Political Theory
Department of Philosophy,
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Department of Politics and International Relations,
Faculty of Social Sciences
Course description
Taught jointly by the departments of philosophy and politics, this course gives you the opportunity to explore contemporary political philosophy and its historical underpinnings. You’ll study topics such as global justice, the environment, feminism, equality, freedom, democracy and international political theory, delving into the debates that are shaping current political discourse and developing your understanding of the cultural, historical and philosophical contexts that surround them.
Modules
Core modules
- Political Philosophy Research Seminar (taught by the Department of Philosophy)
- Dissertation in Political Theory
Optional modules
Examples include:
- Human Rights
- Freedom
- Democratic Governance in the 21st Century
- Liberalism
- Global Justice
- Philosophy of Law
- Feminism
- The Political Philosophy of Climate Change
- Moral and Other Values Research Seminar
- PhD Proposal
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.
Teaching
You’ll learn through lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Our masters courses are so exciting because you’ll have the opportunity to develop a genuine specialism in your area of study. As researchers it’s a real pleasure to share your latest work—in my case, on the political theory of animal rights—with students who are eager to learn and challenge!
Duration
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
Entry requirements
You’ll need a first-class or 2:1 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent grade from overseas.
A degree in philosophy, politics or a related subject is preferred, though we will consider applicants from a wide range of disciplines, particularly if they can demonstrate other experience relevant to the programme.
Overall IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.
We also accept a range of other UK qualifications and other EU/international qualifications.
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
If you qualify, you may be able to get financial support through the University's studentships and fee waivers.
Apply
You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It's a quick and easy process.
Contact
phi-pgadmissions@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 0587
politics-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 1641
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.