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Modern Philosophy

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Modern Philosophy

MA

Please note that this degree is now closed for 2024 entry. Please see our alternative European Philosophy.

Key information

Duration: 1 year full time or 2 years part time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees*: £10,600

International/EU fees**: £19,100

The course

Modern Philosophy (MA)

Royal Holloway's MA in Modern Philosophy offers a unique approach to postgraduate study of philosophy by bringing into conversation Anglo-American ‘analytical’ philosophy on the one hand and ‘European’ or ‘Continental’ Philosophy on the other. The MA is designed for students to use both these traditions whilst exploring the future of philosophy as a means of understanding what is at stake in the social, political, and economic upheavals of today.  As such, you will explore the key issues, thinkers and texts that are determining the future development of philosophy.

At Royal Holloway we have a unique approach to the subject that looks beyond the narrow confines of the Anglo-American analytic or European tradition of philosophy to connect it to other disciplines across the arts, humanities and social sciences. The result has been the creation of a truly interdisciplinary and collaborative programme that brings together academic staff from departments across the university – including scholars of drama and theatre, literature and political philosophy. Not only dedicated teachers of the subject, our philosophy staff are also experts and published authorities in their field.

This distinctive approach means that whichever area of philosophy you choose to study at postgraduate level, you will be able to place it in a wider context, with the support of experts across the disciplines.Our departmental specialisms include a wide range of philosophical topics such as ancient and Hellenistic philosophy, 19th and 20th-century European philosophy and contemporary analytic philosophy and American pragmatism.

We host a variety of additional activities throughout the year, including a visiting speaker series organized with our active student-run Philosophy Society, a number of workshops and conferences, and a reading group that meets weekly in central London.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience, and this is particularly the case as we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Core Modules

  • The aim of this module is to allow students to engage with research from across the range of philosophical sub-fields. The module also allows students to develop their understanding of the nature of philosophy and the diversity of philosophical methods, as well to further improve their abilities at written and oral communication of philosophical ideas and arguments. The module will be taught by a number of philosophers who teach on the wider MA programmes, and will be divided into four parts, each presenting a five week introduction to a topic researched by the academic. It will allow students enrolled on the different MA Philosophy streams to compare approaches, and see their own specialism within a wider philosophical context.

  • This module will explore canonical thinkers and texts in the European (particularly German) tradition of philosophy, exploring the differences of interpretation which arise from various approaches to texts in the history of philosophy.

  • The aim of this module is to present students with a synoptic account of the major developments in analytic philosophy in the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries insofar as these bear on our understanding of the relationship between the human agent and their world. The module centres on the emergence of Wittgenstein's later philosophy in order to bring into focus the extent to which this supports or stands as a challenge to the influence of the work of Kant and Hegel on contemporary analytic thought, and in particular on pragmatism. In addition to Wittgenstein, it deals with the work of Sellars, McDowell, Brandom, Rorty and Price.

  • The aim of the module is to produce a dissertation which illuminates a key issue or issues in the areas of philosophy studied on the MA. The dissertation is an individual piece of work produced in tandem with the dissertation supervisor, who will oversee the research through face-to-face meetings and/or email correspondence. The content depends on the topic chosen and on the approach to the topic agreed with the supervisor. Supervisors are assigned early in the Spring Term, and the number, frequency, and length of supervisory meetings is to be determined by supervisor and student.

  • This module will describe the key principles of academic integrity, focusing on university assignments. Plagiarism, collusion and commissioning will be described as activities that undermine academic integrity, and the possible consequences of engaging in such activities will be described. Activities, with feedback, will provide you with opportunities to reflect and develop your understanding of academic integrity principles.

     

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

  • Adorno and Critical Theory
  • The module will introduce students to key questions and arguments concerning the relationship between identity, power, meaning and knowledge, and how these impact on political thought and practice, through examination of key figures in contemporary Continental political thought.  The specific content will be decided in discussion with the students taking the module, but in past years thinkers have included Marx, Nietzsche, Lenin, Heidegger, Adorno, Sartre, Arendt, Schmitt, Lacan, Žižek, Deleuze and Guattari (their individual and collaborative works), Foucault, and Rancière.

  • Continental Aesthetics
  • This module explores some of the key issues which arise in the moral evaluation of human rights, both in general and with respect to particular rights. You will consider the role of rights in political and moral discourse and develop an understanding of some of the key criticisms to which they’ve been subject. You will also look at the three major categories of rights which have attracted much debate: economic rights, minority rights, and group rights. Finally, you will gain an oversight of the three central rights in liberal societies, examining the ways in which they have been interpreted and defended in light of recent political debates.

  • This module aims to introduce students to new conceptualizations of identity, difference, power, and politics that are associated most notably with what has been termed “Post-Marxist” or “New Left” politics and political philosophy.  Its premise is that recent changes in both political theory and practice – some of which are associated with changes linked to globalization and the emergence of new social movements – are compelling a paradigm shift in the way politics is understood.  It will focus on four concepts – identity, power, resistance, and otherness – that have become salient in contemporary political philosophy and international relations theory and on four theorists – Althusser, Gramsci, Laclau & Mouffe, and Foucault – whose thought on these issues has underpinned a great deal of “New Left” political theory and practice.  It will also look at how these issues and theories have become prominent in the theory and politics around feminism and lesbian politics and at new problematics for thinking about political thought and practice, with particular focus on what has been called the “micropolitical” realm.

  • The module aims to give an advanced grounding in the central ideas and concepts in contemporary Anglo-American political theory, enabling you to engage in its ongoing debates, and to acquire a sense of the state of the discipline as a whole.  Attention will be paid to some of the main ideas and concepts of contemporary political theory, including political obligation, punishment, egalitarianism, meritocracy, human rights, and global justice.  Throughout, we will explore how different thinkers have offered different theoretical articulations of these ideas, as well as their practical implications. The module aims to enable you to offer critiques and commentary of various positions in contemporary political theory, and to develop your own ideas.

  • The aim of this module is to give students an understanding of the key moments in the development of the Twentieth century French philosophical tradition. The focus will be on showing how the French tradition develops an alternative approach to philosophical problems on the basis of the perceived failure of classical analytical approaches. The module will also allow students to engage with a number of theorists, studying key texts in depth, and will further develop their ability to express, question, and justify theoretical theories, both dialogically, and in writing.

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework and a dissertation.

2:2

UK Honours degree or equivalent

International & EU requirements

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5
  • Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
  • Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III
  • Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
  • TOEFL iBT: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.
  • Duolingo: 120 overall, 135 in Literacy, 135 in Production and no sub-score below 100.

Philosophy degrees are well-regarded by employers because they give you the capacity to think through issues and problems in a logical and consistent way and to develop critical and transferable skills which can be applied in almost any area of employment.

So, by choosing to study this intellectually demanding discipline you will develop a broad range of highly prized transferable skills, both practical and theoretical, such as:

  • the ability to communicate views and present arguments clearly and coherently
  • the ability to critically digest, analyse and summarise complex ideas
  • time management and the discipline to meet deadlines
  • organisation and research skills
  • problem-solving skills and capability

An MA in Philosophy is ideal for preparing graduates not only for doctoral research in philosophy or related fields in the humanities and social sciences, but also for a wide range of careers in education, the arts, politics and public policy. With up to 90% of our most recent graduates now working or in further study, according to the Complete University Guide 2015, it’s true to say our graduates are highly employable. In recent years, PhD graduates have taken up academic positions at Oxford, Bristol and Roehampton Universities. Outside of academia, our graduates have embarked on teaching careers in the UK and overseas, undertaken archaeological and museum work and pursued careers in journalism, finance, politics and the arts.

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £10,600

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £19,100

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course

How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our terms and conditions.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25. Find out more 

*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.

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