Philosophy BPhil

**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2024). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.** <br/><br/>The Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) in Philosophy is a two-year, full-time taught graduate degree, which is an intellectually demanding course requiring a background in philosophy, usually from undergraduate study.<br/><br/>The BPhil in Philosophy requires a great degree of independence of thought from students, both academically as well as organisationally: students have to put together their own programme of classes, supervisions and topics for assessment. It is regarded both as training for doctoral study and a basis for teaching a range of philosophical subjects.<br/><br/>**Course outcomes**<br/>The main purpose of the BPhil is to provide future doctoral students with:<br/><br/><br/>- a basis of knowledge and understanding of a number of philosophy subjects that they can develop into areas of teaching competence;<br/><br/><br/>- the skills to conduct independent research in philosophy in their chosen area; and<br/><br/><br/>- the ability to produce written work that displays sustained argument, independent thought and lucid structure and presentation.<br/><br/><br/>**Course structure**<br/>Tuition on the BPhil is through a combination of classes, one-to-one supervisions and independent research.<br/><br/>You will write four essays across at least three subjects (with no more than two essays on any one subject), together with a thesis of up to 30,000 words.<br/><br/>You will be required to attend the compulsory Pro-Seminar as well as one other graduate class per term during your first year. The Pro-Seminar covers Theoretical Philosophy in Michaelmas term, Practical Philosophy in Hilary term and History of Philosophy in Trinity term. In the fourth term of your studies you will be required to attend two graduate classes. Graduate classes are normally provided across a range of areas covered by the BPhil syllabus.<br/><br/>You may also attend any other classes, seminars and lectures in the Faculty of Philosophy which are of interest to you and any classes, seminars and lectures in other faculties that are open to you. Each term many graduate classes and research seminars are organised by faculty members in which graduate students are full and important participants.<br/><br/>Graduates are encouraged to organise their own seminars and reading groups, and they also run two societies: one invites distinguished speakers from the UK and around the world, while another gives graduates the opportunity to present papers to a graduate audience.<br/><br/>Each year there is an Oxford Graduate Philosophy Conference, in which most graduate philosophy students participate in some way.