MPhil in applied Ethics
Applied Ethics: A Social Scientific Response to the cries of the earth and the poor
In the third decade of the 21st century socio-economic injustice combines with looming environmental catastrophe to create a perfect storm of suffering for the vast majority of creatures, while allowing a small minority to live under the illusion of perpetual growth at the expense of others. It is necessary to understand the lived experiences of people in their various contexts and interactions, and to interpret these in the light of widely accepted ethical standards, precisely in order to be activist scholars - people who are equipped to make informed suggestions and interventions in their workplaces and environments.
The new format of the Applied Ethics programme at St Augustine College that kicks off in 2023 aims to achieve this goal. Participants in the programme will gain a sound philosophical orientation around the notion of dignity, as well as a solid introduction to prevalent ethical theories. Upon this basis two social scientific modules in applied social ethics and peace building will follow. Students following this programme will do these four modules on a part-time basis during the course of one year. During the course of the year students will also be guided in the preparation of a social scientific research proposal, so that they can spend the second year of the programme gathering the data, analysing the data, and writing up the findings of their research. Hard working students may be able to complete the entire M.Phil degree in Applied Ethics in 18-24 months.
The M.Phil programme in Applied Ethics is perfect for people who have an NQF qualification at level 8, and who have some experience in writing a research report at that level. The programme will advance participants as researchers and academics but will also equip them to apply the concepts and theories that they encounter to the realities of the social, economic and political landscape of the Global South.