8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
1/35
1
The advice given in this guide is no substitute for knowledge of University Policy on graduate
matters. The Universitys Ordinances and Regulations is the authoritative work, and should be
consulted whenever doubt arises. The purpose of this guide is to explain how University policy is
implemented in the Philosophy Department.
Departmental Postgraduate Teaching Aims
In its postgraduate programmes, the Philosophy Department is committed to:
producing students of a high academic quality who have shown the ability to undertakeresearch,
incorporating the latest research and scholarship into its courses and tuition, and
enabling students to appreciate the value of the study of philosophy.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
2/35
2
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
3/35
3
PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT GUIDE FOR MA STUDENTS
Contents Page
1 Introduction to the Department 52 MA in Philosophy Programme 8
Core module outlines 11
Option module outlines 17
3 Support and Training for Your Studies 32
3.1 Personal support 32
3.2 Technical support 32
3.3 Training 33
4 Libraries 33
5 University and Department Committees 34
6 International Students 34
7 Careers Issues for Postgraduate Students 35
8 Complaints Procedures 35
***Please note that information concerning assessment policies and
procedures, mitigating circumstances, the format of essays can be
found on the Departments webpages:
http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/***
http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
4/35
4
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
5/35
5
1 INTRODUCTION TO THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Philosophy welcomes all those who have come to York to undertake work leading to an
MA degree. This guide is intended to offer you information and advice, so that you can become familiarwith our procedures and make the best use of your time here. We hope that you, as members of the
Philosophy Department, will take full advantage of what we have to offer.
The Department of Philosophy has 25 members of academic staff including teaching fellows, offering a
wide range of areas of research interest, including the history of philosophy (ancient, early modern, late
modern and early twentieth century), metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of
language, philosophy of logic, philosophy of religion, ethics, applied ethics, aesthetics, and continental
philosophy. The library provision is strong in all these areas. The Department has links with a number of
other Departments in the university, in particular with the Politics Department, the English Department,
and the Department of Health Studies. It is one of the constituent Departments of the new Humanities
Research Centre, housed in the Berrick Saul Building, where space is available for postgraduates to workand meet other postgraduates in the humanities.
The Department is based in the Sally Baldwin Buildings, Block A. The offices of the academic and
departmental administrative staff are here. The staff seminars and Philosophy Colloquia are typically held
in the departmental seminar room A/009.
Members of Staff and their Research Interests
Keith Allen (BA (Cambridge), MPhil, PhD (University College London)) Lecturer
Room A/103, tel 323255, email [email protected]
His interests include colour, perception, and Early Modern Philosophy.
Michael Beaney(MA, BPhil, DPhil (Oxon))Professor
Room A/124, tel 323260, email [email protected]
His interests include the philosophy of language, logic, mathematics and mind; the history of philosophy,
especially analytic philosophy; methodology and the foundations of reasoning, and conceptions of analysis.
He is the author of Frege: Making Senseand Imagination and Creativity, and editor of a number of books
on Frege and the history of analytic philosophy.
Amber Carpenter(BA (Yale), PhD (King's College London)) Lecturer
Room A/121, tel 323297, email [email protected]
Her interests are in ethics and moral psychology, particularly in Plato, and in the issues that arise fromAncient Greek philosophy. Her interest in Plato's ethical rationalism has recently led to inquiry into the
intersection of ethics, epistemology and metaphysics in Buddhist philosophy.
James Clarke(BA (Leeds Metropolitan), MA (Sussex), PhD (Durham)) Lecturer
Room A/003, tel 323254, email [email protected]
His interests include post-Kantian idealism, especially Fichte and Hegel, contemporary critical theory,
phenomenology, aesthetics, ethics and political philosophy. He is currently working on a book on Fichte.
Greg Currie (BSc , PhD (London School of Economics), Professor
Room A/011, 324167, [email protected]
His interests include the arts and cognition
Dorothea Debus(MA (Munich), BPhil (Oxford), DPhil (Oxford)) Lecturer
Room A/122, tel 323263, email [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
6/35
6
Her interests include memory, emotion, and the will.
David Efird(BA (Duke), MDiv (Princeton Theological Seminary), MSc (Edinburgh), DPhil (Oxford)) Senior
Lecturer
Room A/116, tel 323250, email [email protected]
His interests include metaphysics (especially modal metaphysics) and the philosophy of religion.
Stephen Everson(BA MA (Oxford), PhD (London)) Lecturer
Room A/016, tel 323262, email [email protected]
His interests are in ancient philosophy and philosophy of mind. He is the author ofAristotle on Perception,
and he is editor ofAristotle: The Politics and of a number of books on ancient philosophy.
Johan Gustafsson (BA, MA(Stockholm), PhD (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm)) Lecturer
Room A/016A, tel 324172, email [email protected]
His interests include personal identity and Locke.
Stephen Holland(MA, DPhil (Oxford), MA (London), PhD (York)) Senior Lecturer, Chair of the GraduateSchool Board
Room A/105, tel 323253, email [email protected]
His interests are in ethics, especially bioethics and normative theory.
He has published Bioethics: A Philosophical Introduction and also Public Health Ethics.
Christopher Jay BA Philosophy (London), MPhil. Stud., PhD (UCL) Teaching Fellow
Room A/012, tel 324301, email [email protected]
Most of his current research is in metaethics and related areas of philosophy (especially other areas of
philosophy where the sorts of commitments a person can or ought to have are at issue). Other areas of
interest are fictionalism and realism, Kants moral philosophy and philosophy of religion. He is also working
on what sorts of reasons a person can have.
Nick Jones(BA (York), MA, PhD (Nottingham)) Teaching Fellow
Room A/108, tel 323262, email [email protected]
His interests include philosophy of mind, epistemology, aesthetics, and the philosophy of Darwinism.
Peter Lamarque(MA (UEA), BPhil (Oxford)) Professor, Chair of the Board of Studies
Room A/109, tel 323259, email [email protected]
His interests centre on aesthetics and the philosophy of literature. He is the author of Truth, Fiction, and
Literature(with S. H. Olsen),Fictional Points of View, and The Philosophy of Literature.He was editor of the
British Journal of Aestheticsfrom 1995-2008. His recent work has been on interpretation, aesthetic
properties, and ontology.
Barry Lee (BA (Newcastle-upon-Tyne), MA (York), PhD (London, Birkbeck) Lecturer
Room A/107, tel 323257, email [email protected]
His interests include contemporary metaphysics (especially material objects, identity, persistence,
supervenience, events, causation and modality), philosophy of language (especially metaphor and fiction),
philosophy of mind and Wittgenstein.
Mary Leng (BA (Oxon), PhD (Toronto)) Lecturer
Room A/113, tel 323256, email [email protected]
Her interests are in Philosophy of Mathematics; Philosophy of Science; Philosophical Logic; Metaphysics;
History of Analytic Philosophy.
Paul Noordhof (BA (Oxford), PhD (London)) Professor
Room A/101A, tel 323266, email [email protected]
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
7/35
7
His main research interests are in philosophy of mind, action theory and metaphysics. He is currently
writing a monograph on causation as counterfactual chance-raising entitled A Variety of Causes
(under contract with OUP) and a monograph on mental causation entitled The Cement of the Mind
(under contract with OUP).
Christian Piller(Mag Phil (Graz), MA, PhD (Princeton)) Senior Lecturer,Room A/126, tel 323261, email [email protected]
His interests include ethics, decision theory, and Austrian philosophy.
Louise Richardson (MA(Durham), PhD (Warwick) Lecturer
Room A/005, tel 324302, email [email protected]
Her interests include Philosophy of Mind, and Perception
Her research is focussed on questions about the five familiar perceptual senses - seeing, hearing, touching,
tasting and smelling. She is currently concerned, particularly, with what differentiates the senses from
other faculties that help us to find out about the world, and with what distinguishes the senses from one
another.
Debbie Roberts (MA (Rhodes), PhD (Reading)) Lecturer
Room A/115, tel 323252, email [email protected]
Her interests focus on thick evaluative concepts, and the nature of evaluation, the metaphysics of the
evaluative, the distinction and relation between the evaluative and the deontic, and the relation between
thick and thin evaluation, and what it is for a concept or property to be evaluative.
Tom Stoneham(MA (Oxon) MPhil, PhD (London)) Professor, Head of Department
Room A/101B, tel 323258, email [email protected]
His interests include self-knowledge, philosophy of mind, the epistemology of reasoning, consciousness,
and early modern philosophy. He is the author of Berkeleys World.
Catherine Wilson (B.Phil (Oxon), PhD (Princeton), Anniversary Professor
Room A/119, tel 324122, email [email protected]
Her research is focused on the relationship between historical and contemporary developments in the
empirical sciences, including physics and the behavioural and life sciences, and some traditional problems
of philosophy. She is also interested in metaethics from a naturalistic perspective.
Carol Dixon(Room A/021, tel 323251, email [email protected]) is the administrator for taught
postgraduate programmes.
It is very important that any change of address or contact details be updated on evision.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
8/35
8
2 MA in Philosophy (Course Convenor: Dr Stephen Holland)
The MA in Philosophy course lasts for 12 months (full-time), or 24 months (part-time) and carries a total of
180 credits. You should be doing about 18 hours of work per week for each20-credit module you are
taking throughout the total length of the course (not merely during term-time). You should expect your
tutors to provide guidance for study and recommendations for reading sufficient for these hours.
General Aims: This course is intended to provide training in philosophical research. While primarily aimed
at those who are hoping to progress to a research degree in philosophy, it will be of interest and benefit to
those who simply want to study the subject in greater depth. The taught modules aim to provide students
with a detailed knowledge of current debates in the core areas of philosophy, as well as a grounding in the
skills needed to engage in those debates.
General Objectives:
By the end of the course, students should have acquired:
a critical knowledge of current debates on core issues in philosophy, and an understanding of how to apply their knowledge and research skills in order to engage
constructively in those debates.
Through engaging in the Research Skills module and the Research Training Project, they will be better able to understand the demands of advanced research in Philosophy, and to engage
with work at this level.
have developed their understanding of good practice in philosophical research. have improved their academic skills and research abilities.
They will also have conducted an independent and extended piece of research (a Dissertation)on a topic of their choice.
By the end of the course, students should have demonstrated the ability to:
engage critically with major works of philosophy; conduct a literature survey; initiate and develop their own lines of thought in the context of the study of these works; and compare the treatment of philosophical questions offered by philosophers working in different
traditions.
More generally, students should have demonstrated the ability to:
marshal a complex body of information; construct cogent arguments in the evaluation of this material; construct an extended piece of writing; present, in both oral and written forms, a clear and well-structured assessment of relevant
considerations; and
present an argument, articulate its relevance and defend it against criticism.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
9/35
9
Course Structure:
The 180 credits of the MA in Philosophy are made up as follows:
Taught Modules (80 credits)
The taught modules are designed to provide students with a detailed knowledge of the core areas of
Philosophy. They comprise the following:
Two Core Modules:
Autumn Term - PHI00020M Topics in Theoretical Philosophy (20 credits) Spring Term - PHI00019M Topics in Practical Philosophy (20 credits)
Two 20-Credit Option Modules, one taken in each of the Autumn and Spring Terms:
Autumn Term
Consciousness PHI00037M Issues in Philosophy of Perception PHI00031M Language and Mind PHI00030M Merleau-Ponty and Phenomenology PHI00029M Philosophy of Christianity PHI00027M
Spring Term
Creativity PHI00021M Foundations of Maths PHI00032M Philosophy & Cognitive Diversity PHI00033M Philosophy of Action PHI00028M Reasons and Value: Topics in Metaethics PHI00035M MA Project Essay PHI00013M
Postgraduate Research Skills (PHI00008M) (10 credits)
This module runs in the Autumn and Spring Terms, and aims to introduce students to the skills necessary to
carry out successful postgraduate research.
Dissemination Practice (PHI00023M) (10 credits)
In this module students gain experience of all aspects of the dissemination of philosophical research
including organising a small internal conference.
Dissertation Preparation PHI00022M(20 credits)
This module runs in the Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms. It aims to teach students to learn how to
identify, prepare and plan a research project in philosophy.
The Dissertation(PHI00017M) (60 credits)
As an application of the core knowledge, skills and experience gained in the previous stages of the course,
the Dissertation enables students to produce a sustained piece of critical writing on a topic previously
defined and developed through the Dissertation Preparation module.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
10/35
10
Course Structure for Full-time Students
Term 1 PHI00020M
Topics in
Theoretical
Philosophy
PHI00008M
Postgraduate
Research
Skills
PHI00022M
Dissertation
Preparation
Option
module
Term 2 PHI00019M
Topics in
Practical
Philosophy
Option
module
Term 3 PHI00023M
Dissemination Practice
Summer
Vacation
PHI00017M
Dissertation (Writing up)
Course Structure for Part-time Students
Term 1 PHI00020M
Topics in
Theoretical
Philosophy
PHI00008M
Postgraduate
Research
Skills
Term 2 PHI00019M
Topics in
Practical
Philosophy
Term 3
and
Summer
Vacation
PHI00013M Project Essay
Term 4 Option Module PHI00022M
Dissertation
Preparation
Term 5
Term 6 PHI00023M
Dissemination
Practice
Summer
Vacation
PHI00017M
Dissertation (Writing up)
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
11/35
11
Module Outlines2013/14:
CORE (COMPULSORY) MODULES
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Topics in Theoretical Philosophy
Module Code: PHI00020M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: 1 term (Autumn)
Teaching Programme:One 2-hour weekly seminar
Procedural requirements:Preparation for and participation in seminars
Aim: To consider some key issues relating to issues in Theoretical
Philosophy, especially issues in Metaphysics, Epistemology,
Philosophy of Language and Philosophy of Mind
To encourage students to engage philosophically with the issuesand offer their own critical reflections
To enhance philosophical skills of argument and debate throughseminar discussion and written work
Objectives:By the end of the module students will have had the opportunity:
To discuss philosophically and critically topics in TheoreticalPhilosophy
To pursue these topics through a study of seminal discussions bymajor philosophers from the early modern period to the present
day.
To improve philosophical skills of argument and debate throughseminar discussion and written work
Content:
Formative Assessment:One 2,000-word essay due in Week 9, Autumn Term
Summative Assessment:One 4,000-word essay due on Monday, Week 2, Spring Term 2014
General:Students should endeavour to meet their tutor during term-time for
advice about their assignments. They are also encouraged to make use
of Staff Feedback and Advice Time slots which are advertised on theweb and posted on staff doors.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
- B. Russell, Our Knowledge of the External World. London: Open Court
Publishing 1914 (and later reprints)
- B. Stroud, The Quest for Reality. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2000
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
12/35
12
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Topics in Practical Philosophy
Module Code: PHI00019M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: 1 term (Spring)
Teaching Programme:One 2-hour weekly seminar.
Procedural
requirements:
Preparation for and participation in seminars
Aim: To consider some key issues raised by philosophers concerningnormative and political theory
To encourage students to engage philosophically with theissues and offer their own critical reflections
To enhance philosophical skills of argument and debatethrough seminar discussion and written work
Objectives:To consider:
Topics central in current debates in normative and political theory
How the concerns of moral and political philosophy relate to those of
other philosophical disciplines
How moral and political philosophy applies to contemporary issues in
practical ethics
The role and relevance of ethical theory for moral and political thought
Content:
Formative Assessment: One 1,500-word essay due in Week 6. Students will be offered anindividual tutorial to discuss essay feedback.
Summative Assessment:One 4,000-word essay due on Monday, Week 2, Summer Term 2014
General:Students should endeavour to meet their tutor during term-time for
advice about their assignments. They are also encouraged to make use
of Staff Feedback and Advice Time slots which are advertised on the
web and posted on staff doors.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Williams, Bernard. Moral Luck and Other Essays
Kant, Immanuel. Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals
Mills, J.S. Utilitarianism
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
13/35
13
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Postgraduate Research Skills
Module Code: PHI0008M
Assessment Value: 10 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn and Spring Terms
Teaching Programme:Seminars and attendance at Philosophy Colloquia, on-line work, tutorials
Procedural
requirements:
Aim: To develop the students understanding of what is required in
academic research, and the capacity to carry it out.
To train students in specific academic skills. To support students in successfully completing an MA
Objectives: Students will:
Be better able to understand the demands of advanced research inPhilosophy, and to engage with work at this level.
Have developed their understanding of good practice inphilosophical research.
Have improved their academic skills and research abilities.Content:
Preparation of a reflective journal of their research experiencesthroughout the Autumn and Spring Terms.
Attendance at at least one research seminar or colloquium everytwo weeks during Autumn and Spring Terms
Tutorials every two weeks to discuss their responses to researchevents as recorded in their journals and provide mentoring and peer
support
Completion of Academic Integrity module, and online AcademicSkills module
Formative Assessment:None
Summative Assessment: Reflective journal to be submitted on Monday, Week 2 Summer
Term (80% of overall mark)
Academic Skills module: self-administered online tests throughoutAutumn and Spring Terms, deadline Monday, Week 2 Summer Term
(20% of overall mark)
General:
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
14/35
14
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Dissemination Practice
Module Code: PHI00023M
Assessment Value: 10 Credits
Duration of Module: Summer Term
Teaching Programme:No formal teaching programme. Students work together to organise a 1-
day internal graduate conference
Procedural
requirements:
Aim: To give students experience of all aspects of dissemination of philosophical
research including organising a dissemination event; preparing, presenting
and defending a paper; challenging work presented by others at a
conference; editing conference proceedings.
Objectives: Subject content The module consists of the whole cohort organising a conference,
presenting papers and discussing each others work and editing the
proceedings.
The cohort will be split into two teams for the teamwork elements, withone team organising and the other editing.
All students will be expected to give a paper at the conference and engageactively in the discussions.
Academic and graduate skills
Skills required to organise an academic event The ability to prepare, present and defend a paper The ability to engage constructively in an academic conference The ability to edit the proceedings of the conference to provide a
permanent record of the event
Other learning outcomes (if applicable)
Teamwork Constructive criticism
Content: The module will see the students working together to create a conference
at which they all speak and engage and edit the conference proceedings to
provide a permanent record.
The teamwork elements will be assessed by a report detailing how theteam worked together and the different roles taken by different
individuals.
The individual work elements (conference paper and engagement) will bepeer assessed by questionnaire but moderated by reference to examinersattending and completing same questionnaire.
Formative Assessment:
Summative Assessment: Teamwork Exerciseassessment to be confirmed, 40% of mark Engagement in conferenceWeek 7, Summer Term, 20% of mark Presentation of paper at conferenceWeek 7, Summer Term, 40%
of mark
General:Students should endeavour to meet their tutor during term-time for
advice about their assignments. They are also encouraged to make use
of Staff Feedback and Advice Time slots which are advertised on the
web and posted on staff doors.Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
15/35
15
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Dissertation Preparation
Module Code: PHI00022M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms
Teaching Programme:8 Seminars; 10 Peer Support meetings; 5 individual meetings with
supervisor
Co-requisite module:PHI00023M Dissemination Practice
Aim: To learn how to identify, prepare and plan a research project in
philosophy
To learn how to present research projects in fundingapplications
To master resource discovery tools and literature surveys
To learn how to develop own ideas while also engaging withexisting literature on the topic
Objectives:By the end of the module students will:
Understand the main elements of a successful research projectin philosophy: research questions, research context and outline
of project
Be able to identify and develop a set of research questions onthe basis of critical engagement with a body of literature
Be able to develop a clear plan for a dissertation which presentstheir ideas forcefully and cogently
Be prepared to write up their project independently
Content:
Formative Assessment:
Summative Assessment:Research Proposal (1000 words) Week 2 Spring Term (25%); Annotated
Bibliography (3000 words) Week 2 Summer Term (30%); Dissertation
Outline (2000 words) Week 8 Summer Term (45%).
General:
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
16/35
16
CORE MODULE
Module Title: Dissertation (Writing Up)
Module Code: PHI00017M
Assessment Value: 60 Credits
Duration of Module: Summer vacation
Teaching Programme:Independent study with supervisory support
Pre-requisite module: PHI00022M Dissertation Preparation
Aim: To give students experience in writing up a well-definedphilosophical project
To enhance their philosophical skills of argument and debateObjectives:
By the end of the module students will have had the opportunity:
To apply the core knowledge, skills and experience gained in the
previous stages of the courseTo write a substantial piece of philosophy on a topic previously defined
and developed through the Dissertation Preparation module
To develop critical and argumentative skills by producing a cogent,
extended argument
To develop professional skills by working independently to produce a
research output on an agreed topic to a deadline
Content:
Formative Assessment:
Summative Assessment:10-12,000-word dissertation due 1 September 2014
General:
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
17/35
17
OPTION MODULESAUTUMN TERM
OPTION MODULE
Module Title: Consciousness
Module Code:PHI00037M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Consciousness3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously taken.
Aim: To promote knowledge and understanding of consciousness and the
philosophical problems attendant upon trying to provide an explanation
of it. To promote analytical skills, and skills in written communication by
offering in the lectures an analysis of the main arguments concerning
the nature of consciousness, which is then subject to independent
scrutiny in seminars, and forms the basis of written work upon which
feedback will be given.
To promote a critical and independent approach to ideas by focussingon a substantial problem in philosophy of mind and trying to arrive at a
clear view of what would be a viable means of dealing with it, rather
than teaching general theories of mind.
To foster respect for reason and argument as tools for extendingknowledge and settling debates by displaying how the analysis of, anddebate concerning, our understanding of ourselves, has deepened our
understanding.
Objectives:By the end of the module:
Students should be able to display an in depth and systematicunderstanding of philosophical issues surrounding consciousness, with a
grasp of the forefront of current research in the area, providing a solid
grounding for further independent research on related topics.
In particular, Students should be able to demonstrate the ability toanalyse and discuss the following issues1. Physicalism: reductive and non-reductive
2. Knowledge argument against physicalism
3. The explanatory gap between mind and brain
4. Modal arguments against physicalism
5. The role that ignorance and/or our cognitive limitations play in
giving rise to the problem of phenomenal consciousness
6. Eliminativism about consciousness
7. Functionalism and Qualia
8. Higher Order Thought and Availability for Higher Order Thought
theories of consciousness
9. Reflexive accounts of consciousness10. Representationalism and Externalism about phenomenal properties
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
18/35
18
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from a
variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate research
critically; and show originality in the discussion and application of ideas
from the philosophical literature in developing their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core frameworkthat is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:The module will focus on philosophical approaches to the understanding of
consciousness. The topics to be covered will be: consciousness and the
explanatory gap; eliminativism; functionalism and qualia; higher order
thought and availability for higher order thought theories of consciousness,
representationalism about consciousness
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term
General:
Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rdyear undergraduate module in order to provide general
background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Tim Crane (2001), Elements of Mind, Oxford University Press
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
19/35
19
OPTION MODULEAUTUMN TERM
Module Title: Issues in Philosophy of Perception
Module Code: PHI00031M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Issues in Philosophy of Perception3
rdyear undergraduate module if
previously taken.
Aim: To look in some depth at (a) some of the most-considered questions
in the philosophy of perception and (b) some issues that arise from
thinking about perception in its non-visual forms.
To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems.
To provide a grounding for independent research on the philosophyof perception.
Objectives:By the end of the module:
Students should be able to display an in depth and systematicunderstanding of some central issues in the philosophy of
perception, including issues relating to non-visual perception, with a
grasp of the forefront of current research in the area, providing a
solid grounding for further independent research on related topics.
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core
framework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Students should be comfortable and confident in discussing theirown and others ideas and in tackling unfamiliar problems.
Content: Issues to be addressed may include:
Theories of perception: Intentionalism vs. Nave Realism Admissible contents: which properties does perceptual experience
represent?
Does perceptual experience have conceptual content? How many senses do we have and how are they distinguished from
one another?
Do we perceive the sources of sounds? Is bodily awareness perceptual? How does the representation of space differ across the senses? Why is it important to our understanding of perception to think
about it in its non-visual forms?
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
20/35
20
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Crane, Tim. 2005. The problem of perception. Stanford Encyclopediaof Philosophy.
Crane, Tim. 1992. The Contents of Experience: Essays on Perception.Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK.
Fish, William. 2010. Philosophy of Perception: A ContemporaryIntroduction. Routledge: New York.
Gunther, York H. 2003. Essays on Nonconceptual Content. MITPress: Cambridge, MA.
Macpherson, Fiona. 2011. The Senses: Classical and ContemporaryPhilosophical Perspectives. Oxford University Press: Oxford.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
21/35
21
OPTION MODULEAUTUMN TERM
Module Title: Language and Mind
Module Code: PHI00030M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn Term
Teaching Programme:Seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic
and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Language and Mind3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously taken.
Aim: To investigate some of the central philosophical issues to do with
the understanding of language;
To provide a grounding for independent research in the philosophyof language.
To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques in order to advance understanding of intellectualproblems.
Objectives: Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,
displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core
framework that is provided in seminars.
Content:We shall focus on the work of Donald Davidson, and at his attempt to
integrate the understanding of thought and language. We shall consider
such topics as sense, reference, and meaning, and look at recent
debates about what is involved in providing a formal theory of meaning
for a language in the context of an account of interpreting ourselves and
other people.
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Donald Davidson, Inquiries into Truth and Interpretation
John McDowell, Meaning, Knowledge and Reality
Michael Dummett, The Seas of Language
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
22/35
22
OPTION MODULEAUTUMN TERM
Module Title: Merleau-Ponty & Phenomenology
Module Code: PHI00029M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Merleau-Ponty & Phenomenology3
rdyear undergraduate module if
previously taken.
Aim: To critically examine Merleau-Pontys version of Phenomenology; To provide a grounding for independent research on Merleau-Ponty
and phenomenology
To develop students abilities to understand, analyse, and criticallyevaluate complex abstract questions
To develop students abilities to communicate complex abstract ideasin discussion and writing
Objectives:By the end of the module:
Students should be able to display an in depth and systematicunderstanding of Merleau-Pontys phenomenology, with a grasp of the
forefront of current research in the area, providing a solid grounding
for further independent research on related topics.
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from a
variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate research
critically; and show originality in the discussion and application of ideasfrom the philosophical literature in developing their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core framework
that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) was one of the most important
French philosophers of the twentieth century. Alongside Husserl,
Heidegger, and Sartre, he is one of the best known members of the
phenomenological tradition. The aim of phenomenology is describe the
structure of consciousness, or lived experience. Central to Merleau-Pontys
version of phenomenology is the embodied subject, who inhabits an
intersubjective world of transcendent objects.The main of focus of the module is Merleau-Pontys most important work,
Phenomenology of Perception (1945). This is a wide ranging book, and
topics covered include the nature of phenomenology, perception, the
body, language, knowledge of other minds, self-knowledge, and free will.
We will also look at some of Merleau-Pontys later work, including his
discussion of art and aesthetics.
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 of Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term
General: Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for thecorresponding 3
rdyear undergraduate module in order to provide general
background in the wider research area.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
23/35
23
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Carman, T. Merleau-Ponty. Routledge, 2008.
Merleau-Ponty, M. Phenomenology of Perception. Routledge, 1945/2002.
Merleau-Ponty, T. The World of Perception. Routledge, 1948/2002.
Moran, D. Introduction to Phenomenology. Routledge, 2000.
Spiegelberg, H. The Phenomenological Movement. Kluwer, 1982.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
24/35
24
OPTION MODULEAUTUMN TERM
Module Title: Philosophy of Christianity
Module Code: PHI00027M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Autumn Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Philosophy of Christianity3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously
taken.
Aim: to apply contemporary, analytic philosophy to theology in order (i)
to explicate theological doctrines, (ii) to identify the philosophical
problems those doctrines give rise to, (iii) to identify solutions to
those problems, and (iv) to evaluate those solutions.
to develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems;
to provide a grounding for independent research in the philosophyof Christianity.
Objectives:Students should be able to
display an in depth and systematic understanding of some key topicsin the philosophy of Christianity, with a grasp of the forefront of
current research in the area, providing a solid grounding for further
independent research on related topics;
In particular, they should be able to
explain the doctrines of Scripture, the Trinity, Providence, OriginalSin, the Incarnation, the Atonement, the Resurrection of the Body,
the Life Everlasting, and the Eucharist;
explain various interpretations of these doctrines, e.g. the kenoticinterpretation of the Incarnation;
critically evaluate these interpretations relative to one another. Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,
displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments. Students should show the ability to work autonomously and self
critically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core
framework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:This module examines the implications and beliefs of a range of
Christian doctrines which have philosophical importance. These include
the doctrines of Scripture (that the Bible is authoritative and inspired by
God), the Trinity (there is one God who exists in three persons),
Providence (that God has a plan for humanity and for the world),
Original Sin (that humans are guilty of sin from birth and created such
that they will inevitably sin), the Incarnation (that Jesus is both human
and divine), the Atonement (that the death of Jesus reconciles humanityto God), the Resurrection of the Body (that we will be raised bodily from
the dead), the Life Everlasting (that there is an eternal, conscious
afterlife consisting of life in either Heaven or Hell), and the Eucharist
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
25/35
25
(that the consecrated bread is the Body of Christ and the consecrated
wine the Blood of Christ, respectively).
Formative Assessment: Essay Proposal and Reading List, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term
General:
Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rdyear undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Oliver Crisp (ed),A Reader in Contemporary Philosophical Theology(New
York: Continuum, 2009).
Michael Rea (ed), Oxford Readings in Philosophical Theology, Volume I:
Trinity, Incarnation, Atonement(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009).
Michael Rea (ed), Oxford Readings in Philosophical Theology, Volume II:
Providence, Scripture, and Resurrection(Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2009).
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
26/35
26
OPTION MODULESSPRING TERM
OPTION MODULE
Module Title: Creativity
Module Code: PHI00021M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Spring Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan; online tutorials and exercises
Prohibited Module(s):Creativity3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously taken.
Aim: To introduce key conceptions and debates concerning creativity. To explore some philosophical issues concerning the nature of
creativity in the arts and sciences.
Objectives: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic
understanding of philosophical issues surrounding creativity, with a
grasp of the forefront of current research in the area, providing a solid
grounding for further independent research on related topics.
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from a
variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate research
critically; and show originality in the discussion and application of
ideas from the philosophical literature in developing their own
arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically to plan and execute an independent project that goes
beyond the core framework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content: In the first part of this module, students will explore such questions as
the following: What is creativity? How is it best defined? Can
creativity be explained? What are some of the recent theories of
creativity? What objections might be raised to them? Is artistic
creativity different from scientific creativity? What is the relationship
between creativity and imagination?
In the second part of the module, students will have the opportunityto consider these questions further by undertaking a project, choosing
their own case study under the guidance of the module tutor. The
case study may be taken from any field in the arts and sciences, the
idea being to apply the philosophical ideas and approaches to
creativity introduced in the module to the particular case.
Formative Assessment: Online exercises Weeks 1-4 Spring Term Project essay plan Week 6 Spring Term Presentation Week 6, 7 or 8 Spring Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer TermGeneral:
Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide general
background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Michael Beaney, Imagination and Creativity, Open University, Milton
Keynes, 2005, chs. 6-7 and readings 3, 4 and 6Margaret Boden, The Creative Mind, 2
nded., Routledge, London, 2004
Margaret Boden, Creativity and Art, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
2010, paperback 2012
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
27/35
27
OPTION MODULESPRING TERM
Module Title: Foundation of Maths
Module Code: PHI00032M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Spring Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour one-to-one
meetings to discuss essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Foundation of Maths3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously
taken.
Aim: To explore some key issues in the philosophy of mathematics,
including the foundations of mathematics;
To provide a research-led approach to understanding andparticipating in contemporary debates in the philosophy of
mathematics;
To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques, in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems, and to provide a grounding for further independent
research.
Objectives:Students should be able to
display an in depth and systematic understanding of some key issuesin the philosophy of mathematics, with a grasp of the forefront of
current research in the area, providing a solid grounding for further
independent research on related topics;
analyse complex areas of knowledge, displaying critical awareness;synthesise information and ideas from a variety of sources at theforefront of the discipline; evaluate research critically; and show
originality in the discussion and application of ideas from the
philosophical literature in developing their own arguments.
show the ability to work autonomously and self critically on anextended essay that goes beyond the core framework that is
provided in lectures and seminars.
Content: We will examine a number of philosophical views concerning the
nature and foundations of mathematics, starting with an
examination of the three foundationalist programmes of logicism,
formalism, and intuitionism. We will then move on to more
contemporary ontological and epistemological concerns,considering structuralism and fictionalism as alternatives to
mathematical Platonism.
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, by Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan by Week 10 of Spring Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Paul Benacerraf and Hilary Putnam, eds., Philosophy of Mathematics:
Selected Readings (2nd
edition) (CUP, 1983)Marcus Giaquinto, The Search for Certainty(OUP, 2002)
Stewart Shapiro, Thinking about Mathematics(OUP, 2000)
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
28/35
28
OPTION MODULESPRING TERM
Module Title: Philosophy and Cognitive Diversity
Module Code: PHI00033M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Spring Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half-hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Philosophy and Cognitive Diversity3
rdyear undergraduate module if
previously taken.
Aim: To engage in debates about the epistemic significance of cognitive
diversity.
To engage in debates about the metaphysical significance ofcognitive diversity.
To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems.
Objectives: Students should be able to display an in-depth and systematic
understanding of philosophical issues relating to cognitive diversity,
with a grasp of current research in the area, providing a solid
grounding for further independent research on related topics.
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and self-critically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core
framework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:Indicative list of topics:
The sociology of knowledge Alternative logics Epistemic intuitions and epistemic relativism Hilary Putnams conceptual relativity Ernest Sosas development of Putnams conceptual relativity Eli Hirschs division problem Donald Davidsons argument from translation and Charity
Formative Assessment: Essay Proposal and Reading list, Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
OGrady, P. 2002: Relativism. Bucks: Acumen.
Baghramian, M. 2004: Relativism. London: Routledge.
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
29/35
29
OPTION MODULESPRING TERM
Module Title: Philosophy of Action
Module Code: PHI00028M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Spring Term
Teaching Programme:Seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic
and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Philosophy of Action3
rdyear undergraduate module if previously
taken.
Prerequisite:Language and Mind (either at Year 3 or MA level)
Aim: To provide an understanding of the nature of action; To provide a grounding for independent research in the philosophy
of action. To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools and
techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems.
Objectives: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding of some topics in
the philosophy of action, with a grasp of the forefront of current
research in the area, providing a solid grounding for further
independent research on related topics;
More specifically, students should be able to show how the notion of an action is fundamental to the philosophy
of mind; understand the implications of this; and understand the relation between actions and reasons Academic and graduate skills Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,
displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the coreframework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:
Formative Assessment: Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Jennifer Hornsby,Actions
Jonathan Dancy, Practical RealityJoseph Raz, Engaging Reason
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
30/35
30
OPTION MODULESPRING TERM
Module Title: Project Essay
Module Code: PHI00013M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Summer Term (part-time students) Spring Term (full-time)
Teaching Programme: Initial meeting with academic supervisor to discuss a topic proposal
and identify potential supervisor.
Discuss proposal with potential supervisor. Proposal presented to Board of Studies for approval. Three follow-up advisory meetings with supervisor.
Procedural
requirements:
Attendance at all required meetings with supervisor.
Aim:
To give students experience in researching and writing on a well-defined philosophical problem.
Objectives:By the end of the module students will have:
Carried out research largely on their own under the guidance of asupervisor
Acquired experience in independent research Worked on an essay developing a point of view on the chosen topic
of research
Content:This module is designed to enable students with specialised interests to
pursue independently a topic of their own choosing. Students taking this
module propose an independent study topic. The proposal will then beconsidered by the Board of Studies and, if accepted, the student will be
assigned a suitable member of staff who will supervise the project. The
Project Essay is optional for full-time students but compulsory for part-
time Philosophy students.
Formative Assessment:To be agreed with Project supervisor
Summative Assessment:One 4,000-word essay to be submitted as follows:
Monday of Week 2 of Spring Term (if taken in Autumn Term) Monday of Week 2 of Summer Term (if taken in Spring Term) Monday 1 September 2014
General:
Students should endeavour to meet their tutor during term-time for
advice about their assignments. They are also encouraged to make use
of Staff Feedback and Advice Time slots which are advertised on the
web and posted on staff doors.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
31/35
31
OPTION MODULESPRING TERM
Module Title: Reasons & Values: Topics in Metaethics
Module Code: PHI00035M
Assessment Value: 20 Credits
Duration of Module: Spring Term
Teaching Programme:Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss
essay topic and plan
Prohibited Module(s):Reasons & Values: Topics in Metaethics3
rdyear undergraduate
module if previously taken.
Aim: To critically examine current issues of debate in metaethics which
will involve (i) understanding and explicating these issues and their
historical roots (ii) understanding and critically evaluating various
positions taken on these issues (iii) exploring the implications of
these issues for practical philosophy and philosophy more generally.
To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools andtechniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual
problems.
Objectives: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic
understanding of some central issues in metaethics, with a grasp of
the forefront of current research in the area, providing a solid
grounding for further independent research on related topics.
Students should be able to analyse complex areas of knowledge,displaying critical awareness; synthesise information and ideas from
a variety of sources at the forefront of the discipline; evaluate
research critically; and show originality in the discussion and
application of ideas from the philosophical literature in developing
their own arguments.
Students should show the ability to work autonomously and selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core
framework that is provided in lectures and seminars.
Content:Issues to be addressed will include:
Debunking arguments and responses to them The nature of practical reasons and the nature of practical reasoning The nature of value The epistemology of the normative Normative Disagreement
Formative Assessment: 1,500-word essay Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term
Summative Assessment: One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term
General:Students are expected to participate in lectures and seminars for the
corresponding 3rd
year undergraduate module in order to provide
general background in the wider research area.
Suggested Preliminary
Reading:
Allen W. Wood, 'Attacking Morality: A Metaethical Project' in Unsettling
Obligations: Essays on Reason, Reality and the Ethics of Belief(Stanford,
Cal.: CSLI Publications, 2002)
8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
32/35
32
3 SUPPORT AND TRAINING FOR YOUR STUDIES
3.1 Personal Support
The Chair of the Board of Studies is responsible for the overall provision of your course. However, the MA
programme has its own Convenor, who will act as your personal supervisor, and you should, in the first instance,direct any specific queries about that programme to him or her. You may also see him or her at his/her office
hour or at any other time (by arrangement). Each term the members of staff who are tutoring your individual
modules will provide you with summative feedback on your assessed work. You can discuss the reports, should
you want to, at the next beginning-of-term supervision with the Convenor of your MA programme.
The University's Student Support Network is designed to provide students with quick and easy access to a
variety of sources of help and advice on all aspects of life as a student. Personal supervisors in academic
departments are responsible for overseeing both academic progress and general welfare. In addition each
college has a welfare team which includes the Provost and a College Dean who has special responsibility for
student welfare. Every full-time student is a member of a college and part-time students can request
membership of a college. Students may approach their college welfare team for help and advice whether or notthey are resident in the college at the time.
Central support services available to all students include:
the Accommodation Office, the Open Door Team, Disability Services, Student Support Hub, Equality and Diversity Office, International Office, Student Financial Support Unit Harassment Advisers (who offer support in cases of harassment).
In addition administrative offices such as Registry Services, provide information and advice. Welfare support is
also available through the student-run organisations, particularly the Students' Union (YUSU) and the Graduate
Students Association.
Information about the student support network and its co-ordination is widely disseminated, so that students
seeking assistance in any quarter can, if necessary, be referred quickly to those with the specialist knowledge
and skills to help them. The Student Support Services webpages available at:
https://www.york.ac.uk/student-support-services/useful-information/provide a wide range ofinformation about services and help available. Examples include Academic Support, Health and Wellbeing, Faith
and Religion, and Money.
3.2 Technical Support
New students are automatically registered to use the Universitys IT Servicesfacilities (computing,email, Internet, World Wide Web, word-processing).
Hardware facilities available are networked PCs, UNIX workstations, Apple Macintoshes, and printers;software facilities available include Word, various graphics, statistics, and Excel.
IT Support services are located to the left of the main University Library. The IT User Guide, which you should have received together with other information for new students,
explains how to use information on your student card to log into the computers which are availablecentrally and in various classrooms throughout the campus. Visit the IT Services website for further
information:http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/ or call in at their information desk for help and advice
on
https://www.york.ac.uk/student-support-services/useful-information/https://www.york.ac.uk/student-support-services/useful-information/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/https://www.york.ac.uk/student-support-services/useful-information/8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
33/35
33
all operational matters.
Within the Philosophy Department, Ross Kendall ([email protected]) may be able to offer some helpwith software problems.
3.3 Training
A variety of resources and courses relevant to the particular needs of individual MA students areoffered within the University. You should ask your supervisor for guidance, and should discuss what
your training needsmight be. In the normal course of your work your tutors will give substantial help
on bibliographical sources and study methods. But there are other more formal training courses
available to you:
IT Servicesrun a wide range of courses for staff and graduates throughout the year. Visit their websiteat:
http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/ Languages for Allrun courses in French, German and other modern languages. To see whats available
have a look at their website: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/lfa/
The Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT)provides a range of courses on English language skillsaimed at students for whom English is not the first language. Details of their programmes can be found
at:http://www.york.ac.uk/celt/
As part of the Postgraduate Research Skills module students are required to attend some of theDepartments Philosophy Colloquiawhich provide a programme of internal and external speakers who
talk on a wide range of topics. The Colloquium normally meets on Wednesdays during term-time at
4.30 pm in SBA/009. A list of this years speakers can be found on the Departments webpages. If you
have any suggestions for speakers please contact Christopher Jay.
4 LIBRARIES
The University (J.B. Morrell) Library
The University library provides virtual tours of its facilities and various guides to its services, more details at:
http://www.york.ac.uk/library/
You should begin by reading the University guide Philosophy in the Library which lists the basic resources and
provides a brief guide to the main classification.
The Library keeps a number of bibliographical guides that will be helpful in your work. There are the followingelectronic guides:
The Philosophers Index - on CD-ROM and available on the web British Humanities Index - on CD-ROM Arts and Humanities Index - available as part of BIDS and accessible through the Network (students need to
register in Computing Service).
Humanities Index - available via ARC and accessible on the Network.
The following bibliographical journals are also available:
Philosophical Books Bibliography of PhilosophyChris Jay is responsible for the Departments liaison with the library and suggestions for book buying should bemade to him. Further information about the library opening times etc can be obtained from its website:
www.york.ac.uk/services/library/
http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/lfa/http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/lfa/http://www.york.ac.uk/celt/http://www.york.ac.uk/celt/http://www.york.ac.uk/celt/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/services/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/services/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/services/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/http://www.york.ac.uk/celt/http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/lfa/http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
34/35
34
Other sources of books
Although the J.B. Morrell Library has a very good collection of books in Philosophy, it is very possible that you
will find that a book or journal that you need is not stocked. There are a number of other sources available to
you.
The Inter-Library Loan Scheme
This enables you to order books from any library in the country. You are allowed to request thirty loans peracademic year without charge, but please remember that the actual charge to the University is around 5, so
use this service only when you have to. If you exceed your quota you will have to pay the cost yourself. Contact
the library for more details.
The British Library Document Supply Centre at Boston Spa
A few miles from York is the central national repository for the Inter-Library Loans service. Details of reference
facilities are available in the J.B. Morrell Library. A good strategy is for you to make your literature searches in
York to identify what you need to consult, and then to pay a personal visit to consult these works in the Reading
Room. If you order at least two weeks in advance (forms are available at the J.B. Morrell Library Help and
Information desk) you will be able to get almost immediate access to all you can manage in a day. This will
enable you to identify those works which you would like to be able subsequently to borrow and so make the
most efficient use of the Inter-Library Loans service. A minibus service to BLDSC is available. Contact the library
for details. More information at:http://www.york.ac.uk/library/other-libraries/british-library/
The SCONUL Vacation Reading Facility
Arrangements exist between university libraries during their vacations to admit students of other universities to
use their libraries for reading purposes upon production of their current Student Identity card. (These
arrangements do not include borrowing facilities.) Contact the library for more information.
5 UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES
The University Teaching Committeetogether with the Standing Committee on Assessment are the majorUniversity bodies dealing with graduate affairs.
The Board of Studies in Philosophyis the governing academic committee of the Department. It determines and
co-ordinates all matters of academic policy and practice and comprises all full-time members of the academic
staff, plus two postgraduates (one doing a taught course and one doing a research degree) and three
undergraduate representatives. It normally meets twice a term, in Weeks 2 and 6.
The Philosophy Department Graduate School Boardis a sub-committee of the Board of Studies. It discusses
both matters of policy and progress of individual students. Its Chair has the immediate responsibility for the
running of graduate affairs, and for liaising with Registry Services. Among other matters, the Chair oversees
admissions, views the termly module feedback, and monitors progress. The postgraduate representatives on
the Board of Studies are also members of the Graduate School Board, though of course are not present when
confidential matters relating to individuals are discussed. The Graduate School Board meets once a term, in
Week 1.
Registry Servicesis located in the Student Administration Building and deals with enrolment, University
procedures, accessing evision, requests for official transcripts and obtaining other official documentation.
Students may visit or call Registry Services (ext. 4643) any time during office hours (9am-5pm).
6 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
General
A range of services and support can be viewed at:
https://www.york.ac.uk/students/support/international/ including immigration and welfare.
http://www.york.ac.uk/library/other-libraries/british-library/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/other-libraries/british-library/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/other-libraries/british-library/https://www.york.ac.uk/students/support/international/https://www.york.ac.uk/students/support/international/http://www.york.ac.uk/library/other-libraries/british-library/8/12/2019 MA Handbook 2013-14
35/35
7 CAREERS ISSUES FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
Just arrived! - but career planning, especially for those on one year Masters courses, has to begin right away.
Others have more time, but should not leave it too late.
Find your way to the Careers Service and discover how it can help you choose and get the right job orfurther course.
Explore the extensive range of information on jobs and courses, at home and overseas, held at the CareersService.
Use every opportunity to confirm you know all you need to know about your chosen option; lots of CareersService events, especially in the Autumn term, will give you direct access to potential employers. Collect a
copy ofthe events programme from the Careers Serviceor from the Graduate Students Association.
Always collect, or read on the Web, the Careers Service Vacancy Bulletin containing details of vacanciesadvertised for graduates, including those employers who conduct their initial interviews on campus; dont
miss options with early applicationtimes such as teacher training, Civil Service recruitment competitions,
financial careers and overseas research scholarships - the recruitment season begins in September for the
following Autumn.
Attend trainingsessions on filling in application forms, CV and interview techniques. Consult your refereesabout your plans and give them a copy of your CV.If you have questions or concerns about what to do next arrange to see a Careers Adviser, either drop in to
see the duty adviser or make an appointment for a personal interview.
The Careers Service is located near the large car park on the Central Hall access road off University Road. You
are welcome to call, on 2685 (internal) or visit at any time when they are open (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
during term-time). Most of the facilities are available on a self-service basis with help from the Receptionist,
Information Officer or Duty Careers Officer.
Full current details onhttp://www.york.ac.uk/services/careers
8 COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Should a student have any complaints about the tuition they have received, or any other matter relating to their
studies at the University, there are a variety of people they can contact. Principally, they should contact the
Chair of the Graduate School Board. If their complaint concerns the Chair, they should contact either the
Chair of the Board of Studies or the Head of Department. Alternatively, if they would like to speak to an
academic but none of those previously mentioned, they can contact any of the other academic members
of the Graduate School Board. If they would like to speak with a student representative, they can contact one
of the postgraduate representatives on the Graduate School Board and the Board of Studies or the Academic
and Welfare Officer of the Graduate Students Association. Such contact need not necessarily constitute a
formal complaint, and will be treated in strict confidence unless the student wishes otherwise.
http://www.york.ac.uk/services/careershttp://www.york.ac.uk/services/careershttp://www.york.ac.uk/services/careershttp://www.york.ac.uk/services/careers