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 undertake research, incorporating the latest research and scholarship into its courses and tuition, and enabling students to appreciate the value of the study of philosophy.

PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT GUIDE FOR MA STUDENTS

Contents 1 2 Introduction to the Department MA in Philosophy Programme Core module outlines Option module outlines Support and Training for Your Studies 3.1 Personal support 3.2 Technical support 3.3 Training Libraries University and Department Committees International Students Careers Issues for Postgraduate Students Complaints Procedures

Page 5 8 11 17 32 32 32 33 33 34 34 35 35

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***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/ ***

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 familiar with 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 work and 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 keith.allen@york.ac.uk His interests include colour, perception, and Early Modern Philosophy. Michael Beaney (MA, BPhil, DPhil (Oxon)) Professor Room A/124, tel 323260, email michael.beaney@york.ac.uk 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 Sense and 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 amber.carpenter@york.ac.uk Her interests are in ethics and moral psychology, particularly in Plato, and in the issues that arise from Ancient 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 james.clarke@york.ac.uk 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 gregory.currie@york.ac.uk His interests include the arts and cognition Dorothea Debus (MA (Munich), BPhil (Oxford), DPhil (Oxford)) Lecturer Room A/122, tel 323263, email dorothea.debus@york.ac.uk
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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 david.efird@york.ac.uk 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 stephen.everson@york.ac.uk His interests are in ancient philosophy and philosophy of mind. He is the author of Aristotle on Perception, and he is editor of Aristotle: 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 johan.gustafsson@york.ac.uk His interests include personal identity and Locke. Stephen Holland (MA, DPhil (Oxford), MA (London), PhD (York)) Senior Lecturer, Chair of the Graduate School Board Room A/105, tel 323253, email stephen.holland@york.ac.uk 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 christopher.jay@york.ac.uk 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 nick.jones@york.ac.uk 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 p.v.lamarque@york.ac.uk 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 Aesthetics from 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 barry.lee@york.ac.uk 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 mary.leng@york.ac.uk 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 paul.noordhof@york.ac.uk
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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 christian.piller@york.ac.uk His interests include ethics, decision theory, and Austrian philosophy. Louise Richardson (MA(Durham), PhD (Warwick) Lecturer Room A/005, tel 324302, email louise.richardson@york.ac.uk 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 debbie.roberts@york.ac.uk 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 tom.stoneham@york.ac.uk 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 catherine.wilson@york.ac.uk 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 carol.dixon@york.ac.uk) is the administrator for taught postgraduate programmes. It is very important that any change of address or contact details be updated on evision.

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 each 20-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.

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.

Course Structure for Full-time Students Term 1 PHI00020M Topics in Theoretical Philosophy Option module PHI00019M Topics in Practical Philosophy Option module

Course Structure for Part-time Students Term 1 PHI00020M Topics in Theoretical PHI00008M Philosophy Postgraduate Research PHI00019M Skills Topics in Practical Philosophy PHI00013M Project Essay

Term 2

PHI00008M PHI00022M Postgraduate Dissertation Research Preparation Skills

Term 2

Term 3 Summer Vacation

PHI00023M Dissemination Practice PHI00017M Dissertation (Writing up)

Term 3 and Summer Vacation Term 4 Term 5 Term 6

Option Module

Summer Vacation

PHI00023M Dissemination Practice PHI00017M Dissertation (Writing up)

PHI00022M Dissertation Preparation

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Module Outlines 2013/14: CORE (COMPULSORY) MODULES CORE MODULE

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Procedural requirements: Aim:

Topics in Theoretical Philosophy

PHI00020M 20 Credits 1 term (Autumn) One 2-hour weekly seminar Preparation for and participation in seminars 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 issues and offer their own critical reflections To enhance philosophical skills of argument and debate through seminar discussion and written work By the end of the module students will have had the opportunity: To discuss philosophically and critically topics in Theoretical Philosophy To pursue these topics through a study of seminal discussions by major philosophers from the early modern period to the present day. To improve philosophical skills of argument and debate through seminar discussion and written work

Objectives:

Content: Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General: One 2,000-word essay due in Week 9, Autumn Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday, Week 2, Spring Term 2014 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. - 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

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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CORE MODULE
Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Procedural requirements: Aim:

Topics in Practical Philosophy

PHI00019M 20 Credits 1 term (Spring) One 2-hour weekly seminar. Preparation for and participation in seminars To consider some key issues raised by philosophers concerning normative and political theory To encourage students to engage philosophically with the issues and offer their own critical reflections To enhance philosophical skills of argument and debate through seminar discussion and written work 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 One 1,500-word essay due in Week 6. Students will be offered an individual tutorial to discuss essay feedback. One 4,000-word essay due on Monday, Week 2, Summer Term 2014 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. Williams, Bernard. Moral Luck and Other Essays Kant, Immanuel. Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals Mills, J.S. Utilitarianism

Objectives:

Content: Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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CORE MODULE
Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: 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 Students 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. Preparation of a reflective journal of their research experiences throughout the Autumn and Spring Terms. Attendance at at least one research seminar or colloquium every two weeks during Autumn and Spring Terms Tutorials every two weeks to discuss their responses to research events as recorded in their journals and provide mentoring and peer support Completion of Academic Integrity module, and online Academic Skills module None Reflective journal to be submitted on Monday, Week 2 Summer Term (80% of overall mark) Academic Skills module: self-administered online tests throughout Autumn and Spring Terms, deadline Monday, Week 2 Summer Term (20% of overall mark)

Postgraduate Research Skills

PHI0008M 10 Credits Autumn and Spring Terms Seminars and attendance at Philosophy Colloquia, on-line work, tutorials

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment:

General: Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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CORE MODULE
Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: 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. 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, with one team organising and the other editing. All students will be expected to give a paper at the conference and engage actively 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 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 the team worked together and the different roles taken by different individuals. The individual work elements (conference paper and engagement) will be peer assessed by questionnaire but moderated by reference to examiners attending and completing same questionnaire.

Dissemination Practice
PHI00023M 10 Credits Summer Term No formal teaching programme. Students work together to organise a 1day internal graduate conference

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: Teamwork Exercise assessment to be confirmed, 40% of mark Engagement in conference Week 7, Summer Term, 20% of mark Presentation of paper at conference Week 7, Summer Term, 40% of mark 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.

General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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CORE MODULE
Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Co-requisite module: Aim:

Dissertation Preparation
PHI00022M 20 Credits Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms 8 Seminars; 10 Peer Support meetings; 5 individual meetings with supervisor PHI00023M Dissemination Practice To learn how to identify, prepare and plan a research project in philosophy To learn how to present research projects in funding applications To master resource discovery tools and literature surveys To learn how to develop own ideas while also engaging with existing literature on the topic By the end of the module students will: Understand the main elements of a successful research project in philosophy: research questions, research context and outline of project Be able to identify and develop a set of research questions on the basis of critical engagement with a body of literature Be able to develop a clear plan for a dissertation which presents their ideas forcefully and cogently Be prepared to write up their project independently

Objectives:

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:

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CORE MODULE
Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Pre-requisite module: Aim:

Dissertation (Writing Up)

PHI00017M 60 Credits Summer vacation Independent study with supervisory support PHI00022M Dissertation Preparation To give students experience in writing up a well-defined philosophical project To enhance their philosophical skills of argument and debate 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 course To 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

Objectives:

Content: Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General: Suggested Preliminary Reading: 10-12,000-word dissertation due 1 September 2014

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OPTION MODULES AUTUMN TERM OPTION MODULE

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Consciousness PHI00037M 20 Credits Autumn Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Consciousness 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. 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 focussing on 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 extending knowledge and settling debates by displaying how the analysis of, and debate concerning, our understanding of ourselves, has deepened our understanding. By the end of the module: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding 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 to analyse and discuss the following issues 1. 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 consciousness 10. Representationalism and Externalism about phenomenal properties

Objectives:

17

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

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. 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 Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term 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. Tim Crane (2001), Elements of Mind, Oxford University Press

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULE AUTUMN TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Issues in Philosophy of Perception PHI00031M 20 Credits Autumn Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Issues in Philosophy of Perception 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. 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 and techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems. To provide a grounding for independent research on the philosophy of perception. By the end of the module: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding 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 self critically 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 their own and others ideas and in tackling unfamiliar problems. Issues to be addressed may include: Formative Assessment: 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? Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term
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Objectives:

Content:

Summative Assessment: General:

One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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. Crane, Tim. 2005. The problem of perception. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Crane, Tim. 1992. The Contents of Experience: Essays on Perception. Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK. Fish, William. 2010. Philosophy of Perception: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge: New York. Gunther, York H. 2003. Essays on Nonconceptual Content. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA. Macpherson, Fiona. 2011. The Senses: Classical and Contemporary Philosophical Perspectives. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

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OPTION MODULE AUTUMN TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Language and Mind PHI00030M 20 Credits Autumn Term Seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Language and Mind 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. To investigate some of the central philosophical issues to do with the understanding of language; To provide a grounding for independent research in the philosophy of language. To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools and techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems. 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 seminars. 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. Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term 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. Donald Davidson, Inquiries into Truth and Interpretation John McDowell, Meaning, Knowledge and Reality Michael Dummett, The Seas of Language

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULE AUTUMN TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Merleau-Ponty & Phenomenology PHI00029M 20 Credits Autumn Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Merleau-Ponty & Phenomenology 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. 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 critically evaluate complex abstract questions To develop students abilities to communicate complex abstract ideas in discussion and writing By the end of the module: Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding 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 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. 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. Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 of Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term 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.

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

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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.

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OPTION MODULE AUTUMN TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Philosophy of Christianity PHI00027M 20 Credits Autumn Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Philosophy of Christianity 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. 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 and techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems; to provide a grounding for independent research in the philosophy of Christianity. Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding of some key topics in 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, Original Sin, the Incarnation, the Atonement, the Resurrection of the Body, the Life Everlasting, and the Eucharist; explain various interpretations of these doctrines, e.g. the kenotic interpretation 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. 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 humanity to 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
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Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

(that the consecrated bread is the Body of Christ and the consecrated wine the Blood of Christ, respectively). Essay Proposal and Reading List, Week 7 Autumn Term Essay plan, Week 10 Autumn Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Spring Term 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. 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).

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULES SPRING TERM OPTION MODULE

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Creativity PHI00021M 20 Credits Spring Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan; online tutorials and exercises Creativity 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. To introduce key conceptions and debates concerning creativity. To explore some philosophical issues concerning the nature of creativity in the arts and sciences. 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 self critically to plan and execute an independent project that goes beyond the core framework that is provided in lectures and seminars. 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 opportunity to 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. Online exercises Weeks 1-4 Spring Term Project essay plan Week 6 Spring Term Presentation Week 6, 7 or 8 Spring Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment:

Summative Assessment:

General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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. Michael Beaney, Imagination and Creativity, Open University, Milton Keynes, 2005, chs. 6-7 and readings 3, 4 and 6 Margaret Boden, The Creative Mind, 2nd ed., Routledge, London, 2004 Margaret Boden, Creativity and Art, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2010, paperback 2012
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OPTION MODULE SPRING TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Foundation of Maths PHI00032M 20 Credits Spring Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour one-to-one meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Foundation of Maths 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. To explore some key issues in the philosophy of mathematics, including the foundations of mathematics; To provide a research-led approach to understanding and participating in contemporary debates in the philosophy of mathematics; To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools and techniques, in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems, and to provide a grounding for further independent research. Students should be able to display an in depth and systematic understanding of some key issues in 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 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. 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. 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. Essay proposal and reading list, by Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan by Week 10 of Spring Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term 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. 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)

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULE SPRING TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Philosophy and Cognitive Diversity PHI00033M 20 Credits Spring Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half-hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Philosophy and Cognitive Diversity 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. To engage in debates about the epistemic significance of cognitive diversity. To engage in debates about the metaphysical significance of cognitive diversity. To develop students abilities to apply philosophical tools and techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems. 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 selfcritically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core framework that is provided in lectures and seminars. 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 Essay Proposal and Reading list, Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term 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. OGrady, P. 2002: Relativism. Bucks: Acumen. Baghramian, M. 2004: Relativism. London: Routledge.

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULE SPRING TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Prerequisite: Aim: Philosophy of Action PHI00028M 20 Credits Spring Term Seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Philosophy of Action 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. Language and Mind (either at Year 3 or MA level) 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. 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 self critically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core framework that is provided in lectures and seminars. Essay proposal and reading list, Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term

Objectives:

Content: Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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. Jennifer Hornsby, Actions Jonathan Dancy, Practical Reality Joseph Raz, Engaging Reason

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OPTION MODULE SPRING TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Project Essay PHI00013M 20 Credits Summer Term (part-time students) Spring Term (full-time) 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. Attendance at all required meetings with supervisor. To give students experience in researching and writing on a welldefined philosophical problem.

Procedural requirements: Aim:

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment:

By the end of the module students will have: Carried out research largely on their own under the guidance of a supervisor Acquired experience in independent research Worked on an essay developing a point of view on the chosen topic of research 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 be considered 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 parttime Philosophy students. To be agreed with Project supervisor 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 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.

General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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OPTION MODULE SPRING TERM

Module Title: Module Code: Assessment Value: Duration of Module: Teaching Programme: Prohibited Module(s): Aim: Reasons & Values: Topics in Metaethics PHI00035M 20 Credits Spring Term Lectures and seminars; a minimum of two half hour meetings to discuss essay topic and plan Reasons & Values: Topics in Metaethics 3rd year undergraduate module if previously taken. 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 and techniques in order to advance understanding of intellectual problems. 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 self critically on an extended essay that goes beyond the core framework that is provided in lectures and seminars. 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 1,500-word essay Week 7 of Spring Term Essay plan Week 10 of Spring Term One 4,000-word essay due on Monday Week 2 of Summer Term 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. 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)

Objectives:

Content:

Formative Assessment: Summative Assessment: General:

Suggested Preliminary Reading:

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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 not they 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 of information 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 Services facilities (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 available centrally 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
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all operational matters. Within the Philosophy Department, Ross Kendall (rlk516@york.ac.uk) may be able to offer some help with software problems.

3.3 Training A variety of resources and courses relevant to the particular needs of individual MA students are offered within the University. You should ask your supervisor for guidance, and should discuss what your training needs might 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 Services run a wide range of courses for staff and graduates throughout the year. Visit their website at: http://www.york.ac.uk/it-services/ Languages for All run 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 skills aimed 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 the Departments Philosophy Colloquia which 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. 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 following electronic 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 Philosophy Chris Jay is responsible for the Departments liaison with the library and suggestions for book buying should be made to him. Further information about the library opening times etc can be obtained from its website: www.york.ac.uk/services/library/

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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 per academic 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 Committee together with the Standing Committee on Assessment are the major University bodies dealing with graduate affairs. The Board of Studies in Philosophy is 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 Board is 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 Services is 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.

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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 or further course. Explore the extensive range of information on jobs and courses, at home and overseas, held at the Careers Service. Use every opportunity to confirm you know all you need to know about your chosen option; lots of Careers Service events, especially in the Autumn term, will give you direct access to potential employers. Collect a copy of the events programme from the Careers Service or from the Graduate Students Association. Always collect, or read on the Web, the Careers Service Vacancy Bulletin containing details of vacancies advertised for graduates, including those employers who conduct their initial interviews on campus; dont miss options with early application times 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 training sessions on filling in application forms, CV and interview techniques. Consult your referees about 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 on http://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.

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