Philosophy and Psychology
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BA
3 years full-time
Durham City
CV85
Typical offers
| A Level | AAA |
|---|---|
| BTEC | DDD |
| International Baccalaureate | 37 |
Course details
The study of philosophy at Durham does not follow one particular school. The Department is unique in the UK in its wide-ranging expertise in anglo-American analytical philosophy and continental philosophy. Each of these has its own distinctive set of issues and approaches to resolving them. We also have special expertise in the philosophy of science, and social science, and the history of science and medicine. So at Durham, you will follow one of the widest-ranging philosophy degrees in the country.
At Durham, you will have the opportunity to study Philosophy as a Single Honours degree, or with another subject including: English, Psychology, Politics or Theology. Philosophy can also be combined in a Joint Honours degree within the Natural Sciences degree or as part of a Combined Honours degree.
Philosophy is a new subject for many students, so in your first year you follow a range of introductory courses, introducing the fundamental philosophical subject areas.
Year 1
In the first year, you will take the Philosophy core modules of Ethics and Values, and Knowledge and Reality. These concern the two broad divisions of Philosophy, into Metaphysics and Theory of Knowledge on the one hand, and Moral Philosophy on the other. You will also take either Science, Medicine, and Society, European Philosophy or Reading Philosophy. Reading Philosophy is a text-based course which examines in depth classic works by writers such as Plato, Hume, Murdoch and Sartre.
In Psychology, you will take a number of comparable core modules.
Years 2 and 3
In the second year, you will take Philosophy of Mind. In the second and third years, you will also have a choice of a wide range of topics.
In previous years these have included:
- Moral Theory
- Modern Philosophy I and II
- History of Science and Medicine
- Issues in Contemporary Ethics
- Philosophy of Religion
- Political and Social Philosophy
- Metaphysics
- Language, Logic and Reality
- Twentieth Century European Philosophy
- Philosophy of Science
- The Philosophy of Economics and Politics: Theory, Methods and Values
- Applied Ethics
- Philosophical Issues in Contemporary Science
- History and Philosophy of Psychiatry
- Biomedical Ethics Past and Present.
There is a comparable choice within Psychology. You will also have the opportunity to study a subject in depth, by writing a substantial dissertation of your choice.
Philosophy and Psychology students may wish to take advantage of the Philosophy Department’s special expertise in the history and philosophy of science. The study of the history of science involves looking at the development of science as the way of explaining events in the natural world, and considering it critically as a belief system in relation to other belief systems and dogmas. The study of the philosophy of science raises philosophical questions about scientific method and about the various metaphysical assumptions upon which scientific theories depend. Philosophy of Mind is also a subject of cross-disciplinary importance, in which philosophers often engage with contemporary developments in Psychology.
Placement
You may be able to take a work placement. Find out more./prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/study/individual-course-images/500-x-300-px-(2).png)
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Entry requirements
Grade 5 (or grade B) in Mathematics GCSE is required.
A level offer – AAA. Philosophy at AS or A Level is not a requirement.
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD.
IB Diploma score – 37 with 666 in higher level subjects, including standard level Mathematics.
In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:
- We consider each application holistically. Whilst academic achievement is important, it is not the only factor that we consider when assessing applications and applicants who have achieved, or are predicted to achieve, close to our typical offer, but who have not met it exactly, will be welcome to apply if they have a strong application in other key elements, for example can demonstrate merit and potential through their personal statement or their reference.
- We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.
- An interview may form part of the entry requirements for mature students with non-standard qualifications.
- We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.
Science A levels
Applicants taking Science A levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This applies only to applicants sitting A levels with an English examination board.
Alternative qualifications
International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.
Fees and funding
Full Time Fees
| Home students | £9,250 per year |
|---|---|
| EU students | £23,900 per year |
| Island students | £9,250 per year |
| International students | £23,900 per year |
The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.
The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to supporting the best students irrespective of financial circumstances and are delighted to offer a range of funding opportunities.
Find out more about Scholarships and BursariesCareer opportunities
Philosophy
Of those students who graduated in 2019:
- 80% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes
Of those in employment:
- 69% are in high skilled employment
- With an average salary of £30,000.
(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)
Psychology
Of those students who graduated in 2019:
- 90% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes
Of those in employment:
- 52% are in high skilled employment
- With an average salary of £21,000.
(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)
Department information
Philosophy
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.
For more information see our department pages.
Rankings
- World Top 50 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2022
- Top 10 in The Guardian University Guide and The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022
- Top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2023.
Staff
For a current list of staff, please see the Philosophy Department pages.
Research Excellence Framework
Top 20 in the UK for the quality of our research (REF 21).
Facilities
Durham Philosophy department is amongst the most prestigious departments in the UK, and we pride ourselves on our excellence in research and teaching. The Durham Philosophy community is a lively, friendly group of people including undergraduates, postgraduates and staff, committed to the pursuit of philosophical knowledge and understanding. We are an open and friendly department, which accommodates work in both ‘analytic’ and ‘Continental’ Western philosophical traditions.
Psychology
Psychology aims to understand and improve how people perceive, think, act, react and interact. In a Psychology degree at Durham, you will examine all aspects of behaviour by investigating the processes underpinning the thoughts, feelings and motivations behind our actions.
You will receive a genuinely research-led education. As well as learning the core principles of psychology, you will be actively encouraged to engage in research throughout practicals and seminars, for instance. You will also have access to our world-leading experimental facilities, including motion capture, eye tracking, and biophysical recording laboratories.
To find out more see our department pages.
Rankings
- Top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2023
- World Top 100 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2022.
Staff
For a current list of staff, please see the Psychology Department pages
Facilities
Staff and students benefit from access to a wide range of cutting edge facilities and laboratories which allow us to understand the mind and behaviour through both high precision experimental methods, and ecologically valid controlled environments.
More information on our facilities and equipment.
Apply
Find out more:
Use the UCAS code below when applying:
Apply
CV85
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) handles applications for all undergraduate courses.
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