Modern Political Philosophy 7.5 credits

About the course

Political philosophy is the study of the nature and justification of coercive institutions. Central to this justification are the questions "who gets what?" (the question of distributive justice), "who gets to say so?" (the question of authority and legitimacy), and "how can we ensure that a just state, once established, can maintain itself?" (the question of stability). In this course we explore a variety of answers to these questions, developed by prominent philosophers in the last half century. The course focuses on primary texts by representatives of the most influential positions in the field, thereby developing an overview of the field as that developed since Rawls' publication of his landmark work A Theory of Justice (1971). Students learn what is distinctive about approaches such as Rawlsian Liberalism, Libertarianism, Communitarianism, Feminism, Perfectionism, Egalitarianism, the Capability Approach, and Republicanism.

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Spring 2026
- Modern Political Philosophy
  
  International admissions round
  
  Spring 2026 / Umeå / English / On site
  
  Show more Show less
  
  Starts
  24 March 2026
  
  Ends
  3 May 2026
  
  Number of credits
  7.5 credits
  
  Type of studies
  On site
  
  Study pace
  100%
  
  Teaching hours
  Daytime
  
  Study location
  Umeå
  
  Language
  English
  
  Application code
  UMU-F1708
  
  Eligibility Political philosophy 7,5 ECTS credits or equivalent. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English 6/level 2.
  
  Selection
  Academic credits
  
  Application
  Application deadline was 15 August 2025. The application period is closed.
  
  Application and tuition fees
  As a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
  
  Application fee: SEK 900
  
  Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 12,075
  
  Total fee: SEK 12,075
  
  Details about tuition, fees and funding
- Modern Political Philosophy
  
  Second admissions round for EU/EEA citizens
  
  Spring 2026 / Umeå / English / On site
  
  Apply
  
  Show more Show less
  
  Starts
  24 March 2026
  
  Ends
  3 May 2026
  
  Number of credits
  7.5 credits
  
  Type of studies
  On site
  
  Study pace
  100%
  
  Teaching hours
  Daytime
  
  Study location
  Umeå
  
  Language
  English
  
  Application code
  UMU-17018
  
  Eligibility Political philosophy 7,5 ECTS credits or equivalent. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English 6/level 2.
  
  Selection
  Academic credits
  
  Application
  Online applications are now open. Application deadline is 15 October 2025. Please note: This second application round is intended only for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
  
  Application and tuition fees
  As a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
  
  Application fee: SEK 900
  
  Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 12,075
  
  Total fee: SEK 12,075
  
  Details about tuition, fees and funding

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