QV35: English Literature and Philosophy

Transcription

1 QV35: English Literature and Philosophy Undergraduate BA 2016 Essentials UCAS code Degree Mode of study Duration Location A-Level International Baccalaureate Department(s) Website QV35 BA Full Time 3 years Durham City ( A*AA 38 english.admissions@durham.ac.uk Telephone +44 (0) Alternative qualifications Page 1

2 Course Content Description Joint Honours in English and Philosophy is a cross-disciplinary course, which develops and assesses skills, knowledge, and understanding across English and Philosophy, typically including a range of major philosophical and literary texts, important concepts, questions, arguments and methods. The course also fosters understanding of the relationships between English and Philosophy (through, for example, the compulsory Theory and Practice of Literary Criticism module, as well as optional modules offered by both Departments) and to develop detailed knowledge in either English or Philosophy through the preparation of a Dissertation on a chosen topic. The syllabus is equally weighted between the two subjects, although you may take one module more in one of the subjects (and therefore one less in the other) in year three. Year 1 You will take three modules in English literature and three modules in Philosophy. The three first-year compulsory English modules introduce you to representative works in the major literary genres (novel, drama, and poetry), including knowledge of a range of writing before In the three first-year compulsory Philosophy modules, you will encounter the ideas and arguments of some of the major philosophers in the history of the subject, in their own writings; some central theories and arguments in the fields of Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Mind, broadly understood; some central theories and arguments in the fields of Moral, Political, or Social Philosophy, broadly understood. Compulsory modules: In the first year, you will take the following English Literature and Philosophy modules: Year 2 Introduction to Drama Introduction to the Novel Introduction to Poetry Ethics and Values Knowledge and Reality Reading Philosophy. Subject to your choices of modules within the course, you will acquire and be able to demonstrate broad and detailed knowledge within the disciplines of Philosophy and English, together with an awareness of an increased variety of the ideas, concepts, and contexts relating to these disciplines. Compulsory modules: Theory and Practice of Literary Criticism Moral Theory One of: Philosophy of Mind Language, Logic, and Reality Page 2

3 Modern Philosophy I. Optional modules: Another two optional modules from English Literature and one optional module from Philosophy. Optional lecture modules in English (taught by weekly lectures and four one-hour tutorials): Medieval Literature Old English Old Norse Old French Renaissance Literature Victorian Literature Literature of the Modern Period American Poetry. Optional seminar modules in English (taught by fortnightly two-hour seminars): Modern Poetry Germanic Myth and Legend The Australian Legend Toni Morrison: Texts and Contexts John Milton Evelyn Waugh (a maximum of one may be selected). Optional modules in Philosophy include: Year 3 Biomedical Ethics Past and Present Victorian Science and Religion Political Philosophy Philosophy of Religion Theory, Literature and Society Philosophy of Science The Philosophy of Economics and Politics: Theory, Methods and Values Subject to their choices of modules within the course, students will acquire and be able to demonstrate comprehensive and accurately detailed knowledge within the disciplines of Philosophy and English, exploring particular areas of specialisation in depth, as well as developing an awareness of the limitations of knowledge in each subject The final year includes a compulsory 12,000-word Dissertation. In English this will be on a subject of your choice related to English literature. In Philosophy it will be an extensive study or survey of a philosophical problem or author. Page 3

4 Compulsory modules: One from: Dissertation in English Dissertation in Philosophy (40 credits). Optional lecture modules in English (taught by weekly lectures and four one-hour tutorials): Old English Old Norse Old French Restoration and 18th-Century Literature Literature of the Romantic Period Post-War Fiction and Poetry American Poetry. Optional Special Topics in English (taught by fortnightly two-hour seminars): Literature, Cinema and Neuroscience Shakespeare on Film Shakespeare s Problem Plays US Cold War Literature and Culture Writing Prose Fiction Fictions of Terrorism W. B. Yeats Elizabeth Bishop and Twentieth-Century Verse A Society of Equals? Literature, Culture and Equality Creative Writing Poetry Contemporary Mountain Writing. Optional modules in Philosophy: Modern Philosophy II Philosophical Issues in Contemporary Science Aesthetics Twentieth Century European Philosophy Applied Ethics Issues in Contemporary Ethics Gender, Film and Society Metaphysics History and Philosophy of Psychiatry History of the Body Ethics in Business Practice Formal and Philosophical Logic Page 4

5 Study Abroad Philosophy We participate in exchange schemes through which you may spend a year of your studies abroad, either with universities in Europe through the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme or with the University of California. English Studies The Department is part of the ERASMUS programme which encourages students to study for part of their course in a university of another EU country. Currently, we are exchanging students with the University of Reykjavik (Iceland), Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) and Heidelberg University (Germany) in their second year of study. The University of Reykjavik has special strengths in Old Norse and houses the world s most important collection of Old Norse manuscripts. Charles University is one of the oldest universities in Central Europe and Heidelberg is the oldest university in Germany. Both have exceptionally beautiful settings in cities renowned for their artistic and cultural heritage. Teaching is in English at all three universities. Page 5

6 Admissions Process Subject requirements, level and grade In addition to satisfying the University s general entry requirements, please note: We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or from those who may have had a break in their study. We require Grade A in English Literature (or the combined English Literature and Language A Level) We require a Grade A* in any subject We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking as part of our offer We welcome enquiries regarding applications for deferred entry which may be considered in special circumstances. Please contact our Admissions Secretary. English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study ( How to apply Information relevant to your country Page 6

7 Fees and Funding Full Time Fees EU Student 9, Home Student 9, Island Student 9, International non-eu Student 16, Note: Fees are subject to review and change in-line with inflation. Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation ( Scholarships and funding Page 7

8 Career Opportunities Philosophy Actual career destinations of Durham Philosophy students: see here (community.dur.ac.uk/peter.vickers/opendays2015.htm). Durham Philosophy graduates possess skills in critical thinking, logical analysis and the clear communication of complex information that make them much sought after in many professional walks of life. Our research-led teaching ensures that they are not only well informed about the latest developments in Philosophy, but also competent researchers in their own right, able to think for themselves and tackle problems imaginatively. Philosophy at Durham is not an 'ivory tower' subject and students are taught to relate theory to practice and see the relevance of their studies to everyday life. Our broad programme covers all major areas of Philosophy and includes modules in moral philosophy (e.g. Applied Ethics and Biomedical Ethics), Political Philosophy, Science & Religion, History & Philosophy of Psychiatry and Theory, Literature and Society which explicitly apply philosophical techniques to real-world problems. All students in their final year write a long dissertation that provides an excellent opportunity for them to put the final edge on their analytical, research and presentational skills. Some Durham Philosophy graduates proceed to higher-degree study and an academic career; others enter a wide range of professions including the law and civil service, management, public relations, teaching, marketing, retail and financial services. In the 2012 Complete University Guide, Durham Philosophy graduates rank joint-second in the UK for 'graduate prospects'. I had always seen myself in some kind of charity work so while travelling after graduation, my brother and I set up our own volunteer organisation called Development Through Action (DTA). Durham helped give me the confidence to do something unique and worthwhile. Of those students that left in 2014: - 86% are in employment or further study six months after graduating Of those in employment: Page 8

9 - 73% are in graduate level employment - Median salary 22,000 (These statistics are based on the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey of 2013/14 graduates. The DLHE survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing six months after graduation. Full definitions for the DLHE Record can be found here: A significant number of students progress onto higher level study following their degree in Philosophy. Many remain within their academic field of interest and pursue a Masters, notably at Durham but also at other prestigious institutions including the London School of Economics and Cambridge. Others take a different route and pursue professional postgraduate programmes in law, finance and teaching to name but a few. Employability development opportunities The Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre ( works closely with the Philosophy Department. The link Careers Adviser delivers presentations to each year group on topics relevant to that stage of their academic career. These cover career decision making, successful applications and interviews, and advice for those considering further study. Q & A sessions are also available in which students can ask the adviser anything about their future career plans or ideas. Durham University Philosophy graduates enter a wide range of career areas including publishing, retail, marketing, business and finance. Our graduates find employment with leading employers in both the public and private sectors such as British Telecom, The Royal Society of Medicine, Goldman Sachs, Government Olympic Committee, KPMG, The Royal Navy and PwC. Specific roles our graduates have progressed into include marketing graduate, trainee accountant, international financial analyst, account manager and press publishing administrator. English Studies Durham has an excellent graduate employment record. Surveys by the CVCP for the last twenty years have shown Durham consistently in the top five places of the employment league table. Our graduates have gone on to careers in the media, law, the Civil Service, teaching, higher education,research, management, publishing, and the arts. Partly because of its supportive collegiate structure and its strong departmental teaching, the Durham University is regularly among the country's top performers in graduate employment, and the Department of English Studies is very highly regarded by employers. Many of our students choose to continue their studies with our Taught MA ( in English Literary Studies. Embarking on a career with the BBC after graduation I found that Durham University is held in very high esteem amongst employers. The University name provided me with an association of prestige which helped to give an edge in a competitive market. Page 9

10 Of those students that left in 2014: - 89% are in employment or further study Of those in employment: - 82% are in graduate level employment - Median salary 22,400 (These statistics are based on the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey of 2013/413 graduates. The DLHE survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing six months after graduation. Full definitions for the DLHE Record can be found here: Employment development opportunities The Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre works extremely closely with the English Department to ensure that current students receive information and vacancies relevant to their needs. Innovative talks take place by a Careers Adviser and external speakers to ensure that the students receive the most relevant and up to date advice about professions that English students are attracted too. Durham is a target Univerity for KPMG because of the high calibre, high quality graduates. A degree in English from Durham is a great opportunity for students to develop their skill set to aid them in any recruitment process. To make an impact with colleagues and clients, you must be able to communicate clearly and confidently, both verbally and in writing. Page 10

11 Open days and visits Pre-application open day Pre-application open days are the best way to discover all you need to know about Durham University. With representatives from all relevant academic and support service departments, and opportunities to explore college options, the open days provide our prospective undergraduates with the full experience of Durham University. Please see the following page for further details and information on how to book a place: Campus Tours Overseas Visit Schedule Page 11

12 Department Information Philosophy Overview This most ancient yet compelling intellectual discipline is fundamental to our understanding of what it is to be human. Philosophy studies profound and important questions that arise in all areas of human life. At Durham University, we offer a distinctive, research-led Philosophy curriculum, incorporating considerable levels of variety and choice. Whatever you choose, you will be taught by internationally renowned experts in the field. We are one of the UK s top philosophy departments. The exceptionally high-quality education you receive here will equip you with critical abilities that can be put to use in all sorts of ways and which are prized by employers. Ranking Ranked in the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject % of our Philosophy students said they found the course intellectually stimulating in the National Student Survey 2014 (sector-wide average 92%). 4th in The Guardian University Guide th in The Complete University Guide Facilities Durham is one of the larger Philosophy departments in the UK, with 20 permanent members of staff. We are known as a very friendly department where you will have a lot of contact with full-time academic staff. We have an excellent department library that complements the University and college libraries. There is an active Philosophical Society and a weekly research seminar which students are welcome to attend. Website English Studies Overview From the Vikings to Shakespeare s Kings; from Beowulf to Virginia Woolf. You can read it all at Durham University. Page 12

13 English Studies will appeal to people with a sensitivity to language, a love of reading and a sense of intellectual adventure. As poet Lawrence of Durham put it over 800 years ago, Describing art in words itself takes art. Not only does the Department of English Studies provide a thorough grounding in literary theory and the great tradition of English literature from Chaucer and Shakespeare through to plays, poems and novels written in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries it also offers a wide range of imaginative and carefully designed modules. You will have the opportunity to study English-language literature in a variety of non-british contexts, including Ireland, Canada, Australia and the USA; and/or to study some of the languages used in Medieval England, such as Old Norse, Old French and Old English. English Studies is a very popular and highly regarded degree, and the linguistic, critical and analytical skills that it teaches are highly transferable. Rankings Ranked joint 3rd in the UK for Internationally Excellent and World-leading research (REF 2014). Ranked in the top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject % of our English Studies students said they were satisfied with the quality of their course in the National Student Survey 2014 (sector-wide average 89%). 1st in The Complete University Guide nd in The Times and Sunday Times University Guide rd in The Guardian University Guide Facilities The Department is housed in a Grade II listed building, Hallgarth House, and in Elvet Riverside and Old Elvet. All three buildings are close to the University s Bill Bryson Library and the special collections in the Palace Green Library. The Department has strong links with the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Seventeenth Century Studies, the Centre for Medical Humanities, the Centre for Poetry and Poetics, which oversees the archive of the distinguished Northumbrian modernist poet, Basil Bunting, and the Institute of Advanced Study. These internationally recognised institutions represent just some of the research interests and archive resources within the University. Durham students run their own English Society, which provides many opportunities for theatre visits, especially to the Royal Shakespeare Company season in Newcastle every year. There is also a strong tradition of student drama and music within the Department and the University as a whole. Website This document was downloaded on Friday, 8th July 2016 at 4:28am from The information relating to this course was last updated on Tuesday, 2nd February 2016 at 9:05am Page 13