Program Overview

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University Program Information

The university offers a wide range of programs, including short and online courses, undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and research programs.

Subject Areas

• Archaeology and anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Certificate of Higher Education
  • English Literature
  • History
  • History of Art
  • Theological Studies
• Architectural history
• Business and management
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies and law
• Economics and politics
• Education and study skills
• Environment and sustainability
• History of art
• History, including local and social
• Languages and cultural studies
• Literature, creative writing and film studies
• Medical and health sciences
• Music
• Natural sciences
• Philosophy
• Psychology and counselling
• Religion and theology
• Technology and AI

Course Format

• Day and weekend events
• In-person learning
• Lecture series
• Online learning
• Professional
• Summer schools
• Weekly learning

Academic Credit

Many courses can be studied for academic credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification.

Undergraduate Programs

Certificates

• Archaeology
• Certificate of Higher Education
• English Literature
• History
• History of Art
• Theological Studies

Diplomas

• Archaeology
• Creative Writing
• English Social and Local History
• History of Art

Advanced Diplomas

• British Archaeology
• IT Systems Analysis and Design (Online)
• Local History (Online)

Pre-Master's

• Advanced Pre-sessional Course for Graduate Students (nine weeks, full-time)
• Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course (six months, full-time)

Postgraduate Programs

Certificates

• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Ecological Survey Techniques
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Health Research
• Historical Studies
• Nanotechnology
• Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
• Psychodynamic Counselling
• Qualitative Health Research Methods
• Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care

Diplomas

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Severe Mental Health Problems
• Health Research
• International Wildlife Conservation Practice
• Psychodynamic Practice

Master of Studies (MSt)

• Creative Writing
• Diplomatic Studies
• Historical Studies
• History of Design
• Literature and Arts
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• Practical Ethics
• Psychodynamic Practice

Research Degrees (DPhil)

• Archaeology
• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Literature and Arts
• Sustainable Urban Development

Master of Science (MSc)

• Applied Landscape Archaeology
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Evidence-Based Health Care Medical Statistics
• Evidence-Based Health Care Systematic Reviews
• Evidence-Based Health Care Teaching and Education
• Experimental and Translational Therapeutics
• Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care
• Surgical Science and Practice
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Translational Health Sciences

Professional Programs

Continuing Professional Development

• Business and management
• Cultural heritage
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies
• Education
• Environment and sustainability
• Medical and health sciences
• Nanotechnology and nanomedicine
• Philosophy and ethics
• Psychology and counselling
• Research methods and skills
• Technology and AI
• Urban studies

Research

The university has an active interdisciplinary research community, with a strong focus on the humanities and social sciences.

Research Community

• Academic staff profiles
• Part-time DPhil programmes
• Research areas
• Research students

Graduate School

The Graduate School offers a supportive and stimulating environment for both internal and external postgraduate students and researchers.

Research Forums

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Steering Group
• Lifelong Learning Pedagogies forum
• Research Ethics Colloquium
• The Vice-Chancellors Colloquium

Course Details

Political Philosophy: An Introduction

• Code: O25P469PHV
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: Ł415.00
• Dates: Wed 06 May 2026 - Fri 17 Jul 2026
• Location: Online (Flexible)

Course Aims

This course aims to introduce students to political philosophy, especially in the western liberal tradition, by guiding them through classical and contemporary readings and helping them think for themselves about important issues.

Course Objectives

• Introduce students to philosophical thinking
• Guide students' reading through classical and contemporary readings
• Help students understand main problems in political philosophy
• Familiarise students with key arguments for and against main positions in debates
• Enable students to think for themselves about issues involved in political philosophy

Teaching Methods

• Guided reading of texts
• Group discussions of particular issues
• Questions to be answered in personal folders
• Debating from positions given rather than from personal belief

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be expected to understand some main problems of political philosophy and their own position on some of these problems. They will also gain skills in thinking philosophically, describing main arguments, and constructively criticising arguments.

Assessment Methods

Students will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first, due halfway through the course, does not count towards the final outcome but helps prepare for the assessed piece of work due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Level and Demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required. It is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level) and requires 100 study hours over 10 weeks.

English Language Requirements

No English language certification is required, but students may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not comparable to those listed on the university's website.

IT Requirements

The course is delivered online and requires regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting the university's recommended minimum specification.