MA Philosophy Programme 24-25

This MA programme was established by the late Professor Sir Roger Scruton, the inaugural Professor of Philosophy at The University of Buckingham, and reflects his values and the subjects which he illuminated in his extensive writings. The focus is on philosophical questions that have a direct bearing on our understanding of and participation in the contemporary world, not the abstractions – usually expressed in impenetrable language – to which much modern philosophical writing has succumbed.

The Master’s degree can be taken either full-time and completed in a single academic year, or taken part-time and extended over two years. Although original research it the prime focus of the programme, there is also a strongly collegial aspect to the course, as all research students meet regularly throughout the year for a series of early-evening seminars by some of the most distinguished philosophers working in contemporary Britain and beyond. The seminars are held in the Reform Club in Pall Mall, London, SW1, and provide an opportunity for students to meet and debate with the visiting speaker. Each seminar is followed by a working dinner at which discussion continues. (The full seminar programme is given below.)

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True to its Scrutonian origins, this MA in Philosophy will explore questions which have direct bearing on the most pressing issues in politics and contemporary society. Throughout his career Scruton was deeply invested in the political implications of fundamental disputes in philosophy. Likewise, central to Scruton’s vision in designing the programme was his conviction that the best way to learn philosophy is by doing philosophy, i.e. engaging in philosophical discussion of issues that are important for understanding the world and the human being’s place within that world. The MA seminars will combine these two principles by opening to discussion some of the central issues of world and national politics in the context of some of the most fundamental questions in philosophy.

Students will examine the intellectual origins of a variety of political traditions – libertarian, social democratic, conservative, socialist among others – and acquire a grounding in the deep philosophical issues that underlie political discourse today.

The programme is directed by Dr Mikołaj Sławkowski-Rode, Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy in the Humanities Research Institute, University of Buckingham, and his publications include The Meaning of Mourning: Perspectives on Death Loss and Grief (Rowman and Littlefield, 2023) as well as numerous articles in learned journals. He has been involved in the University of Buckingham’s research degrees in Philosophy since their establishment by Scruton. He is also Research Fellow in Philosophy at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Warsaw.

Dr Ralph Weir was supervised by Sir Roger Scruton at Oxford when reading for the BPhil. He subsequently received his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge and went on to start a Philosophy BA and MA at the University of Lincoln. His publications include: The Mind-Body Problem and Metaphysics: An Argument from Consciousness to Mental Substance (Routledge, 2023). He is also Member of the Faculty of Theology of Religion, University of Oxford.

Dr Jonathan Price has a PhD in the philosophy of law from Leiden University and a DPhil in Law from Oxford University. He studied with Sir Roger Scruton in Oxford and is currently the Director of the Centre for Theology, Law and Culture at Pusey House, Oxford. He is the founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Politics & Poetics and the author of The Egalitarian Constitution: Modern Identity in Three Moral Values (Leiden 2018).
The MA in Philosophy at Buckingham provides the perfect channel for curious minds to delve into the riches of all that the philosophical tradition has to offer. Those starting out in their exploration of philosophy will enjoy the breadth, while those with some exposure will relish the opportunity to deepen prior investigations. I felt empowered by Professor Scruton to critique The Canon, and the unique atmosphere of the seminars allowed my work to be critiqued in turn. Professor Scruton is a master of words. His lectures speak to the human condition and he tutors his students with care and zeal. I wholeheartedly recommend the programme to all prospective students.
I.S
My year on the MA Philosophy by Research programme at the University of Buckingham was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It was a great pleasure for me to be able to study under Sir Roger, and to achieve a Distinction was testament to the incredible quality of the content, structure and the teaching offered on the course.
G.C
The MA in Philosophy with Sir Roger Scruton was an intellectual and personal endeavor that far exceeded all expectations. Sir Roger is not just one of the world's leading philosophers and writers; he is also a superb teacher in the truest sense of the word. Sir Roger's unparalleled instruction was bolstered only by the program's community of friends, mentors, and scholars. The University of Buckingham's commitment to teaching philosophy under the direction of Sir Roger redounds to the University's credit.
H.S
The Masters of Philosophy by Research has been a profound experience both academically and socially. More symposium than lecture, the regular tutorials have provided a general survey of philosophy – from Aristotle to Descartes, Kant to Hegel — in a unique and engaging setting in the heart of Central London, while the research component has allowed me to investigate my topic, under the generous and expert guidance of Professor Sir Roger Scruton. All the while being supported by helpful and efficient administration and research resources.
A.F
Sir Roger Scruton has influenced me ever since my undergraduate days. Now forty years on, I educate business leaders from around the world, all of whom seek success. From Roger I take my meaning of success, which is living the good life as the virtuous life, in its root sense of being fully a person. Studying under Roger has given me fresh inspiration to encourage leaders not to treat the lead as mere resources but instead to recognise the responsibility for their flourishing. Likewise, Sir Roger’s work has me urging the leaders with whom I work not to see themselves as instruments of abstract forces, but as those who need to know and act on what they stand for.
D.H
D.H
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