Philosophy

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Foreign:$ 24.2 k / Year(s) Deadline: Oct 15, 2024
6 place StudyQA ranking:7485 Duration:3 years

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Philosophy considers extremely general and ‘ultimate’ problems, such as the nature of reality, the purpose of human existence, and the basis of knowledge. It also scrutinises the methods used to answer such questions.

Three Cambridge scholars – Bertrand Russell, G E Moore and Ludwig Wittgenstein – transformed the discipline of philosophy in the early twentieth century and made Cambridge the most important centre for philosophy in the English-speaking world. Along with Frank Ramsey and others, they developed the analytic style of philosophy now prominent throughout the world.

Today, Cambridge remains one of the best places to get a grounding in analytic philosophy and our course is one of the few in which it’s possible to concentrate entirely on philosophy without taking any other subject (although you can diversify within the subject if you wish).

Teaching and learning

Our approach emphasises the values of the analytic school: rigour, clarity and independent thought. But its content extends well beyond the analytic tradition and its main preoccupations. For instance, we currently offer papers on the history of philosophy from Plato to Wittgenstein, as well as political philosophy and aesthetics.

The Faculty has close links with related faculties such as Classics, History, and History and Philosophy of Science, so you can take advantage of a wide range of specialised lectures and seminars. You also have access to many excellent libraries.

Recommended reading

If you're thinking of applying to study Philosophy and haven't already done so, we strongly advise you to do some reading about the subject to get a realistic idea of what it's like. For example:

  • S Blackburn Think
  • R Descartes Meditations
  • D Hume Enquiries
  • J S Mill Utilitarianism
  • B Russell Problems of Philosophy

Changing course

It's possible to combine philosophy with another subject by changing to or from another course. You can either study another subject for one or two years (such as Mathematics, Classics or Economics) and then switch to Philosophy, or change to another subject (such as Economics or History) after Part IA or Part IB (Year 1 or 2) Philosophy.

Although the system is fairly flexible, not all combinations are feasible. If you're considering such changes, please consult the Colleges to which you're considering applying about your plans.

After Philosophy

Although a Philosophy degree isn’t an essential qualification for any particular career, the analytical and critical skills developed through its study (eg rigour, precision, creativity) prepare our graduates for a variety of professions including business, computing, journalism, administration and law. Around a quarter of recent graduates have gone on to further study, with others starting careers in publishing, teaching, banking and investment, arts and recreation, IT and public services.

Much of the teaching takes the form of lectures, with additional classes for some subjects (such as first-year Logic).

You have weekly supervisions, for each of which you’re given topical reading and asked to write an essay which you then discuss with your supervisor. Although it varies throughout the year, each week you typically have between six and 12 lectures, and between one and three supervisions and/or small classes.

Assessment is predominantly by written examinations. However, in Parts IB and II one written examination can be substituted with two extended essays of 3,000-4,000 words. Part II offers the additional alternative of submitting a dissertation of 6,000-8,000 words on a subject of your choice.

Year 1 (Part IA)

The course is designed to accommodate the many students studying philosophy for the first time.

In the first year, you acquire the reasoning skills that enable you to tackle philosophical problems and to think intelligently about abstract questions generally, not just gather information about who said what. Therefore, you’re encouraged to approach topics in your own way and we organise regular discussion groups for first- and second-year students.

Part IA gives you an introduction to philosophy through the study of four core compulsory papers:

  • Metaphysics and Philosophy of Mind
  • Ethics and Political Philosophy
  • Logic
  • Set Texts, such as Plato’s Meno, Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy and J S Mill’s On Liberty and The Subjection of Women

Year 2 (Part IB)

Years 2 and 3 focus on areas that particularly interest you. Part IB is about exploring the philosophical aspects of a range of issues, both practical and theoretical.

There are two compulsory papers:

  • Metaphysics and Epistemology
  • Logic

You then choose two further subjects from:

  • Ethics
  • Greek and Roman Philosophy (from Classics)
  • Early Modern Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Political Philosophy
  • Experimental Psychology (from Natural Sciences, involving practical work)

Year 3 (Part II)

Our objective in Part II is to provide you with an understanding of various contemporary debates and to familiarise you with current philosophical concepts. Lectures explore current and new positions on debates, and you participate in seminar discussions on advanced subjects.

There are no compulsory papers and you choose four from an extensive range of subjects. These include most of those mentioned above, studied at a more advanced level, as well as several papers covering new areas. Papers recently available include:

  • European Philosophy from Kant
  • Mathematical Logic
  • Philosophical Logic
  • Aesthetics
  • Philosophy in the Long Middle Ages

In addition, there may be a Special Subject which changes from time to time (for 2015-16, the Special Subject is Wittgenstein). It’s also possible to take one or two papers from another course, such as Classics or Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion.

  • The Attestat o (polnom) Srednem Obshchem Obrazovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) is not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree. Examples of the qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge are A Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB), five or more Advanced Placement (AP) courses, or possibly the first year of an undergraduate degree at a university outside the UK. We recommend that you contact the College that you wish to apply to directly for further advice and guidance.
  • IELTS – normally a minimum overall grade of 7.5, usually with 7.0 or above in each element.
  • EU students – a high grade in English taken as part of a leaving examination (eg the European/French Baccalaureate, Abitur etc) may be acceptable.
  • A Level: A*AA
    IB: 40-41 points, with 776 at Higher Level
  • All applicants for Philosophy are required to take a written assessment at interview, if interviewed.

Scholarships

  • Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust awards
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