Philosophy

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Local:$ 14.8 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 26.6 k / Year(s) Deadline: Jan 6, 2025
1 place StudyQA ranking:2782 Duration:2 years

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The Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) in Philosophy is a two-year taught graduate degree, which is an intellectually demanding course requiring a background in philosophy, usually from undergraduate study. It is regarded both as training for doctoral study and a basis for teaching a range of philosophical subjects.

The main purpose of the BPhil is to provide future doctoral students with:

  • a basis of knowledge and understanding of five philosophy subjects that they can develop into areas of teaching competence;
  • the skills to conduct independent research in philosophy in their chosen area; and
  • the ability to produce written work that displays sustained argument, independent thought and lucid structure and presentation.

Graduate destinations

The vast majority of BPhil in Philosophy graduates progress to doctoral programmes, either at the faculty itself or elsewhere. Some, however, have pursued non-philosophical academic careers, or careers outside academia, including banking, information technology, law, management consultancy, teaching and public service.

The faculty aims to assist students and graduates in securing academic jobs. The faculty appoints a Placement Officer who, in conjunction with the Graduate Studies Assistant, runs the faculty’s placement scheme. The Placement Officer also helps job applicants with the preparation of their CVs, provides advice about the presentation of material in an application dossier, arranges practice interviews and generally attends the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association to support candidates who have interviews there.

Tuition on the BPhil is through a combination of classes, one-to-one supervisions and independent research.

The Pro-Seminar, which is compulsory for all incoming BPhil students, is held in the first term and introduces students to graduate study by covering important papers in theoretical philosophy and value theory.

You will also be required to attend eight graduate classes during the first four terms of study, two per term. Graduate classes are normally provided for the most popular subjects in the BPhil syllabus. You may also attend any other classes, seminars and lectures in the Faculty of Philosophy which are of interest to you and any classes, seminars and lectures in other faculties that are open to you.

During the first four terms of study you should receive eight individual, one-to-one supervisions on two chosen subjects, normally two supervisions per term. The four supervisions on a given subject are in consecutive terms. Prior to each supervision, you will submit an essay that will be discussed with your supervisor in the supervision. The essay topics and literature to be covered should be agreed in advance between you and your supervisor.

In the last two terms of study, you will research and write a 30,000-word thesis, under the guidance of a supervisor with subject expertise. The thesis will be on a topic of your choice, approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.

BPhil examination is by submission of a thesis of up to 30,000 words and six assessed essays, each of no more than 5,000 words, across at least five subjects with no more than two essays in any one subject. At least one essay must be in theoretical philosophy, at least one must be in practical philosophy and at least two essays must be on the history of philosophy, of which at least one must be concerned with philosophy written before 1800.

If you are interested in the philosophy of physics or ancient philosophy you may wish to study the specific pathways for these subjects in the BPhil in Philosophy. These are not separate courses, but a way of maximising the study of these topics within the existing BPhil structure. A student on these tracks would study primarily the philosophy of physics/science or ancient philosophy during the first four terms and go on to write a 30,000-word thesis on a philosophy of physics/science or an ancient philosophy topic in the final two terms.

Most students join the BPhil course with the intention of progressing to a doctoral programme in Philosophy. BPhil students who progress to the DPhil in Philosophy programme at the University of Oxford have the advantage of skipping the first year of the DPhil (as a Probationary Research Student) and being allowed to incorporate the contents of their entire 30,000-word BPhil thesis into their 75,000-word DPhil thesis. Such students also have only another six terms (instead of the usual nine terms) of fee liability for their DPhil.

The course has no fieldwork, industrial placement or year abroad element, but students may decide to attend conferences, workshops or research training elsewhere.

MSt in Philosophy

The Master of Studies (MSt) in Philosophy is the one-year version of the BPhil. The entry requirements for the MSt are the same as for the BPhil. However, the Graduate Studies Committee considers applications for the MSt alongside applications for the BPhil in Philosophy (for the same admissions quota) and only rarely and in exceptional circumstances accepts students to this course.

The examination for the MSt consists of four essays on at least three subjects. There is no thesis element. The MSt is considered to be a terminal degree and students who complete this course are not permitted to continue onto the DPhil in Philosophy. It is also an exit award for students who fail or withdraw from the BPhil but have completed the requirements for the MSt.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in philosophy or a closely related discipline. 

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7, a first-class degree or the equivalent. 

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

  • Official transcript(s)
  • CV/résumé
  • Statement of purpose/personal statement:One page
  • Written work:Either one essay of 5,000 words or two essays of 2,000 to 2,500 words each
  • References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

Test

Standard level scores

Higher level scores

IELTS Academic 
Institution code: 0713

7.0 Minimum 6.5 per component  7.5  Minimum 7.0 per component 

TOEFL iBT 
Institution code: 0490

100

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
110

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

  • Global Education
  • Hill Foundation Scholarships
  • Ertegun Scholarship Programme 
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