Philosophy and Politics

Course Content (including module information)

The degree programme does not presuppose any prior training in Philosophy and can profitably be taken by those who have studied the subject at school - as well as those who have not.

Level 1

Students choose six modules from a range of introductory modules including the following:

• Logic and Critical Thinking
• Perspectives on Politics
• Philosophy and Human Nature
• Philosophy and the Good Life

Levels 2 and 3

At Levels 2 and 3, the subject may be studied as a Single Honours (12 modules) or Joint Honours (six philosophy modules together with six modules taken from the other subject).

Students take the appropriate number of modules from the following indicative list:

• Applied Ethics
• Contemporary Critical Theory
• Contemporary Epistemology
• Contemporary Theories of Justice
• History of Philosophy
• Knowledge and Reality
• Metaphysics
• Mind and Language
• Mind and Nature
• Modern Political Thought
• Moral Theories
• Philosophical Theology
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Science
• Scholastic Ethics
• Scholastic Metaphysics
• The Religious and the Secular in Modern Political Thought
• Dissertation

Assessment (general): The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.

Feedback (general): As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and your peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as individuals or as part of a group, have submitted.
• Face to face comment. This may include occasions when students make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help address a specific query.
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comment.
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.

Once students have reviewed their feedback, they are encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work.

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On the Philosophy and Politics degree programme we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

• Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).

• E-Learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; IT and statistics modules; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practicals and project- based work etc.

• Seminars/tutorials: Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. Students should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.

• Self-directed study: This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

• Supervised projects: In final year, students may choose a year-long double-weighted Dissertation module in Philosophy or Politics which requires them to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic that they have chosen. Alternatively, students can apply for an internship (a double-weighted module) where they will produce a learning journal and a 12,000 word project that relates directly to their placement. For both the dissertation and the project students will receive support from a supervisor who will guide them in terms of how to carry out research and who will provide feedback on at least 2 occasions during the write up stage.

• Personal Tutor: Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor at the start of Level 1 for the duration of their time at Queen’s. Students will meet their personal tutor on three or four occasions during the academic year to discuss academic progression and development.

• Study Abroad Opportunities: Students have the opportunity to spend some time studying in one of our linked universities in Europe or further afield. For example, this can take the form of a semester’s study at a university in Denmark, France, Germany, Holland or Sweden (for which credits are transferred back to your degree here in Queen’s under the Erasmus scheme) or study at a university in America, Canada, India or Australia.