Philosophy

Philosophy

GCE Advanced Level AS/A2

Course Content

AS Level

This course consists of two modules, each covering two topics, that introduce students to the study of Philosophy

Module 1 - Introduction to Philosophy I

• Reason and Experience
• Why should I be moral?

Module 2 - Introduction to Philosophy II

• Tolerance
• God and the World

A2 Level

Students who choose to continue their study of Philosophy will take two further modules

• Political and Moral Philosophy
• Nietzsche's 'Beyond Good & Evil'

How it is Taught
We use a variety of teaching methods, and expect you to get involved; you will be expected to participate in discussion and problem solving activities, as well as read, take notes and write essays. You will get most from Philosophy if you adopt a questioning approach to new ideas rather than accepting things at face value.

All the AS units are assessed by exams. At A2, the extended essay is a mixture of coursework and examination. The examination board sets the title and lesson time is spent partly in whole group work related to the title and partly on individual preparation.

Examination Details

Module :Title :Duration :Date

1 (AS) : Introduction to Philosophy I : 1.5 hour exam : 1st Year May

2 (AS) : Introduction to Philosophy II : 1.5 hour exam : 1st Year May

3 (A2) : Key Themes in Philosophy : 2 hour exam : 2nd Year June (60%)

4 (A2) : Philosophical Problems : 1.5 hour exam : 2nd Year June (40%)

Useful/Common Subject Combinations
Philosophy combines well with any other subject, and students have been successful and enjoyed the course whether they are taking predominantly arts or science subjects. It complements other humanities subjects such as Politics, History, Law, Religious Studies, Sociology and Psychology particularly well, and also combines well with English Language and Literature.

Careers and HE Information
Philosophers from QE have gone on to a wide range of careers, including journalism, teaching, advertising and the health service. Universities are happy to accept Philosophy as an A Level for a huge variety of courses, and some of our Philosophy students choose to do combined courses such as Philosophy with Politics, Psychology or Physics.

Other Relevant Information
It is not necessary to have studied Philosophy before but an interest in abstract ideas is essential.

If you want more insight into what Philosophy is about, try to get hold of Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder; a philosophical novel, written for teenagers, which takes you through a history of Philosophy, while solving a mystery.