Last modified: 09 Sep 2025 14:16
The Philosophy and Society Dissertation is a largely student-led course in which students work with a supervisor to develop a 12,000-word thesis on a topic of their choosing. In addition to the 12,000-word thesis, students also complete a 2,000-word impact statement discussing how their research project may lead to societal impact.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Third Term | Credit Points | 60 credits (30 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
|
||
The dissertation is a required part of the MLitt in Philosophy and Society degree. It is a primarily student-led research project on a topic chosen by the student in conjunction with a Philosophy Staff supervisor. The research project is tailored to the student’s particular interests and career plans. It involves writing a 12,000-word dissertation and a 2,000 word impact statement. The impact statement considers prospective academic and non-academic impacts of the research and the pathways by which that impact might be achieved.. Students are encouraged to pursue research projects that are interdisciplinary in nature.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
The impact statement will be evaluated based on its clarity, feasibility, link to identified research questions, and the extent to which the proposal engages with audiences or institutions outwith philosophy. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | To identify pathways to impact |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 80 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
The dissertation will receive in-text as well as overall comments with the aim of providing useful feedback on the writing-style, argumentation, analysis, and conclusions. It will be double-marked. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | To analyse the work of scholars who have written on the student’s chosen philosophical topic |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To evaluate the work of scholars who have written on the student’s chosen philosophical topic |
| Reflection | Create | To write up the results of the student’s research in a clear and coherent manner |
| Reflection | Create | To reach the student’s own conclusions on the basis of this analysis and evaluation |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | To analyse the work of scholars who have written on the student’s chosen philosophical topic |
| Procedural | Apply | To identify pathways to impact |
| Reflection | Create | To write up the results of the student’s research in a clear and coherent manner |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To evaluate the work of scholars who have written on the student’s chosen philosophical topic |
| Reflection | Create | To reach the student’s own conclusions on the basis of this analysis and evaluation |
We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to for this site or .
