Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Ethics

This one-year programme offers students a broad introduction to philosophy and moral theory. The programme equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to engage in moral reasoning.

Admission requirements

Any Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university, with an average pass mark of 65% plus. The programme is offered every second year, with the next intake in 2024.

Teaching format 

The diploma consists of two two-week lecture series (in January and July), as well as assignments and exams. Exams are written during the second contact session, which means that it is only necessary to visit Stellenbosch for the two lecture series (thus, four weeks in total). 

Articulation with other programmes 

Students who complete the PGD in Applied Ethics with an average mark of 60% or higher are eligible for admission to the MPhil (Applied Ethics) Programme. Please consult the faculty yearbook for information about admission requirements and application deadlines. 

Programme overview 

The broad themes covered in the programme include the following (this list of themes is subject to change): 

Contact session one: 

• Introduction to philosophy and history of philosophy
• Introduction to normative ethics and moral decision-making
• Critical thinking skills and values analysis
• Applied ethics – fields 

Contact session two: 

• Contexts of moral reasoning
• Methodologies of case studies
• Theories of justice
• Ethics, ideology, and power
• Complexity, postmodernism, and ethics
• Ethics and evolution
• Biology and race
• Applied ethics – themes 

Inquiries 

For additional information, please see the following contact details:

• Programme coordinator – Prof Minka Woermann
• General information – Ms Rachel Adams (radams@sun.ac.za)
• Registration – Ms Winifred Fourie (wf1@sun.ac.za