Department of Philosophy Our courses We offer a range of philosophy courses at The University of Nottingham. You can either study philosophy on its own as a single honours degree, or in conjunction with another subject as a joint honours degree. Single honours Philosophy BA Joint honours Philosophy and Theology BA Music and Philosophy BA Classical Civilisation and Philosophy BA English Studies and Philosophy BA French and Philosophy BA Beginners German and Philosophy BA German and Philosophy BA Economics and Philosophy BA Physics and Philosophy BSc Psychology and Philosophy BSc At postgraduate level we offer taught and research degrees and have a flourishing postgraduate community. Each of our courses has its own entry criteria. Please visit the online prospectus for the most up-to-date information on entry requirements and course specifics: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy For more information about our courses, the department or how to apply, please contact us: t: +44 (0)115 951 5646 e: philosophy-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk w: Connect with us @NottsPhilosophy www.facebook.com/uonfacultyofarts www.youtube.com/uonarts search for Philosophy File and Think a Minute You can also read our blogs at blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/thinkaboutit Front cover image: Students studying outside Cripps Hall of Residence on University Park Campus. The University of Nottingham has made every effort to ensure that the information in this flyer was accurate when published. Please note, however, that the nature of the content means that it is subject to change from time to time, and you should therefore consider the information to be guiding rather than definitive. This information is available in alternative formats. t: +44 (0)115 951 4591 The University of Nottingham [2013]. All rights reserved. Printed April 2013.
For general undergraduate enquiries contact: The Enquiry Centre t: +44 (0)115 951 5559 e: undergraduate-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/faqs
Philosophy Undergraduate study
Department of Philosophy Why study philosophy at Nottingham? We are a friendly department, whose members are internationally renowned as some of the leading experts in their fields. Highly rated research National and international assessments have rated our department s research highly: 95% of the department s research rated of international quality, and 25% of this described as world leading* 5th in the UK for Philosophy of Art research** 6th in the UK for both Philosophy of Language and History of Philosophy research** 8th in the UK for Mathematical Logic research** The scope of our expertise means that we can offer specialist teaching in a broad range of areas, allowing you to pursue your particular interests whilst studying with us. A lively community By joining the Department of Philosophy, you ll become a member of a lively, supportive community. We organise an annual philosophy weekend in the Peak District, during which students and staff engage in philosophical discussion and activities. There s also a freshers week trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, giving first year students and staff an opportunity to get to know each other before lectures begin. Philosophy on YouTube You can gain an insight into our department by watching the philosophy videos on the University s YouTube channel: Students and staff describe what they like about the Department of Philosophy: tiny.cc/philosophy-video The department s Think for a Minute videos serve up philosophical ideas in a minute or less: tiny.cc/think-a-minute Members of staff discuss details of their research: tiny.cc/philosophy-file Dr Jonathan Tallant outlines some key arguments concerning whether or not numbers actually exist: tiny.cc/do-numbers-exist Our student videos Visit our online video gallery to see what our students are saying about our courses, teaching, facilities, and the campus: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugvideos/arts.aspx * Research Assessment Excercise (2008) a national review of research. ** The Philosophical Gourmet Report (2012) an international ranking system indicating quality and reputation. Student satisfaction Our innovative teaching and our committed attitude towards our students are reflected in our impressive score in the National Student Survey 2012, where 95% of our students who responded said they were happy with their course.
Department of Philosophy Careers and employability Philosophy graduates are recognised by recruiters as highly adept in analytical reasoning, clear presentation of ideas, constructive discussion, and the ability to articulate complex ideas and lines of reasoning in accessible ways. These highly transferable skills mean that individuals are well equipped for a range of careers. Careers for our graduates Our philosophy graduates perform well in the job market, and go on to a range of different careers in the public, private, and third sectors. The graduate labour market in 2011 was very competitive; nevertheless, 97% of our philosophy graduates were in work or engaged in further study six months after graduating. Jobs held by our recent graduates include: senior civil servant; journalist; management consultant; researcher; sales advisor; teacher; charity administrator; office manager; renewable energy engineer; and film location manager. Transferable skills The transferable skills gained from studying philosophy are reflected in the GRE (main aptitude test for entry to US graduate schools) results. Philosophy majors scored better than any other undergraduate major in two of the three sections verbal reasoning and analytical writing. In the quantitative reasoning section, philosophy majors scored better than any other arts, humanities, or social science disciplines. Philosophy graduates also perform extremely well on the LSAT (entrance exam for US law schools), where they tend to be placed in the top four. For more information, see: /careers Study abroad As a University of Nottingham student, you can apply to study abroad for either one semester or one year as part of your degree. Studying abroad demonstrates to future employers that a student is independent, adaptable and able to thrive within new settings and different cultures. The Department of Philosophy participates in two different schemes Universitas 21, and the Socrates-Erasmus Programme. The institutions taking part can vary a little from year to year, but at the moment, students can choose to visit: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA. If you prefer to complete your degree work in Nottingham, there are still opportunities for short periods of study abroad during the summer vacation. As the summer schools don t contribute towards your degree credits, you can study whatever interests you. Further information can be found on the study abroad website at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/studyabroad Further study Around a third of our philosophy graduates go on to further study in a broad range of subjects, such as: graduate diploma in law; international business; international development; healthcare; philosophy; postgraduate certificate in education; public policy; radio broadcasting; speech therapy; and television journalism.
Mature Students Department of Philosophy www.nottingham.ac.uk/mature My philosophy degree has provided me with the ability to analyse a situation quickly and efficiently, to prioritise my work and to interact with all levels of seniority. Eleanor Speed BA Philosophy (graduated 2011) Students studying outside the New Theatre on University Park Campus.