Program Overview

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Philosophy by Distance Learning PhD

Overview

The University of Nottingham offers a Philosophy by Distance Learning PhD program, allowing students to pursue their research interests in philosophy while studying remotely.

Research Overview

The Department of Philosophy at the University of Nottingham is one of the leading philosophy research communities in the UK. The department welcomes applications from enthusiastic and committed PhD students. The program offers:

• Experienced and expert supervision
• Internationally recognized research publishing
• A highly inclusive and supportive environment

Research Strengths

The department has particular strengths in the following areas:

• Applied, Feminist and Social Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of Mind
• Logic and Language
• Philosophy of Science
• History of Philosophy
• Philosophy of Religion
• Epistemology
• Moral Philosophy
• Political and Legal Philosophy

Current Staff Research and Expertise

The department has a range of research projects and expertise. Students can get a feel for the current work by visiting the department's website or finding an expert in their area of philosophy.

Current PhD Research

Current PhD students are exploring a diverse range of issues, including:

• Metaethics
• Homelessness
• AI ethics
• Moral responsibility
• Philosophy of action
• Medical ethics
• The nature of perception
• The philosophy of time
• Social epistemology
• Microaggressions
• Environmental ethics
• Truth
• Health and trust
• Plato
• Mental health

Case Studies

The department has a range of case studies, including "Being Seen - Philosophy of Mental Health," which explores the therapeutic effects of trauma portraiture.

Recently Completed Theses

The department has a range of recently completed theses, including:

• "On Philosophers' Hallucinations: Naïve Realism and the Master Argument from Hallucination" by Giorgio Mazzullo
• "Hume's moral sentiments and Humean moral aliefs" by James Chamberlain
• "Physical disability and well-being" by Thomas Crawley
• "Humean revisions to the best system account of lawhood" by Mike Hughes
• "Normativity and ethics: the error in the error theory" by Kipros Lofitis
• "Dispositionalism: a study on properties" by Andrea Raimondi
• "Weakness of will and its connection with practical reasons" by Samaneh Keshavarz

Your Department

The Department of Philosophy is ranked 11th in the UK for its research outputs in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Course Content

The program involves completing a written thesis of around 80,000 words, with expert support and advice from academic supervisors. Students will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce, where they explain their project in depth to an examination panel.

Entry Requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis, and the department accepts a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements include:

• Home/UK students: MA with merit in philosophy or related subject
• EU/International students: MA with merit in philosophy or related subject, with international and EU equivalents accepted
• English language requirements: IELTS 7.0 (no less than 6.0 in any element)

Fees

• Home/UK: £5,006
• International: £23,000

Funding

There are funding opportunities available, including:

• Society for Applied Philosophy
• The Royal Institute of Philosophy

Support

The department offers a range of support, including:

• Weekly research seminar
• Postgraduate seminars
• Workshops, conferences, and reading groups
• Publishing support
• Language learning
• Researcher training and development
• Graduate centres
• Student support

Careers

The program prepares students for a range of careers, including academia, industry, and the public sector. The department has a strong track record of graduate employment, with many students going on to work in business, finance, and management.

Research Excellence Framework

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• 11th in the UK for research outputs
• Over 80% of publications recognized as internationally excellent
• 90% of research is classed as 'world-leading' (4) or 'internationally excellent' (3)
• 100% of research is recognized internationally
• 51% of research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact