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Graduate Diploma Philosophy

Explore contemporary issues in Philosophy with no prior experience

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

Length

9 months full-time,
18 months part-time

Start date

September 2024 (semester dates)

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in the UK for research in Philosophy

according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

for our research impact

according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

On this course you'll engage with key issues at the centre of contemporary debates, and gain up-to-date knowledge of philosophy across a broad range of topics.

This course is intended to provide an opportunity for those with no background in Philosophy to do advanced work in the subject and to obtain an Honours-level qualification in it. It's ideal for those wishing to go on to study for a Philosophy MA as it provides you with the essential grounding needed for study at Masters level.

The first part of the course will provide you with knowledge of important topics in Philosophy and you'll develop essential skills to engage critically with those topics. The second part of the course will give you experience in applying research skills to a well-defined problem under the guidance of an expert in the area. To achieve this, you will undertake the exciting and challenging task of preparing a written project based on your own independent research. You'll be supervised by a member of staff throughout to ensure that you remain on track and develop your ideas in the right direction.

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Course content

You will take 120 credits of undergraduate-level modules during the course. 

Course structure for part-time study

  • Year 1 Philosophical Analysis, two option modules.
  • Year 2 Graduate Diploma Project, two option modules.

Research project

As an application of the knowledge, skills and experience gained in the previous stages of the course, the Graduate Diploma Project enables you to produce a sustained piece of critical writing on a topic of your choosing.

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  • Critically review current scholarship and research on key problems, issues, and debates across a wide range of areas of philosophy.
  • Identify and evaluate the philosophical arguments as they appear in longer texts (eg journal articles and book chapters).
  • Develop and articulate systematic, logical arguments for and against the alternative solutions considered in relation to a particular problem, subjecting key concepts and principles to critical scrutiny and presenting the best case that can be made for each proposal
  • Develop and articulate ranges of alternative solutions to problems and issues in an open-minded and imaginative way, and establish ways of making progress in answering questions even where it is unclear in the first instance how to proceed or what the standards for a good answer to the question might be
  • Make a measured judgement about what is the best view on a particular problem and present a sustained line of argument in defence of this judgement based on careful consideration of what can be said for and against the proposed solutions
  • Amend and develop their practice as thinkers and learners in the light of critical reflection, advice, and feedback—identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and developing strategies for making improvements in performance.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25

Study modeUK (home)International and EU
Full-time (1 year) £7,950£17,940
Part-time (2 years)
This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
£3,975£8,970

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

  • UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
  • International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

Additional costs

We don't anticipate there being any significant additional costs for this course, as all books are available either in the library or online. You will receive a printing and photocopying allowance once you register for the course, but you will have to cover the costs of any additional printing, over and above this allowance, yourself.

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.

Home/EU students

International students

  • Academic Excellence scholarships: up to £10,000 for the first year of study
  • US loans

Departmental funding information

For more information see our philosophy specific funding.

Xenophanes Scholarship

Eligibility: Home (UK) students.
Scholarship award: a contribution of £5,000 towards living costs. For more information on eligibility and how to apply see our philosophy funding.

 

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

The staff in the department have been very welcoming. Many of them are leaders in their particular fields, and discussion is open and rewarding. And there's an active programme of optional reading groups and socialising together with many postgrad students immersed in subjects from Berkeley to Modern Film, so the atmosphere has been buzzing.
Alan, Graduate Diploma Philosophy

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

You'll be taught by lectures, seminars and individual or small-group tutorials.

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of Philosophy on Campus West. Most of your contact hours will be nearby on Campus West.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

Your work will generally be assessed as follows:

  • you'll write a 4,000 word essay for most of your modules including the project.

You will also receive assignments throughout your course which will provide constant feedback on your development, and help prepare you for your assessments.

Philosophy seminar

Careers and skills

Studying Philosophy develops skills that are highly sought after by employers and transferable to many different careers. Our graduates have gone on to roles in marketing, education, finance, IT, the charity sector, tourism and leisure industries, as well as into academia. This course is also ideal preparation if you wish to go on to study the MA in Philosophy.

Career opportunities

  • Teacher
  • Chaplain
  • Local government officer
  • Policy officer
  • Social researcher
  • Business analyst

Transferable skills

  • Analytical and critical thinking
  • Constructing and defending a coherent argument
  • Grasping complex ideas
  • Creatively imagining alternative possibilities and problem solving
  • Presenting your research
  • Time management and independent study skills

Entry requirements

Typical offer
Undergraduate degree 2:1 or equivalent
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

Additional requirements

You will need to submit an example of written work with your application. Please see our guidance on submitting written work.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 6.5, minimum 6.0 in all components
Cambridge CEFR B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component
Oxford ELLT 7, minimum of 6 in each component
Duolingo 120, minimum 105 in all other components
LanguageCert SELT B2 with 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component
KITE 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic 61, minimum 55 in each component
TOEFL 87, minimum of 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III Merit in all requirements

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

You can apply and send all your documentation online. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.

Apply for this course

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Philosophy Postgraduate Admissions

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Department of Philosophy

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