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BA (Honours) Humanities With Philosophy - Learning Outcomes

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Educational aims

Edited: The Philosophy strand aims to:

  • give you access to the study of philosophy whatever your aspirations, age, or educational and social background
  • introduce you to a range of concepts, theories, and debates in selected areas of philosophy through a critical reading of primary source texts, which are investigated by the methods of the contemporary analytic tradition
  • enhance your critical judgement in understanding and interpreting philosophical texts and arguments
  • develop your capacity for critical reasoning in order to enhance your ability to argue and to produce philosophical essays.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

Edited: When you complete your studies for this strand, you will have knowledge and understanding of:

  • what it means to approach an issue philosophically, as that phrase is understood within contemporary Western philosophy
  • the views of selected classic and contemporary philosophers on the topics dealt with in the modules concerned, these views being encountered in primary source texts
  • the main techniques of philosophical analysis.

Cognitive skills

Edited: When you complete your studies for the strand, you will be able to:

  • think logically
  • extract a philosophical argument from a prose text, analyse and evaluate it
  • understand and evaluate primary and secondary source materials in a philosophical manner
  • formulate your own views about the problems discussed
  • plan and execute philosophical writing at the appropriate level; this includes the ability to organise a number of arguments and counter-arguments into a coherent essay
  • conceive, research and write an extended project.

Practical and/or professional skills

Edited: When you complete your studies for the strand, you will be able to:

  • understand the logical structure of complex and controversial problems, with an understanding of the major strategies that philosophers have used to solve these problems
  • read carefully and interpret texts drawn from a variety of historical periods and/or traditions with a sensitivity to context and an understanding of some specialised philosophical terminology
  • recognise textually based arguments, subject their structure to rigorous assessment, and judge their success
  • employ detailed argument to support or criticise generalisations about the relevant subject matter
  • view unfamiliar ideas with an open mind and a willingness to change your mind when appropriate.

Key skills

Edited: When you complete your studies for the strand, you will be able to demonstrate that you can:

Communication

  • communicate effectively by means of appropriate academic forms, e.g. the essay
  • read and synthesise substantial amounts of material
  • address complex and controversial questions effectively.

Learning how to learn

  • study a complex subject
  • study and learn independently
  • seek and use feedback from a tutor, and through self-assessment activity, improve academic performance
  • learn from a variety of different media and different teaching methods
  • reflect on the learning process and evidence of progress.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

Edited: You will acquire your knowledge and understanding principally through the study of published distance-teaching materials, including specially written study materials, study guides, assignment and project guides, specimen examination papers, and feedback on assignments and set texts. Face-to-face (or equivalent) tuition is offered to all students but is not required. Your progress is assessed directly via a combination of in-text exercises; essays and three-hour examinations.

Cognitive skills are all (with one exception below) taught throughout the modules through the written study materials of all kinds; assignments; carefully monitored feedback to students from tutors; and the final examination. 

The core professional skills of a philosopher are taught throughout the programme in a cumulative manner. They are introduced and explained at length at second level, and consistently reinforced at third level. Assessment methods include short-answer questions, essays and formal examination. They are also reinforced in all face-to-face (or equivalent) teaching situations.

All the key skills are taught throughout the programme, via published materials and by detailed tutor feedback on student essays. In-text questions will help you to develop specific skills, such as knowing how to study a complex subject and learning from a variety of media and teaching methods. You will be assessed in the development of your communication skills principally via continuous assessment and formal examination. You will also have the opportunity in the programme to develop further key skills, as the programme is developed. For example, you may learn how to use electronic conferencing, and there may be opportunities to use computing skills to gather supplementary information from online resources.

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