PHILOSOPHYCanterbury

The UK’s European university

Undergraduatestudy

PHILOSOPHY AT KENTAre you intellectually curious? Do you like playing with ideas and maybe alreadyspend some of your time philosophising? Bystudying Philosophy at Kent, you can learnto examine the questions and answers of thegreat philosophers, assess them critically, andformulate and defend your own responses.

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FlexibleprogrammesYou can take Philosophy on itsown, as a four-year programmewith a year abroad, or you cancombine it with a range ofsubjects. These include Englishand American Literature, Law,Politics, humanities subjects, or languages.

World-leadingresearchYou learn from leading experts.Our staff undertake researchof international quality, writeand contribute to journalarticles and books and provideexpert comment to the media.They put you in touch withestablished ideas and the latest thinking.

InspirationalteachingGreat teachers inspire enthusiasm and provoke debate. Whetherthey’re lecturing on moral philosophy, or leading a debate on logic,our staff are skilled at bringing their subject to life and drawing you in to the conversation. We have expertise in areas as diverse as moraland political philosophy, epistemology and metaphysics, philosophyof mind and language, formal theories of reasoning, and modernEuropean philosophy.

Academic supportUniversity is different to school.You need to be self-motivatedand organised to succeed. Weprovide academic tutors and a peer mentoring programme,and you can also get help withacademic skills, such as essaywriting.

FriendlycommunityThe Department of Philosophyis based within the School ofEuropean Culture andLanguages (SECL), whichmeans you are part of aninternational community ofstudents with a wide range of interests.

International linksSECL has long-standing linksand exchange agreements with some of Europe’s mostprestigious institutions, andthere are many opportunities to study or work abroad.

ExcellentresourcesAccess more than 1 millionbooks, ebooks, databases and journals at the University’sTempleman Library. Theseinclude our special collectionsand research databases suchas British Humanities Indexand Philosopher’s Index.

Lively campusKent is a campus university, soeverything you need is withinwalking distance. You canwatch a play or a film at theGulbenkian arts centre; danceat The Venue nightclub; keep fitat our sports centre and meetfriends at one of many campuscafes and restaurants.

Career successEmployability is a priority atKent. SECL has its own eventsprogramme to boost your jobskills, from CV workshops tocareers talks, and it offers workand volunteer opportunities.You can also get help fromthe University’s Careersand Employability Service.

Historic locationCanterbury is a lovely city with a world-famous cathedral,medieval buildings and livelypubs and restaurants. There’sa vibrant cultural scene, andthe coast and countryside arewithin easy reach. London isless than an hour away byhigh-speed train.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY AT KENT?

The Times Good UniversityGuide 2018• Philosophy was ranked19th overall

National Student Survey 2017• More than 94% of Philosophystudents who responded tothe survey were satisfied withthe overall quality of theircourse.

Destinations of Leavers fromHigher Education • Of Kent undergraduatestudents who graduatedin 2017, over 95% of thosewho responded to a nationalsurvey were in work orfurther study within sixmonths

Research ExcellenceFramework• In the most recent researchrankings, 97% of researchat Kent was found to be ofinternational quality.

Teaching ExcellenceFramework• Kent was awarded gold,the highest rating, in theUK government’s TeachingExcellence Framework*

Independent rankings

*The University of Kent’s Statement of Findings can be found at www.kent.ac.uk/tef-statement

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What social activities areyou involved in?I founded the Poetry Society in myfirst year and acted as presidentuntil third year. As part of that, Ihelped to organise the Full EnglishFestival on campus alongside theCreative Writing Society. And nowI'm currently in charge of a smallpoetry publishing house.

What are your plans forafter graduation?I’m sending off applications for aMaster’s in literature, philosophyand criticism in culture. I’d like tobecome a professor of philosophyor literature, promoting diversityand different ways of encounteringphilosophy, rather than re-readingthe same dead white men.

Any advice for future students?Read widely, and read variously.And just prepare yourself toencounter something entirelydifferent, that you’re probably notgoing to be prepared for – andhonestly, no one else will beprepared for it either. So there’sabsolutely no need to worry orstress if you feel like you’re notready, because no one is ready.

Kyle Lovell is in the final year of his degree in Philosophy.

What attracted you tothis subject?I wanted to understand people’splace in the world, and how weutilise language to navigate ourplace in the world, especially inrelation to religion and faith. I wasvery interested in the idea of doubt,and how that affects our interactionswith one another and society,especially how doubt can affectethical questions and our decisions.

Why did you choose Kent?Because, for me, one of thegreatest strengths of the philosophydepartment is how broad it is, andhow many different things you canstudy through the different modules.You can really focus on what youwant, rather than having to gothrough a set schema that mightnot be right for you.

How is your course going?The Department of Philosophyis one of the most approachablegroups of people I’ve ever met.

It’s wonderful being able to carveout my own academic path and tohave been supported in that. Forinstance, I’ve taken a module fromthe Department of Religious Studieson religion and sex, and I’m doingone on modern tragedy fromComparative Literature.

The course has made me muchmore aware of how I approachsubjects and of how much I have to change – and how other peoplechange – through dialogue. This isvital if you’re attempting to reachany kind of philosophical truth.

Then we have great things like the Philosophy Reading Weekend,where we stay by the coast for a fewdays, discuss philosophy and playJenga. They also encouragestudents to give talks on topicsthey’re interested in. We’ve hadwonderful discussions on everythingfrom Milo Yiannopoulos tocannibalism.

What have been yourfavourite modules?There was one called 'Heideggerand Aesthetics', where I was able to write about poetry, and how wecan understand poetry as a form of philosophical discourse. Westudied the development of MartinHeidegger's philosophy of the20th century through his writings onliterature, and considered the moralissues that arise when studyingphilosophers – I mean, Heideggerwas a Nazi sympathiser. So whilewe still read him, we have to bevery careful about how weencounter him. That was abrilliant experience.

STUDENT PROFILE

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CHOOSING YOUR DEGREE

Not sure whichprogramme to choose?Here’s a guide to what’savailable.

For more on each programme, go to www.kent.ac.uk/ug and search bythe UCAS code shown in brackets.

Single honoursPhilosophy (V500)This is a three-year programme.The main focus is on the study ofphilosophy, although you may alsotake modules in other subject areas.

Philosophy with an ApprovedYear Abroad (V501)This four-year degree follows thesame structure as the Philosophydegree, but you spend an additionalyear studying philosophy, in French,at the Paris-Sorbonne University.On this programme, you must takelanguage modules in your first and

second years for your ‘wild’modules. It is also possible to spenda year studying at other destinations.See p9 for more information.

Joint honoursTaking a joint honours degreemeans you split your studiesbetween two subjects. Most jointhonours are three-year degrees, but Philosophy taken with eitherFrench or German is a four-yearprogramme with a year studyingabroad at a European university.

Below is a list of the joint honoursdegrees currently available:• Art History (VV40)• Asian Studies (TV45) • Classical & ArchaeologicalStudies (QV85)

• English Language andLinguistics (VQ5H)

• English and American Literature(QVH5)

• Film (VW56)

• French (RVC5) • German (RVF5) • History (VVC5) • Law (MV15) • Management (VN10)• Politics (LV25) • Religious Studies (VV56) • Sociology (LVH5).

Teaching and assessmentSome modules have lectures,some have seminars, all haveclass discussions. Someincorporate group work and somepromote ‘student-active’ learningtechniques, which encourage youto work individually or in groupsand to present your findings to therest of the class. Assessment ofphilosophy modules is by essaysor tests, or a combination of both.

Placement yearAll students on a three-yearprogramme are eligible to take aplacement year between Stages 2and 3. This is an opportunity for youto gain workplace experience aspart of your programme of study.For more details, see p9.

International studentsIf you need to extend your existingacademic qualifications or abilityin English to be able to study atuniversity level, Kent’s one-yearInternational Foundation Programme(IFP) allows you to do so. From theIFP you can move on to ourphilosophy programmes. Seewww.kent.ac.uk/ifp for details.

YEAR ABROAD/PLACEMENT YEAR

At Kent, you have theopportunity to broadenyour experience eitherby studying overseas or bytaking a work placement.

When studying in Kent’s Facultyof Humanities, you can apply tospend a year studying abroad or on placement as part of yourdegree programme. The yearusually takes place between thesecond and final years of study.

Year abroadThis is an amazing opportunityand a chance for you to developacademically, personally andprofessionally.

You gain confidence andindependence, and further developmany of the transferable skillsemployers are looking for, such as being able to communicateeffectively and to plan and organiseyour time. You also show that youhave a flexible outlook and theenthusiasm and drive to succeedin a new environment.

Many students find that their year abroad is a life-changing andrewarding experience. Having risento the challenge of living in anothercountry, you have a renewed beliefin your ability to succeed.

If you’d like to spend a yearin France, we offer a distinctivefour-year Philosophy degree whereyou spend your third year studyingphilosophy in French at theSorbonne in Paris.

Or, if you’d rather take a jointhonours with French or German,you can spend a year studying or working in Europe.

We have exciting exchange linkswith universities in Asia, the USAand Canada, as well as manyEuropean destinations via theErasmus exchange network.Visit www.kent.ac.uk/goabroad/opportunities/az.html to see theA to Z course list.

Placement yearThe placement year providesthe opportunity for you to getexperience in the workplace as partof your degree. The placement canbe either paid work or an internship.

It gives you the opportunityto increase your contacts andnetworks so you can hit the groundrunning when you graduate.

If taken, the year is assessed on a pass/fail basis as a result ofemployer feedback and your ownwritten report.

Tuition fees for the placement yearare greatly reduced and employersmay offer expenses or a salary.

There are many benefits to takinga placement year, including givingyou the chance to get a taste of thework environment, acquire newskills and develop your confidence.

See www.kent.ac.uk/humanities/studying/placement for moreinformation.

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YOUR STUDY PROGRAMME

Because it’s a study of thefundamental questionsconnected to reality,existence, the mind,language and thought,Philosophy at Kent isdesigned to develop your ideas, independentthought and problem-solving skills.

The module lists on this pageare not fixed as new modules are always in development andchoices updated yearly. Please see www.kent.ac.uk/ug for themost up-to-date information.To read a full description of the modules listed, visitwww.kent.ac.uk/courses/modulesand search by the module code.

Stage 1Stage 1 covers the first year of yourdegree programme. It begins withan introduction to philosophy,including ethics, knowledge andmetaphysics, logic and reasoning.You are also taught to read andwrite as a philosopher.

All students take the following four compulsory modules:• Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics (PL303)

• Introduction to Philosophy:Knowledge and Metaphysics(PL302)

• Introduction to Philosophy:Logic and Reasoning (PL310)

• Philosophical Reading andWriting (PL315)

Joint honours students also takemodules in their joint subject area,while single honours studentschoose at least one of the followingphilosophy modules:• Existentialism (PL305)• Introduction to Philosophy(Rights) (PL300)

Your remaining modules may bechosen from any subjects within theFaculty of Humanities. Those takingan approved year abroad in Parismust take a language module.

Stages 2 and 3Stages 2 and 3 are the secondand final years of your degree.Now you can focus in greaterdepth on subjects such as thephilosophy of language, medicine,religion, work, mind and action,feminist philosophy, logic,metaphysics, ethics and politics.

Single honours students takebetween 180 and 240 credits ofphilosophy modules, which areworth either 15 or 30 credits each.Joint honours students takebetween 90 and 150 creditsof philosophy modules.

The modules currently availableat Stages 2 and 3 are:• Feminist Philosophy(PL642/PL643)

• Greek Philosophy: Plato andAristotle (CL708/CL709)

• Logic (PL605/PL579)• Meaning, Mind and Faith(PL599/PL573)

• Metaphysics (PL611/PL612)• Normative Ethics (PL640/PL641)• Philosophy and Film(PL622/PL623)

• Philosophy Dissertation (Stage 3only) (PL507)

• Philosophy of Cognitive Scienceand Artificial Intelligence(PL609/PL583)

• Philosophy of Language(PL602/PL576)

• Philosophy of Medicine(PL596/PL570)

• Philosophy of Mind and Action(PL604/PL578)

• Political Emotions (PL667/PL668)• Political Philosophy(PL618/PL619)

• Religious Studies and Philosophyin the Classroom (Stage 3 only)(TH643)

• The Myth of the State(PL626/PL627)

• The Tragedy of Human Reason:Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason(PL625/PL624)

• Topics in Reasoning(PL622/PL623)

• Understanding Causality andProbability (PL664/PL665).

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They are committed to improvingaccess to learning for all studentsat Kent and can assist with manythings, including:• talking to your lecturers aboutany help you need in lecturesor seminars

• arranging note-takers, signersand other support workers foryou

• discussing exam accessarrangements

• helping you with emotional,psychological or mental healthissues

• applying for relevant funding tosupport you.

Find out more at:www.kent.ac.uk/studentsupport

SUPERB STUDY SUPPORT

We’ll support youthroughout your time atKent, from helping youadjust to university studyto discussing modulechoices and essay topicswith you.

You are assigned an academicadviser in your first year, and theyhelp you get the most from yourdegree programme. They meet with you regularly to discuss general academic issues or specificassignments. They will assist youin developing academic skills andrefer you to other sources of help ifyou need it.

Peer supportThe best advice often comes from people who’ve been in yoursituation. On our Academic PeerMentoring scheme, first-yearstudents can request to be matchedwith second- or third-year studentson a similar degree programme.

Peer mentors will help you settle into university life and find your feet.They can help you to discuss ideasand improve your study skills as youprogress through your first year.

SECL supportThe School of European Cultureand Languages has a dedicatedsupport team to provide studentswith confidential pastoral support,and provides a first point of contactfor students requiring assistance.

Study skills adviceSuccessful students take control oftheir own learning. Kent’s StudentLearning Advisory Service (SLAS)can help you increase yourcompetence and confidenceand fulfil your potential.

You can request a one-to-oneappointment or attend workshopson a diverse range of topics frommaking the most of lectures towriting well and avoiding plagiarism.

Student supportand wellbeingYou might need extra help to get themost from university. If you have amedical condition, specific learningdifficulty, mental health condition ordisability, the Student Support andWellbeing team can support you.

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How does your degreehelp you at work?My degree helped in many ways, from improving my timemanagement to building my public speaking and interview skillsthrough class presentations. Theessays, along with the researchand analysis of vast amounts ofdata, have helped improve mywriting. It’s also all helped me createbalanced arguments, and assistedmy reasoning when communicatingwith clients.

What are your future plans?I want to remain in commercialconveyancing as I feel I’m justfinding my feet. I’d like to findfinancing/sponsorship to study forformal qualifications, and maybeeven one day get a training contractto become a solicitor. This is anindustry I never though I would getthe opportunity to work in, and Iwant to do as well as possible.

Do you have a memory youwould like to share?I miss the place, the people I metand the experiences we shared.One afternoon in my first week at Kent, we sat on Eliot Hill andwatched the sunset with somebeers, and I just thought, ‘So, this isit, I'm at uni.’ Fast forward to the lastweek of my last year and I sat onthat same hill watching the sunsetwith the same friends, thinking, ‘So, this is it, it's all over.’ If you’rethinking of going to Kent, do it, andmake the most of it, because you'llnever get the chance to do it again.

Why did you choose Kent?Kent was my first university choice,because of the ratings for studentsatisfaction, along with its positionin the league tables for Philosophy,and for its all-round performanceas a university. Then the impact thecampus and location made on meand my family on the Open Day andhow the lecturers came across aswell, sealed the deal.

What attracted you to thecourse?I’d known since taking my GCSEsthat I wanted to take my Philosophystudies further. Finding out the entryrequirements, the modules I’d beundertaking and the way we’d bemarked at Kent cemented mychoice of subject.

What was the degree courselike? And what about thelecturers?The course was fascinating, andintroduced me to so many differenttheories and ways of thinking thatI hadn't even been aware of. Thelectures and seminars wereengaging and thought-provoking,and I really enjoyed studyingsomething I was, and still am,passionate about.

My lecturers were approachable,relatable, funny and, above all, sosmart. It was evident that they werepassionate about what they wereteaching, and were some of the

best in their chosen fields. To seesome of them on graduation day,sharing the celebrations with us,made me feel they actually caredabout our studies, too.

What extra-curricular activitiesdid you get involved with?I took advantage of the gym and the climbing club, and went to mycollege bar, Origins, for quizzes andthe Christian Society to further mydebating skills – they werewelcoming to an atheist. ThePhilosophy Society student-ledlectures in my final year wereinteresting, as they often touchedon niche topics we wouldn'tnecessarily cover in our lectures.I went to The Venue nightclub oncampus as much as possible too.

What does your currentjob involve?I’m now working for a huge law firm. I started as a temp in the RealEstate department and was madepermanent a few months later. I’vehad a variety of roles, includingwriting reports on propertypurchases for corporate clients,taking part in document disclosurefor a litigation case and orderingproperty searches. The work isengaging, and I’m learning a lot.

NEXT STEPSA SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

What do you hope to do once you have yourdegree? Whether you havea specific career in mindor haven’t yet thoughtmuch beyond university,we can help you to planfor success in the future.

Build your CVYour degree studies help you todevelop skills such as thinkingcritically, expressing yourself clearly,solving problems and workingindependently and as part of ateam. These transferable skills arevalued by employers and will alsobe vital if you go on to further study.

At Kent, you have many other greatopportunities to enhance your skills.For instance, you can:• join a society or sports club (evenbetter – get involved in running it)

• volunteer with a community• work in a part-time job or take upa summer internship

• represent your fellow students asa student rep, or become astudent ambassador

• learn a new language or skill withStudy Plus.

Getting involved like this means thatyou can earn Employability Points,which you can exchange foremployability rewards. The morepoints you earn, the more valuablethe rewards: we work with local,national and international employersto offer internships, work experienceand a range of other activities thatprepare you for the world of work.

Experience workPhilosophy students have theopportunity to take a placementyear as part of their degree, eitheras an integral part of their course oran option. This allows you to spenda year in the workplace, betweenStages 2 and 3, giving you thechance to get work experience,acquire new skills and gain insightinto your career options. For furtherdetails, see p9.

Your programme also includes anoptional teaching module in Stage 3 where – subject to a selectionprocess – you can combine studywith classroom experience.

Find a great jobThe School of European Cultureand Languages (SECL) organisesopportunities to help you preparefor your future career and enhanceyour skills. These include modules,volunteering opportunities and anumber of events organisedthroughout the year.

You can also visit the University’saward-winning Careers andEmployability Service for careersadvice. Throughout the year, theservice delivers events on therecruitment process, such as CVs,interviews and assessment centres,as well as talks on developingawareness of the opportunitiesavailable.

See www.kent.ac.uk/ces for furtherinformation.

Ben Gilfillan graduated from Kent in 2017 witha Philosophy BA (Hons) degree. He is now working as a paralegal at an international law firm.

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FIND OUT MORE

Choosing a universityis a big step, so it’simportant to find out asmuch as you can beforeyou make your decision.Come and visit us to seewhat we can offer you.

Open DaysOpen Days are a great way to findout what life as a student at Kent islike. For instance, you can:• learn more about the course you are interested in at a subjectpresentation

• ask questions – talk to theacademic teams at theinformation stands

• find out about student finance,opportunities to study abroadand extracurricular activitiessuch as Kent Sport.

Explore the campus at your ownpace on the self-guided walkingtour. You will be able to visit differenttypes of accommodation, chat tocurrent students and enjoy thestunning views over the city ofCanterbury.

Open Days are held in the summerand autumn. Book your place atwww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Applicant DaysIf you apply to Kent and we offeryou a place (or ask you to comefor an interview), you will usuallybe invited to an Applicant Day.Applicant Days run in the autumnand spring terms and are an

opportunity to find out about thecourse in more detail. You spendtime with your academic schoolmeeting staff and current students,and take part in activities that giveyou a flavour of your prospectivecourse and university life.

Informal visitsIf you can’t make it to an Open Dayor Applicant Day, you can still visitus. We run tours of the campusthroughout the year.

If you live outside Europe, weappreciate that you might find itdifficult to attend our scheduledevents, so we can arrange apersonal campus tour for youand your family.

Let us know you’re comingScheduled tours and personalcampus tours (for internationalstudents) need to be booked inadvance – you can do this viawww.kent.ac.uk/informal

Meet us in your countryOur staff regularly travel overseasto meet with students who areinterested in coming to Kent.We also have strong links withagents in your home country whocan offer guidance and informationon studying at Kent. Find out moreat www.kent.ac.uk/courses/international

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

LocationCanterbury

AwardBA (Hons)

Degree programmes

Single honours• Philosophy (V500)• Philosophy with an ApprovedYear Abroad (V501)

Joint honoursSee p8 for details.

Offer levelsV500, V501: ABB at A level. IBDiploma 34 points or IB Diplomawith 16 points at Higher. includingIB Philosophy 5 at SL or 4 at HL.

Required subjectsFor the Year in Europe option,GCSE grade 6/B in a modernsecond language other thanEnglish; for the variant with a yearin the Sorbonne A level Frenchgrade B. Joint honours subjectsmay have special requirements.Access and BTEC Level 3Extended Diploma/NationalDiploma applicants are assessedon an individual basis, pleasecontact us for more information.

Year abroadIf you take Philosophy with anApproved Year Abroad, youspend your third year at the Paris-Sorbonne University. There arealso opportunities to spend a yearat other destinations. Those takinga joint honours with French orGerman also spend a year inEurope. For more information, seep9.

Scholarships and bursariesSee www.kent.ac.uk/ugfunding

Offer levels and entryrequirements are subjectto change. For the latestinformation, seewww.kent.ac.uk/ug

18 Philosophy 1918 www.kent.ac.uk/secl/philosophy

Self-guided toursIf you prefer to explore on your own,you can download a self-guidedwalking tour at www.kent.ac.uk/informal or pick up a copy from us.

A self-guided audio tour is availabletoo, which allows you to learn aboutKent without even leaving home.See www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/informal/audio-tour.html

Explore onlineFind out more about the academicteam, the course and events in thedepartment and School atwww.kent.ac.uk/secl/philosophy

Keep in touch with us viasocial media:www.facebook.com/unikentseclwww.twitter.com/unikentseclwww.youtube.com/unikentsecl

Contact usIf you would like more informationon Kent’s courses, facilities orservices, please contact us on:T: +44 (0)1227 768896www.kent.ac.uk/ug

This brochure was produced in June 2018. The University of Kent makes every effortto ensure that the information contained in its publicity materials is fair and accurateand to provide educational services as described. However, the courses, services and other matters may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information,see www.kent.ac.uk/ug and for full details of our terms and conditions, seewww.kent.ac.uk/termsandconditions

For the University to operate efficiently, it needs to process information about youfor administrative, academic and health and safety reasons. Any offer we make toyou is subject to your consent to process such information and is a requirement in order for you to be registered as a student. All students must agree to abide by theUniversity rules and regulations at: www.kent.ac.uk/regulations

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University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk/ug

COME ANDVISIT USTo find out more about visitingthe University, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/visit