MPhil in Philosophy

Come and join the conversation regarding the sorely needed shift towards an integral, ecological worldview. While everyone is saying eco-this and eco-that, and while the climate change crisis is surely very pressing, the practical manifestations of a world in crisis can only be addressed by understanding what ecology really means – learning to live in a world amongst all other beings. A truly relational world.

Our Honours Programme in Peace Studies (the 4 P’s programme – Philosophy, Psychology, Politics and Peace), will provide you with the basis to continue to a Master’s degree in Philosophy.

From 2023 onwards our M.Phil degree in Philosophy will have a focus on integral, ecological thinking. The aim is to equip participants in the programme to analyse the world of the 21st century, the context of the Global South, and particularly the Southern African context in the light of all creatures’ need to be at home in the world, and consequently to hear and interpret the manifold cries of homelessness – the cries of humanity, the cries of the earth, the cries of the poor.

The Master’s Degree in Philosophy is tailored for students who want to study part-time. Hard working and successful students could complete the programme in 18 to 24 months. The first year consists of four taught modules (one per quarter):

1. Dignity of the Human Person (with a focus on an ecological understanding of dignity)
2. Foundations of ethics (with a focus on ecological, relational ethics)
3. Philosophy of Being (a process-relational introduction to the world)
4. Philosophy of Knowledge (moving beyond the bi-furcation of nature)

While busy with the taught modules, students in the programme start working on their research proposals. Once approved, the final 6 – 12 months of the programme is devoted to the writing of a 30 000 word supervised dissertation.