Philosophy
The Study of Philosophy
Philosophy is one of the oldest of subjects but is as popular and relevant today as it has been for thousands of years. Philosophy graduates can be found in all walks of life: business, the civil service, law, teaching, entertainment. The insights and knowledge that Philosophy can give you will stay with you for your lifetime, allowing you a deeper appreciation of the world and the people who live in it than you would gain from almost any other subject that you could study.
Philosophy is devoted to exploring, in a rational way, the fundamental nature of the world and the place of humanity within it, the nature of knowledge, belief and explanation, the foundations of and justification for religious belief, the character of the human mind and the nature of good and evil, and of good and bad action. In addition, Philosophy studies the foundations of political association, the links between law and morality, what is involved in art appreciation and the principles of reasoning. Far from being a dry and irrelevant subject, it is concerned with the most important matters that concern human beings. The study of Philosophy is one of the most exciting ways in which you can complete your education.
In addition, Philosophy will equip you with abilities that will prove invaluable in many walks of life: the ability to master and explain complex ideas, the ability to argue for your own point of view and to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the points of view of others, the ability to engage in intense but good-humoured discussion and the ability to write cogently argued appreciations of different positions and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. It is not at all surprising that the skills developed by Philosophy are highly valued by employers.
Philosophy at The University of Northampton
You can study Philosophy at The University of Northampton in a variety of combinations: as a major component of your degree, as part of a joint degree, as a minor part of a degree or as an elective subject. The University of Northampton's Common Academic Framework allows you to combine subjects in a flexible way. Students find that the study of Philosophy goes very well together with the study of other subjects, since it not only introduces you to new ways of thinking about the world, but also gives you powerful insights into the other subjects that you are studying. Those taking Philosophy as a major or joint have the opportunity to write an extended philosophical treatment of a topic of their choice as part of the dissertation module.
Philosophy combines well with other popular subjects. At UN you can study Philosophy in conjunction with Psychology and there are courses designed to be of particular interest to those studying Psychology, such as 'Knowledge and Mind'.. Those studying Law, Criminology, Politics and History will find the opportunity to study 'Social and Political Philosophy' and the 'Making of Modern Political Thought' an excellent way of enhancing their studies in these areas. Students of Literature, Music and Art will find the opportunity to study 'Aesthetics and Ethics' an excellent way of bringing greater depth and understanding to their study of these subjects. In addition, both scientists and students of business and computing study Philosophy and find that acquaintance with the nature of knowledge, the political context and the reasoning skills that the subject develops, are all beneficial to them.
We teach Philosophy through lectures, seminars and tutorials. The Philosophy Department at The University of Northampton prides itself on the care it devotes to teaching and we are confident that the variety of teaching methods that we employ give students the chance, not only to study what philosophers have said, but to learn to confidently express their own ideas in both written and spoken forms. Lectures introduce students to the main subject matter of the course and students are encouraged to follow arguments and to learn to listen and to appreciate an extended argument. Seminars are discussion groups which are structured around questions arising from the lecture. Under the guidance of a philosophy tutor, students are encouraged to pursue a discussion of the topic and to engage in debate with their colleagues. Tutorials are an invaluable opportunity for students to discuss, either individually or in small groups, particular questions arising from the lecture, the planning of their own written work and revision strategies. The generous provision of tutorial time is a great advantage of The University of Northampton's teaching system and is a powerful way of developing students' philosophical skills and understanding.
