Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy

Purpose

This qualification is aimed at producing specialists in the various career fields such as Education, Research and Government.

On completion of this qualification the student would have gained a comprehensive grasp of the discipline and would have a critical understanding of advanced research methodologies. The student would be able to comfortably do independent research which could result in publishable work. The student would also have gained the ability to confidently defend his/her research and communicate the findings on an international level.

Rationale

• The rationale for this qualification is to expand the base of expertise with regards to new research initiatives as well as to produce more independent and publishable work:

> To demonstrate in-depth and expert knowledge and skills as a competent reader, writer and speaker on philosophical matters, at a most advanced level.

> To demonstrate the ability to do independent research at the most advanced level in the field of philosophy.

• This is a non-professional qualification.
• Learners would be required to be in possession of a Master's Degree in order to be considered to register for this qualification which would inevitably qualify them (depending on their area of specialisation) to operate as one of the following: Professional educator, academic researcher etc.
• As mentioned above this qualification opens up a manifold of career opportunities with the most appropriate being the Professional educator.
• Not only does this much specialised qualification enrich the knowledge of the learner, but it also creates the opportunity for the dissemination of new research/knowledge within the broader society.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Master's Degree or equivalent qualification in philosophy provided that such qualification would be suitable to serve as basis for advanced research in the discipline.

Entry Requirements

Master of Arts in Philosophy or equivalent.

100% Research.

Exit Level Outcome 1

Student will be able to

Specific

• Demonstrate his/her drawing on a wide range of theoretical and practical skills derived from different branches of philosophy.
• Demonstrate the capacity to design, conduct and write up research that is original, relevant and which contributes to knowledge and insight into the area of interest in philosophy and that can respectably stand alongside refereed and published research in the same field.
• Demonstrate an understanding of philosophical methods and an ability to cope with research techniques.
• Demonstrate an understanding of philosophy related to the research problem.

Critical

• Initiate, guide and reflect with participants on the empowerment of the community and its members in the philosophical spheres of life.
• Organise and manage his/her activities and time.
• Analyse, reformat and evaluate a wide range of information pertaining to philosophical issues.
• Communicate effectively, using visual and language skills in the mode of oral and written presentation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
• Reflect on and explore a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
• Be culturally and aesthetically aware across a range of social contexts.
• Explore educational and career opportunities.

Associated Assessment Criteria For Exit Level Outcome 1

Student will be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and values by

• Generating contextually relevant interpretations of philosophical texts by using recognized analytical and hermeneutic methods. This relates to AC 4 on Blooms Taxonomy (Analysis) and outcomes will be measured and examined in terms of whether an appropriate scope of literature has been covered and integrated, whether the use of such literature is relevant and the interpretation accurate.
• Integrating secondary resources to interpret texts in a way relevant to the broader social context. This relates to AC 4 and 5 of Blooms Taxonomy (Analysis and Synthesis) and outcomes will be measured in terms of whether insights emerging form literature on the broader social context have been integrated into the study to a sufficient degree, and whether problems have been conceptualised with the appropriate degree of contextual sensitivity.
• Explain the cultural and social features of the communities behind texts and identify the differences between those and contemporary communities, where necessary Integrating historical sources to interpret the history of interpretation in their respective contexts.
• Writing research proposals that indicate that the learners are able to identify a problem or problems in philosophy, and formulate research problems and subsets of problems and suggest possible solutions.
• Knowing, selecting and utilising research frameworks that are relevant to the research of a specific problem in philosophy.
• This relates to AC levels 4, 5 and 6 (Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation). Assessment will be implemented on both research proposals and research outcomes in terms of whether the research is situated within a generally recognized area of philosophy.
• Create a theoretical framework provided by the literature review.
• Select and use appropriate methods to interpret the material of the investigation.
• Evaluate and interpret texts.
• Make conceptual suggestions or create a new theory that can be applied to solve the problem investigated.
• Identify and analyse different philosophical procedures in terms of the problem being researched (relates to AC 4).
• Critically read, interpret and analyse literature from different sources.
• Search for literature in the identified research problem.
• Compare the writings of different authors on the same related topic.
• Synthesize reading material on the topic being researched.
• Draw conclusions from different readings and indicate anomalies.
• Create a new model/approach/theory that is applicable to the research problem.
• Compile a complete bibliography/reference list.

Integrated Assessment

100% Research Thesis examined both internally as well as externally to ensure that student conform to national and international standards.

Formative

• Defending Research Proposal.

Summative

• Comprehensive thesis.