DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

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Aims of Programmes

Students might find an explicit statement of the aims of our programmes useful. It comes from our 'Self-Assessment Document' produced for Subject Review, an external evaluation of our teaching which took place in March 2001 and can be found at the following website:

We aim to provide excellent research-based education in Philosophy. Students receive high-quality teaching in core areas from research-active staff who focus their teaching on developments in many areas of analytical philosophy. We offer a range of core topics including epistemology, metaphysics, logic, the philosophies of mind, language, and science, political philosophy, ethics, aesthetics and the history of philosophy. In all programmes we aim:

  • to train students to understand, analyse and engage with a wide range of philosophical problems, so that they can reach considered and appropriate conclusions on the basis of reasons and evidence, and can communicate their conclusions to others;
  • to equip students with a broad range of intellectual skills: (a) to help them to confront a wide range of philosophical questions; (b)  to provide a foundation for further training; (c) to prepare them for future careers;
  • to provide a supportive learning environment within which students are encouraged to develop as independent learners;
  • to make available clear and accurate information on our teaching programmes, on what is expected of students, and on how successfully they are achieving the goals we set for them;
  • to admit high quality students from a wide range of backgrounds;
  • to maintain and improve the quality of our programmes and units by continuous monitoring and review, informed by student feedback.

Objectives

  • On completion of one of the undergraduate programmes in Philosophy, our students should:
  • have acquired a foundation in Philosophy. This includes an introduction to the history of Philosophy and an awareness of key issues in logic, epistemology, mind and ethics;
  • have reached a level of knowledge and understanding sufficient to enter and benefit from further training in Philosophy or related areas, through formal higher degree programmes;
  • have developed an inquiring mind, the ability to find and assimilate new information, and a critical approach to analysing problems of many kinds;
  • have gained confidence in their own ability to appraise new information, arguments and ideas critically;
  • have learnt to plan and organise their time to ensure that all tasks are completed and deadlines met;
  • understand the importance of independent and critical thought;
  • be able to demonstrate good written and spoken communication skills;
  • be able to use computers for communication, word processing and information retrieval;
  • be able to apply the skills they have learnt in the course of their programmes throughout their future careers.

Students completing the single honours Philosophy programme (V500) should also have acquired detailed knowledge of up to 240 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy.

Students completing the joint honours programme with another area of study should also have acquired:

  • knowledge of English literature (including approaches to poetry, approaches to Shakespeare and at least two of the following period units:1200-1540, 1549-1700, 1700-1830, 1830-present and a wide range of special subjects) together with detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in English (QV35);
  • knowledge of core areas of Ancient history and literature and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Classical Studies (QV75);
  • knowledge of core areas of Pure Mathematics including Group Theory, Analysis, Further Analysis, Linear Algebra,  and Calculus and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Mathematics (VG51);
  • knowledge of core areas of a modern language and its literature and culture and 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in the relevant language and literature, together with a year abroad in a setting where the relevant language is spoken (RV15/25/35/45/55/75);
  • knowledge of core areas of Physics including quantum mechanics and electromagnetism, and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of Philosophy, including advanced topics in epistemology and the Philosophy of Physics and /or the Philosophy of Science (FV37,VF53);
  • knowledge of core areas of Physics including quantum mechanics and electromagnetism, and detailed knowledge of up to 180 credits worth of further subjects in Philosophy, including 40 credits of level H Philosophy of Science and 40 credits of units from the MA in Philosophy and History of Science (FVH5);
  • knowledge of core areas of Theology and Religious Studies and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Theology and Religious Studies (VV56);
  • knowledge of core areas of Economics with micro- and macro-economics and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Economics (VL51);
  • knowledge of key concepts in sociological understanding, of classical sociological theory and its relevance in the light of contemporary theories of postmodernism and globalisation, theories of production, reproduction, consumption, identity and contemporary culture and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Sociology (LV35);
  • knowledge of core areas of Politics  and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Politics (VL52);
  • knowledge of core areas of Psychology and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Psychology (VC58);
  • knowledge of core areas of Social Policy and detailed knowledge of up to 120 credits worth of further subjects of study in Philosophy and a similar amount in Social Policy (Philosophy and Social Policy).