduate study and the opportunities Sussex has to offer.
Visit Discover Postgraduate study to book your place.
Other ways to visit Sussex
We run weekly guided campus tours every Wednesday afternoon, year round. Book a place online at Visit us and Open Days.
You are also welcome to visit the University independently without any pre-arrangement.