Explore contemporary issues in Philosophy with no prior experience
Year of entry: 2023 (September)
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See upcoming eventsaccording to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021).
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.
We hold an Athena SWAN bronze award for our commitment to gender equality.
You will take 120 credits of undergraduate-level modules during the course.
Course structure for part-time study
You will also study four option modules. In previous years, options have covered topics such as:
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
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.
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 on a Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 Visa) are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
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.
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.
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.
For more information see our philosophy specific funding.
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.
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
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.
You'll be taught by lectures, seminars and individual or small-group tutorials.
You will be based in the Department of Philosophy on Campus West. Most of your contact hours will be nearby on Campus West.
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.
Your work will generally be assessed as follows:
You will also receive assignments throughout your course which will provide constant feedback on your development, and help prepare you for your assessments.
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.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:1 or equivalent |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
You will need to submit an example of written work with your application. Please see our guidance on submitting written work.
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 |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, minimum 169 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert International ESOL | B2 Communicator: Pass with 33/50 in each component |
| PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online | 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.
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.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
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