Philosophy

Course detail Description

Undergraduate teaching in the Department is organised on a modular system. You will normally aim to take a total of 360 course credits over the three years of the degree. Most course modules are for 15 credits, earned through a mix of essays or a written exam, though some (eg the dissertation) earn 30 credits. The modules become progressively more advanced over the degree course. There are three levels of modules (four, five and six) which broadly correspond to the first, second and third years of the degree, though there is some flexibility in the second and third years. The purpose of this system of assessment is to allow you to build up your philosophical knowledge and skills, with each stage giving you a good grounding for the next.

In our undergraduate teaching, we aim to combine a wide range of study options with direct staff to student contact. Our emphasis on small-group teaching in tutorials and seminars makes King’s an excellent place to express your ideas both in writing and in philosophical discussion with your fellow students and instructors.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include exams and coursework essays.

The Department is based at the Strand Campus, in the heart of central London, putting you close to all our facilities and within easy reach of the cultural attractions of the Southbank and Covent Garden. The library and computing facilities are readily accessible together with the opportunity to use the University of London library at Senate House.

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the optional modules you select.

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Structure

• Year 1
• Year 2
• Year 3

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

We review our optional modules on a regular basis, in order to continue to offer innovative and exciting courses and this list is therefore subject to change. There are a limited number of spaces available on each optional module. You will have the opportunity to discuss your choices with your personal tutor. Please check here for updates, or contact the Department for further advice.

You are required to take the following modules, each worth 15 credits:

• Greek Philosophy I
• Ethics I
• Elementary Logic
• Metaphysics I
• Modern Philosophy I
• Political Philosophy I
• Epistemology I
• Methodology

Year 2 Required Modules There are no required modules for this course in Year 2. Optional Modules

In your second year you are also required to take two level 5 modules (15 credits each) from each of the following groups, which may typically include the following modules:

Group A

• Greek Philosophy II: Plato (15 credits)
• Greek Philosophy II: Aristotle (15 credits)
• Modern Philosophy II: Locke and Berkeley (15 credits)
• Modern Philosophy II: Spinoza and Leibniz (15 credits)

Group B

• Ethics II: History of Ethical Philosophy (15 credits)
• Ethics II: Contemporary Ethical Philosophy (15 credits)
• Political Philosophy II: History of Political Philosophy (15 credits)
• Topics in Applied Ethics & Politics (15 credits)

Group C

• Epistemology II (15 credits)
• Metaphysics II (15 credits)
• Philosophy of Language (15 credits)
• Philosophy of Mind (15 credits)
• Intermediate Logic (15 credits)
• Philosophy of Physics I: Space & Time (15 credits)

You are also required to take a further 30 credits from any of the optional level 5 modules listed above, or choose from a further range of 15-credit, level 6 modules, which may typically include, but are not limited to:

• Topics in Greek Philosophy (15 credits)
• Indian Philosophy: The Orthodox Schools (15 credits)
• Philosophy of Mathematics (15 credits)
• Medieval Philosophy (15 credits)
• Philosophy of Psychology (15 credits)
• First-Order Logic (15 credits)
• Aesthetics (15 credits)
• Gender & Philosophy (15 credits)
• Topics in Modern Philosophy (15 credits)
• Topics in Political Philosophy (15 credits)
• 20th Century Continental Philosophy (NB the 19th or 20th Century Continental Philosophy Modules run in alternate years) (15 credits)
• Topics in Philosophy of Language (15 credits)
• Utilitarianism (15 credits)
• Women Thinkers in Antiquity & the Middle Ages (15 credits)

Study Abroad

As a second year student you will also have the option to study abroad with one of our partner institutions for the second semester or the full year. These currently include:

• University of British Columbia
• University of California
• University of Chicago (full year only)
• Hong Kong University
• Monash University
• National University of Singapore
• University of Toronto (full year only)
• University of North Carolina
• University of Wurzburg (basic German language required)
• University of Sydney
• University of British Columbia
• University of Michigan
• Australian National University
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• LMU Munich

Year 3 Required Modules There are no required modules for this course in Year 3. Optional Modules

You are required to take 120 credits from a range of optional 15 credit modules which may typically include:

• Neoplatonism (15 credits)

• Indian Philosophy: The Orthodox Schools (15 credits)

• Indian Philosophy: The Heterodox Schools (15 credits)

• Kant’s Epistemology & Metaphysics (15 credits)

• Medieval Philosophy (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Psychology (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Religion (15 credits)

• Set Theory (15 credits)

• Aesthetics (15 credits)

• Gender & Philosophy (15 credits)

• Topics in Modern Philosophy (15 credits)

• Topics in Political Philosophy (15 credits)

• Topics in Philosophy of Language (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Mathematics (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Science (15 credits)

• Ethics & Politics of Science & Technology (15 credits)

• Aesthetics (15 credits)

• First-Order Logic (15 credits)

• Topics in the Philosophy of Mind (15 credits)

• Moral Normativity (15 credits)

• Topics in Greek Philosophy (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Psychology II (15 credits)

• Philosophy of Biology (15 credits)

• Utilitarianism (15 credits)

• Modal Logic (15 credits)

• 19th Century Continental Philosophy (NB the 19th or 20th Century Continental Philosophy Modules run in alternate years) (15 credits)

Alternatively, either in your second or third year, you may request to take modules from other departments at King’s (up to 30 credits in the course of your degree), or from other Philosophy departments in the University of London (up to 30 credits per year).

In your third year, you also have the option of taking the dissertation module for 30 credits. You’ll be assigned a member of staff to supervise your project, and attend dedicated dissertation seminars.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change.