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Study guide |
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General information
Preface
The Netherlands School for Research in Practical Philosophy (NSRPP) – established in January 1994 – brings together researchers dealing with normative problems and theory formation in the area of (philosophical and theological) ethics, social and political philosophy and philosophy of jurisprudence. In this guide ‘ethics’ is a broad concept, equivalent to ‘practical philosophy’. The school’s research programme comprises both fundamental and applied ethics, while special attention is paid to the relation between these.
The Research School is a federation of
- the Faculty of Humanities, Universiteit van Amsterdam,
- the Ethics Institute, Universiteit Utrecht,
- the Faculty of Philosophy, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam,
- the Faculty of Philosophy and the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam.
NSRPP further cooperates with research groups in the area of ethics at the
- Theological University, Kampen,
- Radbout University: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and the Centre for Ethics,
- University Tilburg: Schoordijk Institute, the Foundation Theological Faculty and the Faculty of Philosophy,
- Delft University of Technology: Faculty of Technology and Management,
- Eindhoven University of Technology, Faculty Technology Management,
- University of Groningen, Faculty of Philosophy and Faculty of Medicine/department Metamedica.
For more information concerning NSRPP and its activities please consult the homepage (http://www.ozse.nl.).
1. Training principles
The Research School trains its PhD candidates to become broadly oriented researchers, able to conduct independent research in ethics that meets international standards, both within and outside the university. The most important test of competence that PhD candidates must pass is the writing of a thesis within a prescribed period of time. The thesis should demonstrate the PhD candidate’s ability to carry out independent, ground-breaking research, and must show that he/she is able to render the results of such research accessible to the academic forum.
To attain this goal PhD candidates need intensive personal counselling, high-quality tuition, and introduction into the national and international scientific community. Primarily, responsibility for counselling rests with the thesis supervisor and other possible mentors. The School supervises the quality of this. NSRPP’s major task is to provide education for its PhD candidates. They participate in NSRPP research groups. In this way and through the international activities organised by NSRPP the School promotes student participation in the (inter)national scientific community.
NSRPP training functions in two ways:
a) to inform PhD candidates concerning the state of research in areas of ethics essential to their study;
b) broaden the horizon of PhD candidates by providing them with insight into major developments in ethics.
2. Who are eligible to take courses at the NSRPP?
Training offered by NSRPP is primarily meant for PhD candidates admitted to the school. An application for admission can be submitted only by a mentor/supervisor who is a Member of NSRPP (Rules and regulations for PhD candidates, NSRPP, 9 March 2005). Submitted together with the application for admission is a preliminary Plan of Study and Supervision, which is to be approved by the Director of NSRPP. This plan is based on an identical model for all PhD candidates. The Director can advise PhD candidates who lack background in philosophy to enrol in BA or MA courses in ethics next to the training offered by NSRPP.
Tuition costs are included in the contribution paid by the mentor’s or supervisor’s institution.
Non-NSRPP PhD candidates can, upon payment, enrol in one or more parts of the educational programme of NSRPP.
3. Programme offered by NSRPP
NSRPP offerings include 3 basic courses, specialised courses, a Summer School (all 6 ECTS credits) and a seminar (3 ECTS credits). Total study load is 27 ECTS credits). The PhD candidate selects 2 of the 3 basic courses. In addition, he/she selects 2 other parts of the NSRPP programme, and enrols in the seminar for a period of at least 1 year. In consultation with the Director it is also possible to obtain part of the training from other institutes, specifically from other research schools. It is recommended – assuming a full-time appointment – that the courses be taken during the first 1.5 years of the appointment.
3.1 Courses
Organisation of the courses is delegated to one or more coordinators, who submit a programme proposal to the board of directors of NSRPP. The board in turn consults with the PhD Candidate Council and the Education Committee. Once the proposal is approved by the board the coordinator is responsible for the implementation of the course.
To complete a course a brief paper is written in which the PhD candidates demonstrate their grasp of the presented material. The coordinator judges whether course participants met the requirements regarding extent and level of their participation – either ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. Participants obtaining ‘satisfactory’ receive a certificate.
The basic courses of NSRPP offer an overview of the current state of research in central areas of ethics. These are the following:
- Political philosophy.
- Ethics and Moral Psychology
- Ethical theory and practice.
The specialising courses treat the current state of research in specific areas of practical ethics. The topics offered are subject to periodic change. Fixed parts are the following courses, offered bi-annually, mutually alternating.
- Ethics of care and health
- Ethics and technology
3.2 Summer School
NSRPP organises a bi-annual Summer School. The composition of both teachers and staff is international. The themes vary and may cover either the area of theoretical ethics or that of practical ethics. The Summer School admits both foreign and Dutch PhD candidates in ethics. NSRPP PhD candidates are given precedence at registration, and a reduction of their participation costs.
3.3 Seminar
A Seminar for PhD candidates is offered every year, conducted by the Director. The Seminar meets bi-monthly. During the Seminar attention is given to skills (presentation of research results, international publishing), but also to topics material to the discipline. The Seminar programme is determined annually by the Director, in consultation with the PhD candidate Council. Doctoral students should participate in the Seminar for a period of no less than 1 year.
3.4 Stay abroad
NSRPP considers it highly desirable that in the context of their research PhD candidates spend some months at a university abroad. Realisation of such stays is primarily the task of the own institution and the thesis supervisor(s). The Director will mention this preference in the getting-acquainted consult, and will monitor its realisation via the annual reports submitted by the PhD candidate.
3.5 Quality control
All courses and the Summer School are evaluated in writing. The results are discussed in the PhD candidate Council and in the Education Committee. If occasion warrants, the courses and the Summer School are adjusted on the basis of such evaluation.
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