Philosophy
Do you enjoy discussing the pros and cons of broad issues affecting society? Do you relish puzzle-solving? Do you like subjects that emphasise rigorous thought? If so, philosophy might be the right subject for you.
| UCAS code | V500 BA/Ph |
| Duration | Three years |
| Colleges | Available at all Colleges except Murray Edwards |
| 2011 entry | Applications/places: 5 Number admitted: 49 |
| Open days and events 2012 | College open days (arts) Cambridge Open Days - 5 July, 6 July |
| Related courses | |
| Contact details | 01223 335090 phil-admin@lists.cam.ac.uk www.phil.cam.ac.uk |
Overview
Why Philosophy at Cambridge?
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 that are 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 much of 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
Throughout the degree our approach emphasises the values of the analytic school: rigour, clarity and thinking for yourself. 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 Philosophy Faculty has close links with related faculties and departments 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'll also have access to many excellent libraries (please see the Faculty website for suggested preliminary reading).
After Philosophy
Thinking philosophically requires rigour, precision and creativity, qualities that can be applied to any other problem. Although a Philosophy degree isn't an essential qualification for any particular career, the analytical and critical skills developed through its study prepare our graduates for a variety of professions, including business, computing, journalism, administration and law.
Course outline
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 twelve 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 taking 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 (A Level/IB Higher Level Mathematics isn't necessary for this)
- Set Texts, such as Plato’s Meno, Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 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)
- Modern and Medieval 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 involve exploring 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
In addition, there may be a Special Subject which changes from time to time (for 2011-12, the Special Subject is Wittgenstein).
It's also possible to take one or two papers from another course, such as Classics or Theology and Religious Studies.
Entry requirements
Typical offers require
A Level: A*AA
IB: 40-42 points, with 776 or 777 at Higher Level
For other qualifications, see our main Entrance requirements pages.
Course requirements
Essential No specific subjects
Useful An arts/science mix
No particular subjects at A Level (or equivalent) are required for the Philosophy course; however, a combination of arts and science subjects is considered useful. Studying Philosophy at A Level does not in itself confer an advantage. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a capacity for clear-headed logical reasoning and abstract thought.
For Hughes Hall, A Level (or equivalent) Mathematics or Physics is recommended, but not mandatory, for Part II of the course.
Check College websites for College specific requirements. See also Entrance requirements and our Subject Matters leaflet for additional advice about general requirements for entry, qualifications and offers.
Admissions tests and written work
The table below sets out the ways in which each College assesses applicants for this subject. For more information about these methods of assessment and why we use them, see the main Admissions tests and written work page.
| College | Assessment of applicant for this subject |
|---|---|
| Christ's | Test at interview |
| Churchill | School/college essays; Test at interview |
| Clare | Test at interview |
| Corpus Christi | Test at interview |
| Downing | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Emmanuel | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Fitzwilliam | Test at interview |
| Girton | Test at interview |
| Gonville & Caius | Test at interview |
| Homerton | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Hughes Hall | Test at interview |
| Jesus | Test at interview |
| King's | Test at interview |
| Lucy Cavendish | Test at interview |
| Magdalene | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Murray Edwards | Not available at this College |
| Newnham | Test at interview |
| Pembroke | Test at interview |
| Peterhouse | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Queens' | Test at interview |
| Robinson | Test at interview |
| St Catharine's | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| St Edmund's | Test at interview |
| St John's | Test at interview |
| Selwyn | Test at interview |
| Sidney Sussex | Test at interview |
| Trinity | School/college essay; Test at interview |
| Trinity Hall | Test at interview |
| Wolfson | Test at interview |
How to apply
If you are interested in applying for this course, please see our Applying section for more details.
Further Resources
Find out more about Philosophy at Cambridge
- Course website - Explore Philosophy in more detail on the course website.
- Course FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the Philosophy course.
- Course guide - A detailed guide to the Philosophy degree.
- Teaching style - Information about the styles of teaching used in the Philosophy degree course is included in the course prospectus.
- Facilities - Information about the facilities available to Philosophy students is provided in the course guide.
Improve your knowledge of Philosophy
- Preparatory reading - Guidance on preparatory reading for applicants interested in Philosophy.
Tools to help you with your Philosophy application
- Application test info - Information about the Philosophy written test (required by most Colleges) and specimen questions.
Philosophy and your future
- Career opportunities - Information about the careers opportunities available to you after studying Philosophy at Cambridge is available in the course guide.
The student experience
- Student comments - Some current students describe their experience of studying Philosophy.