Ancient Philosophy MA

Durham University

Description

This is a specialist course geared towards preparing you for higher research in ancient philosophy - partly through direct research training, and partly through modules taught by experts in their field in small-group seminars. Durham has a longstanding tradition of international excellence in the field of ancient philosophy, with several recent doctoral students having gone on to take up academic positions in the UK and abroad. The course lasts for one year full-time (two years part-time).

Course Learning and Teaching

The MA in Ancient Philosophy is principally conceived as a research training course, which aims to build on the skills in independent learning acquired in the course of the student’s first degree and enable them to undertake fully independent research at a higher level. Contact time with tutors for taught modules is typically a total of 5 hours per week (rising to 7 for someone beginning Latin or ancient Greek at this level), with an emphasis on small group teaching, and a structure that maximises the value of this time, and best encourages and focuses the student’s own independent study and preparation. On average, around 2 hours a week of other relevant academic contact (research seminars, dissertation supervision) is also available.

In exceptional cases, students with a particular research training need which matches Departmental expertise but is not covered by the taught provision in our or other Departments in any given year may also make a proposal to take an Independent Research Topic in place of one taught MA module. For an IRT, students produce an independent piece of research with an individual member of staff (usually a 5,000-word commentary or extended essay), receiving 5h of supervision. (Nb. There can be no overlap between the IRT and the Dissertation, and students must demonstrate on entry that they have the required expertise, and need, for project work in the relevant area).

All staff teaching on the MA are available for consultation by students, and run weekly office hours in addition to formal contact time. The MA Director acts as Academic Adviser to MA students, and is available as an additional point of contact, especially for matters concerning academic progress.

In addition to the formal part of the course, the Department has a very vibrant culture of research seminars and talks. In particular, MA students are strongly encouraged to attend the Department’s two research seminar series. Although not a formal (assessed) part of the MA, engagement with these seminars across a range of subjects is part of students’ development as researchers and ought to be viewed as essential to their course. In addition, MA students are welcome to attend and present at the ‘Junior Work-in-Progress’ seminar series organised by the PhD students in the Department. Finally, our student-run Classics Society regularly organises guest speakers – often very high-profile scholars from outside Durham.