About this course
Enhance your knowledge of issues in business and organisational ethics. Explore fundamental concepts in the philosophy of value and management. You’ll examine issues in current management practices and a range of modern ethical and political challenges.
Our rapidly changing world raises difficult ethical questions for businesses. These include debates surrounding the treatment of employees and customers, and concerns about advancing technologies like artificial intelligence. This course will prepare you to engage critically with this evolving world of work and the ethical questions it poses.
You’ll have the opportunity to:
- examine philosophical questions surrounding markets and trade
- delve into the ethics of relationships between parties, including employers, employees, and customers
- learn to think critically about practical ethical questions and offer solutions
- graduate with skills well suited for the modern workplace, particularly positions of management
You'll also have the option to take modules that explore the creative and cultural industries. This could include the literary world, film, or the music industry.
When you complete this course, you'll have a strong understanding of core topics surrounding ethics in business and more general ethical theory.
Beyond preparing you for a wide variety of careers, you'll be ideally positioned to pursue leadership roles across most domains.
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course lead
Your course leader is Dr. Brian McElwee, Lecturer in Philosophy. His research interests include normative ethics, applied ethics, and the history of moral philosophy. Read Dr. McElwee's staff profile to find out more about his work.
Learn more about this subject area
Course location
This course is based at Avenue.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Entry requirements
A 2:1 degree or equivalent in a business, humanities, or social sciences subject.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.5
- writing
- 6.5
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Pre-masters
If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
This course is normally studied over 1 year full-time but may also be taken on a part-time basis for a period of 2 years.
Your studies will be split into two parts.
In part 1 (semesters 1 and 2), you'll study the taught part of the course. You'll choose:
- one module in general ethical theory, either 'Fundamentals of Ethical Theory' or 'Philosophy of Value'
- at least two modules in business ethics, from: 'Business, Morality, and Markets'; 'Ethics at Work: Customers, Companies, and Cooperation'; and 'Organisational Ethics and the Philosophy of Management'
You'll also take a module in 'Research Skills in Philosophy', and tailor your degree to your interests with further optional modules.
In part 2, you’ll undertake a dissertation in philosophical issues regarding business and/or management.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules :
Philosophy Dissertation
You will complete a dissertation on a subject of your choice, subject to available supervisory expertise.
Research Skills in Philosophy
This module prepares you for your own research work. The module will examine the process of writing a structured essay on a topic related to the dissertation project, formulating a research proposal, identifying the problems this may pose and the benefits...
You must also choose from the following modules :
Business, Morality, and Markets
Business can be understood narrowly as the part of life in which we exchange services and goods. But in contemporary society, many of us spend a large part of our lives conducting business—either working within firms or for ourselves—and all of us engage ...
Classical Indian Philosophy: Self, Knowledge, and Liberation
Philosophy flourished in classical India for well over a millennium, with figures in this tradition producing works that are on a par with those of figures in ancient Greece and late antique and medieval Europe. In fact, figures in classical India contrib...
Contemporary Theories of Justice
The aim of this module is to familiarise you with several important, but competing, theories of justice. Such theories give guidance on important questions of distributive justice (who ought to get what, when and why?), and provide, to varying degrees, gr...
Corporate Finance 1
In this module we begin by looking at the types and sources of finance for a company. Next we seek to understand the cost of capital and the major theories that guide us. Next comes sources of long-term finance: capital, debt and hybrid finance. Finally, ...
Ethics at Work: Customers, Companies, and Cooperation
In our working lives, we engage in many, ethically-complex relationships—with employers, with colleagues and with clients and customers. This module will explore some of the distinctive ethical challenges that these relationships pose. For example, is the...
Ethics of Public Policy
This module involves the ethical evaluation of public policies. Note that it is not primarily concerned with how public policies are made and implemented, nor with non-ethical assessment of them, such as how effective they are in achieving their aims. The...
Fiction and Fictionalism
We are all familiar with fictions from Romeo and Juliet to Jaws, from The Hobbit to Harry Potter. Despite this familiarity, the nature of fiction and of our engagement with it appears puzzling. On the one hand, fictional characters do not exist. On the ot...
Fundamentals of Ethical Theory
We all, in many contexts, face ethical questions: whether to tell the truth or lie, whether to keep a promise or break it, whether to refrain from intervening in some dispute or instead step in. Questions like these are at once tremendously important, but...
Global Challenges in Context: Conflict and Security
In order to address any contemporary global challenge, it is vital that we understand the roots of the problem and its historical context. This module explores the broad history of conflict, enabling you to place global events within a wider context and c...
Global Challenges in Historical Context: Identity and Rights
In to order address any contemporary global challenge, it is vital that we understand the roots of the problem and its historical context. This module examines human rights and identity by broadly exploring the history of poverty and wealth from antiquity...
Global Challenges in Historical Context: Migration and Asylum
In to order address any contemporary global challenge, it is vital that we understand the roots of the problem and its historical context. This module explores the history of global migration from the ancient world to the present day, considering how and ...
Global Entrepreneurship
This module has been developed to recognise the increasing importance of, and to support, international entrepreneurship. International entrepreneurship is an established sub-domain of the entrepreneurship field. There is a growing recognition of the impo...
Global Music Industry
The business of music is evolving at an accelerating pace. Technological change is driving disruption to models of production, distribution and consumption – and globalising the music industry in ways never seen before. The global music industry, worth bi...
Globalisation and World Politics
The module will look at the main issues and trends, concepts and definitions on globalisation within the discipline of international relations.
Happiness and Wellbeing
It seems clear that people’s lives can go well or badly. But what is it for one’s life to go well? Does it consist in feeling good more often than feeling bad? Or getting most of what you want? Or does it consist in achievement, friendship, knowledge and ...
Heidegger
This module aims to introduce and explain some central themes of Heidegger’s early masterpiece, Being and Time. It will explore central concepts such as Being-in-the-world and authenticity and how they relate to established philosophical issues, including...
Islamic Philosophy
There is a rich and often overlooked tradition of Islamic philosophy, or 'falsafa'. This module focuses on the classical period of the Islamic Golden Age, from Al-Kindi, via Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna), to Ibn Rushd (also known as Averroes). The cla...
Managing within a Global Context
The focus of this module is on management and organisation of, and by people across the global context. The aim of the module is to provide learners with a wide-ranging and critical understanding of managing and organising in the context of the rapidly ch...
Music Management Fundamentals
Music Management Fundamentals lays advanced theoretical foundations for the practical work you will learn to do later in the Programme. Why is the international music business organised the way it is? What forces – technological, economic, political and c...
Nietzsche
Reading the works of Friedrich Nietzsche is both exciting and troubling. He sets out to undermine the basis of many of our beliefs about values. Christianity, he believed, has had a powerfully negative effect on the potential of human beings. His method o...
Organisational Ethics and Philosophy of Management
Some of the key ethical challenges that arise in business stem from the fact that businesses are organisations, structured social arrangements of multiple individuals. For example, how can individuals hope to act ethically within an organisation, when the...
Philosophy and Ethics in Psychology and AI
The science of psychology and the project of artificial intelligence raise profound philosophical issues as they attempt to understand, simulate and even go beyond human thought. Some concern the kind of explanation that these ventures seek: If we underst...
Philosophy of Sex, Sexuality, and Gender
In this module you will explore some major philosophical questions related to sex, sexuality and gender. We will consider general questions about the nature of sex, sexuality and gender: What makes an act sexual? What is a sexual orientation? What is gen...
Schopenhauer
Schopenhauer is one of the great original writers of the nineteenth century, and a unique voice in the history of thought. His central concept of the will leads him to a pessimistic view of existence: he regards human beings as striving irrationally and s...
Strategic Brand Management
Strategic Operations Management
In the past, where organisations tended to be more hierarchical than today, the words, "strategy" and "operations" were almost mutually exclusive. In today's highly competitive environment, though, strategic operations capabilities must be in place in ord...
The Ethics of Climate Change
The climate crisis is one of the most urgent issues facing humanity. Climate change is having an increasing impact on individual lives, and on social and political relations and institutions. This module examines the moral and political philosophical issu...
The Philosophy of Value
The Philosophy of Value offers students the opportunity to explore in detail some central issues and texts in the Western philosophical tradition that address questions in the philosophy of value broadly construed (i.e. including ethics, aesthetics, poli...
Theories of Leadership
This module examines different approaches to political leadership through a variety of lenses, mostly grounded in historical and contemporary political theory.
Truth, Opinion, And Ideology
It is commonplace to hear people say such things as, "You should believe that the climate is changing—that's what the evidence tells us", or "You ought not to believe that the earth is flat—that's just not true". These judgements concerning what people ou...
Learning and assessment
Learning
The learning activities for this course include:
- lectures
- seminars
- coursework
- individual and group projects
- independent learning (studying on your own)
Assessment
We’ll assess you through:
- essays
- presentations
- a dissertation
Academic Support
We'll assign you a personal academic tutor, and you'll have access to a senior tutor.
Careers
This course will prepare you for a wide variety of careers.
As well as a strong understanding of central topics in business ethics and philosophy of management, you’ll develop work-related skills such as the ability to:
- synthesize information from diverse sources
- communicate clearly
- research carefully, and arrive at defensible decisions
- differentiate between strong and weak arguments and defend your conclusions
Because of these insights you’ll be ideally positioned to pursue leadership roles across most domains.
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £25,400.
Deposit
If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.
Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.
Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams. The fee you pay will remain the same each year from when you start studying this course. This includes if you suspend and return.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Explore:
10% alumni discount
If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship
Ten scholarships of £10,000 each are available to international students studying for an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate master’s degree in Arts and Humanities.
Find out more about the Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Southampton Philosophy David Humphris-Norman Scholarship
A scholarship of £3,000 is available to UK students studying for a postgraduate master’s degree in Global Business Ethics and the Philosophy of Management.
Find out more about the Southampton Philosophy David Humphris-Norman Scholarship, including eligibility and conditions.
Other postgraduate funding options
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.
Funding for { funding_heading }}
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
- Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
- Search for the course you want to apply for.
- Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
- Submit your application.
For further details, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications.
Application deadlines
- International students: Tuesday 26 August 2025, midday UK time
- UK students: Tuesday 9 September 2025, midday UK time
Application assessment fee
We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.
This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.
If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.
Supporting information
When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.
You’ll need to include information about:
- your knowledge of the subject area
- why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
- how you intend to use your qualification
You'll also need to submit two academic references.
Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.
What happens after you apply
You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.
We will aim to send you a decision 6 weeks after you have submitted your application.
Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
