PY951-7-AT-CO:
MA Writing Workshop
2026/27
Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn Special
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 08 October 2026
Friday 18 December 2026
20
13 May 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MPHIV599 Philosophy,
MPHIVA98 Philosophy (Including Placement Year),
MPHIVA99 Philosophy (Including Year Abroad)
This module provides intensive training in postgraduate-level writing and research.
The Workshop is primarily designed for MA philosophy students. First-year PhD students can request permission from the Course Instructor to attend classes.
The aims of this module are:
- To help students toward detailed knowledge and understanding of a selection of texts pertaining to the topic of the MA Writing Workshop.
- To develop students’ ability to articulate and discuss particular philosophical problems regarding this topic.
- To develop students’ ability to explain, consider and assess each author’s contribution to our understanding of this topic in particular respects.
- To provide students with the tools to write a series of short papers on various questions afferent to this topic.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to have acquired or developed a set of transferable skills, and in particular be able to:
- Define the task in which they are engaged and exclude what is irrelevant.
- Seek and organise the most relevant discussions and sources of information.
- Process a large volume of diverse and sometimes conflicting arguments.
- Compare and evaluate different arguments and assess the limitations of their own position or procedure.
- Write and present verbally a succinct and precise account of positions, arguments, and their presuppositions and implications.
- Be sensitive to the positions of others and communicate their own views in ways that are accessible to them.
- Think 'laterally' and creatively - see interesting connections and possibilities and present these clearly rather than as vague hunches.
- Maintain intellectual flexibility and revise their own position if shown wrong.
- Think critically and constructively.
The module is primarily designed for PGT students in Philosophy. Other postgraduate students (including first-year philosophy PGR students) may participate with the permission of the of the Module Supervisor.
Please note that, while this module delivers very effective training, it is also very demanding, both in time and effort.
The focus of the Workshop in 2025 will be two books by the contemporary philosopher, Stephen Darwall: The Second Person Standpoint (2006), and The Heart and its Attitudes (2024).
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour seminar per week.
- One weekly tutorial.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Essay Portfolio |
|
100% |
Additional coursework information
The coursework comprises:
This module is assessed on the basis of a portfolio of essays. Over the course of the module students have the opportunity to submit several shorter essays (1,500 words) and receive feedback and a mark for these essays. At the end of the term, the student will select the best three of the submitted essays to comprise the assessment portfolio. The overall mark will be calculated on the basis of these three equally weighted essays.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
No
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
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