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PhilosophyEntry 2012

Why philosophy? | 1

What is philosophy? | 2

Philosophy at Hull | 6

Philosophymodules | 10

Life in thedepartment | 11

Life aftergraduation | 12

Admissions | 14

Staff and theirresearch interests | 16

Degree course UCAS Special Typicalcode reqs offer

American Studies and Philosophy TV75 BA/ASP – 280–300

Creative Writing and Philosophy WV85 BA/CWP – 280–300

Education, Philosophy and Religion XV35 BA/EPR – 280–300

English and Philosophy QV35 BA/EPh A level English 280–320

Law with Philosophy M1V5 LLB/LP – 320

BA Philosophy V500 BA/Ph – 320

BSc Philosophy V502 BSc/Ph – 280–300

Philosophy with Creative Writing V5W8 BA/PCW – 280–300

Philosophy and Film Studies VP53 BA/PF – 280–300

Philosophy and modern languages: – 280–300Philosophy and French (4 years) VR51 BA/PFrPhilosophy and German (4 years) VR52 BA/PGerPhilosophy and Italian (4 years) VR53 BA/PItPhilosophy and Spanish (4 years) VR54 BA/PSp

Philosophy and Politics LV25 BA/PhP – 320

Philosophy with Psychology V5C8 BA/PPsy – 300–320

Philosophy and Religion VV56 BA/PhT – 280–300

Philosophy and Sociology LV35 BA/PhS – 280–300

Physics and Philosophy FV35 BSc/PP A level Physicsand Maths 260–300

Politics, Philosophy and Economics L0V0 BA/PPE – 320

Politics, Philosophy and Law LVM0 BA/PPL – 320

Psychology with Philosophy C8V5 BSc/PsyPh – 280

Courses including Foundation English Language

Philosophy (incl FEL) (4 years) V5Q3 BA/PFEL IELTS 5.0 280–320

Politics, Philosophy and Economics(incl FEL) (4 years) LVQ0 BA/PPEFEL IELTS 5.0 320

Politics, Philosophy and Law(incl FEL) (4 years) VLM0 BA/PPL IELTS 5.0 320

All courses are three years in duration unless otherwise stated.

If you require further information you can go online to UCAS (www.ucas.ac.uk) and theUniversity (www.hull.ac.uk) or contact the Admissions Coordinator, Faculty of Arts andSocial Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK, 01482 466191,k.e.nock@hull.ac.uk. (If you have a UCAS personal ID, please quote it in allcorrespondence.)

Dates of semestersSemester 124 Sep – 14 Dec 2012

Semester 228 Jan – 10 May 2013

Key facts

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 1

Socrates is reported (by Plato) to have said that ‘to let no day pass withoutdiscussing goodness and all the other topics about which you hear meexamining both myself and others is really the very best thing that someonecan do’ and that ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’.

Have you ever felt that most courses of study stop just when things are beginning toget interesting? That certain questions are disallowed in advance? That what you’vebeen taught rests on unquestioned assumptions? Or perhaps you are unwilling justto accept received wisdom and are suspicious of arguments based on authorityalone?

Philosophy is a subject in which questioning is not curtailed but encouraged. Inphilosophy absolutely nothing remains unexamined or unquestioned: everythingis, so to speak, up for grabs. Philosophers even ask themselves ‘What isphilosophy?’ and disagree over the answer. If you enjoy digging beneath the surfaceof an issue, uncovering assumptions and examining first principles, thenphilosophy is a subject you would enjoy.

The examined life requires us to be open to new, sometimes bizarre, and often verychallenging ideas. Philosophy obliges us to follow an argument through to itsconclusion, even if this is a conclusion we don’t find particularly congenial. Thismay mean that it exposes one’s firmest personal convictions to close scrutiny. Itcertainly means that we have to be open to disagreement: that we must take theopinions of others seriously and – while not necessarily agreeing with them, andmost probably arguing strongly against their position – respect their point of view.The reward, if we are prepared to take the plunge, is that it thereby enriches ourview of life and gives us a high degree of personal fulfilment.

Philosophical conundrums• Can you really know if someone loves you? How can you tell?• Can you ever know what others think and feel?• For that matter, can we really know anything with certainty?• What do we mean when we say that something is true?• What justifies politicians’ exercise of power?• Are any governments just? What is justice anyway?• When we say something is right or wrong, are we just expressing approval or

disapproval? Is there more to morality than this?• Is there a God? Are arguments for His existence sound? Is the very notion

incoherent?• What is the nature of time? Is time travel possible?• What am I? What makes me the same person today as, say, 10 years ago?• Am I my mind? What is the mind? Is it the same thing as the brain?• Is it better to be a discontented philosopher, or a contented pig?

And so on ...

Why philosophy?

No claim is leftunquestioned. Allassumptions requirejustification.Ambiguities andobscurities have to beclarified. Andconclusions must besupported byevidence andreasoned argument.

Philosophy2

As you may have gathered already, there is no straightforward answer to thisquestion. One way of trying to provide a quick answer would be to look at thetype of issues that philosophers have contemplated and discussed for morethan 2,500 years. Many of these issues are highly abstract and often technical,but most have their origins in questions which you may have puzzled aboutyourself. Some examples are given on page 1.

So how do philosophers answer such questions? Unfortunately for our quickanswer, the way that philosophers tackle these questions depends on their view ofthe nature of philosophy. Things are never simple, are they? Small wonder that thesubject appears to progress only by multiplying the problems it sets out to solve.

Despite such difficulties there is – fortunately – sufficient agreement thatphilosophers have no trouble in recognising the contributions of their peers.Philosophers do not try to answer philosophical questions by formulatinghypotheses based on observation and experiment like scientists. Nor do theyproceed by constructing abstract systems of axioms and theorems likemathematicians. They do not attempt to convert the unbeliever, and do not thinksuch questions are settled by an appeal to taste. What they actually do is examinethe arguments and try to persuade by an appeal to reason.

What use is philosophy?Socrates’ answer was that it makes life interesting. Bertrand Russell argues that itfrees the intellect: its questions, he says, ‘enlarge our conception of what is possible,enrich our intellectual imagination, and diminish the dogmatic assurance whichcloses the mind against speculation’. For some of us, that is enough. But a morepractical justification can also be made.

Despite philosophy’s long history, The Times has described it as ‘thequintessentially modern discipline’. Students of the subject need not fear that theirstudy is irrelevant to the modern world. Philosophy’s rising popularity is not justdue to the fact that it affords a high degree of personal fulfilment; it also providesexcellent training for occupations involving the analysis, appraisal and formulationof argument (that is, virtually any graduate occupation). The skills you acquirestudying philosophy are widely sought by employers.

So what are these skills? Broadly, they are skills of comprehension, communicationand reasoning. More specifically, they involve the ability to interpret, analyse andevaluate information and assess additional evidence; to summarise informationaccurately and to present it clearly; to adjudicate between various positions; to askpertinent questions; to think your way logically and creatively through difficultproblems; to identify assumptions and reasoning errors; to draw out implicationsand summarise conclusions; and, not least, to reason and argue a topic through andto develop and present new arguments.

We do not promise that studying philosophy will provide conclusive answers to thequestions it raises; but it will provide you with the intellectual resources to thinkclearly about them – resources you will retain for the rest of your life.

Of course, it also equips you with the skills to question the question. What is it to be‘useful’ anyway? Is it a matter of what is good for you? Is what is good forindividuals good for society? And so on ...

What is philosophy?

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 3

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At Hull we have a philosophy ofphilosophical education. We won’tsimply teach you about the classic

arguments of the great philosophers;we’ll teach you to think and argue foryourself, and to defend your thoughtsand arguments against those of yourpeers – while at the same time always

acknowledging that you may bemistaken! Our aim, in short, is to makeyou a philosopher in your own right.Of this you really can be certain.

Philosophy6

Plutarch remarked that ‘the mind is not a vessel tobe filled, but a fire to be kindled’. In line with this,our aim is not simply to teach you about philosophyand its history, but to teach you to do philosophy: toexperience the intellectual excitement of beingengaged in philosophical debate. This means thatyou will learn to articulate your own views onphilosophical questions, to present arguments forthem and to defend them against objections.

It is this conception of the purpose of a philosophicaleducation that determines our syllabus and our teachingand assessment methods. Your contribution to debate istherefore both encouraged and valued. Because thesubject offers no body of established fact, it makes roomfor the insights of the novice as readily as the opinions ofthe expert. In fact, professional philosophers can oftenfind themselves being tripped up in argument by thecontributions of their students.

The syllabusThe syllabus here is primarily issue-based: youencounter philosophy’s central figures and its historyprincipally through studying its problems and thesuggested solutions to these. No prior knowledge of thesubject is assumed. You can gain some idea of thesyllabus by looking at the Philosophy Modules sectionon page 10. A popular feature of our syllabus is thedegree of choice it affords you. Apart from a smallnumber of compulsory core modules (mainly in the firstand second years), our students are completely free tochoose whichever aspects of philosophy they wish tostudy. You may also select a module each year fromoutside the department if you wish. You are able tochoose modules from a diverse range of otherdisciplines: in the last year, for example, philosophystudents have taken modules in English literature,French, psychology, Spanish, Buddhism, biology,Italian, history, physics, politics, and even cosmologyand astrophysics.

Tutorials, seminars and lecturesYou are taught in a variety of formats. Lectures provide ameans of imparting knowledge and building a firmunderstanding of the subject while tutorials andseminars provide ample opportunity for discussing ideaswith others, developing your critical and argumentativeskills and providing a chance for you to develop yourown voice in the debate.

Throughout the first year, students are taught in tutorialgroups of around 8 to 10 students. In small groups it iseasier for you to try out an idea (perhaps one of your

own) on your peers and for them to return the favour. Inthe second and third years, tutorials are replaced bydiscussion classes with larger groups of students, inwhich small-group discussion often follows thelecturer’s presentation. In the final year, Single Honoursstudents write a dissertation (an extended essay) on aphilosophical topic of their choice, for which they havefortnightly one-to-one supervision. This is an importantpart of the assessment, and it allows you to research anarea, problem or individual philosopher that particularlyinterests you. External examiners have consistentlycommented on the excellent quality of this work.

Methods of assessmentAssessment is based on a mixture of examination andcoursework. What the exact balance is between theselargely depends on what modules you choose. You aretherefore able to tailor your degree to suit your strengthswith respect to assessment.

In recent years, approximately 60% of our students havegained good upper second or first class degree results,while fewer than 2% have failed to achieve at least lowersecond class Honours degrees. The drop-out rate for ourundergraduates is very low indeed.

A year abroadFor over a decade we have had strong links withphilosophy departments in other EU universities.Through the Erasmus and Socrates exchangeprogrammes, Single Honours students and JointHonours language students have had the opportunity tospend part of their degree studying abroad.

Single Honours students may spend part or all of theirsecond year studying philosophy at the University ofMurcia (Spain), with which we have a long-standinglink, or at other European universities. Althoughparticipating students are required to have at leastPassport level in the relevant language, in Murcia we canarrange some tuition in English; assessment in Englishmay also be conducted back in Hull. Opportunities alsoexist for our students to spend Year 2 studying at one of arange of universities in the United States of America.

Each year we have students from various Europeanuniversities studying in the department, and theirprofessors sometimes lecture here. As well as arrangingteaching exchanges, we welcome philosophers fromabroad as visiting scholars conducting research.

Philosophy at Hull

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 7

Philosophy8

Courses of studyPhilosophy may be studied on its own as a SingleHonours degree or in an array of combinations. Thecourses normally extend over three years, or four yearsin the case of Joint Honours with languages and thoseincluding Foundation English Language.

Modular frameworkAll degree courses are taught within a modularframework which permits maximum flexibility of choice.All modules are assigned a credit value, with a degreeworth 360 credits of study. Each year you shouldaccumulate 120 credits in order to progress. Normallystudents split this evenly across the two semesters. Everycourse offers the possibility of gaining a certificate afterthe satisfactory completion of one year’s study (120credits), or a diploma after two years (240 credits), if youdecide not to proceed any further.

Single HonoursThere are two ways of studying philosophy as a SingleHonours subject. In each semester of the first year youmust take two core modules, and you choose from anumber of other modules to make up the credit balance.You may take up to 20 credits per year from outside thePhilosophy Department if you wish. Both courses arealso available part-time (see below).

• BA Philosophy (V500 BA/Ph)• BSc Philosophy (V502 BSc/Ph)

Joint HonoursPhilosophy may be taken in numerous combinations. Interms of annual credits, these are 60/60 combinations(that is, you take 60 credits in each subject per year). Themodules studied are exactly the same as those for SingleHonours students, but as a Joint student you take onlyhalf of them.

• BA American Studies and Philosophy (TV75 BA/ASP)• BA Creative Writing and Philosophy (WV85 BA/CWP)• BA English and Philosophy (QV35 BA/EPh)• BA Philosophy and Film Studies (VP53 BA/PF)• BA Philosophy and French (VR51 BA/PFr)• BA Philosophy and German (VR52 BA/PGer)• BA Philosophy and Italian (VR53 BA/PIt)• BA Philosophy and Politics (LV25 BA/PhP)• BA Philosophy and Religion (VV56 BA/PhT)• BA Philosophy and Sociology (LV35 BA/PhS)• BA Philosophy and Spanish (VR54 BA/PSp)• BSc Physics and Philosophy (FV35 BSc/PP)

Interdisciplinary Honours• BA Politics, Philosophy and

Economics (L0V0 BA/PPE)• BA Politics, Philosophy and Law (LVM0 BA/PPL)

These degrees enable you to take a wider range of relatedcourses while specialising in one of them. In the firstyear the credit combination is 40/40/40, after which youmay vary it to suit your interests.

• BA Education, Philosophyand Religion (XV35 BA/EPR)

This is technically a Single Honours degree but it adoptsa distinctively interdisciplinary approach tounderstanding the interplay of ethics, religion andeducation.

Major/minor combinations• LLB Law with Philosophy (M1V5 LLB/LP)• BA Philosophy with Creative

Writing (V5W8 BA/PCW)• BSc Psychology with Philosophy (C8V5 BSc/PsyPh)• BA Philosophy with Psychology (V5C8 BA/PPsy)

These degrees are available in an 80/40 annual creditcombinations except Law with Philosophy, which is100/20. There are no restrictions on which philosophymodules you may take. The Law with Philosophy andPsychology with Philosophy courses are professionallyaccredited.

Foundation English LanguageWe also have three four-year courses specificallydesigned for overseas students who require someadditional English language supervision. They are notsuitable for absolute beginners and require IELTS 5.0 orthe equivalent level of English language competence.

• BA Philosophy (including FoundationEnglish Language) (V5Q3 BA/PFEL)

• BA Politics, Philosophy and Economics(including Foundation EnglishLanguage) (LVQ0 BA/PPEFEL)

• BA Politics, Philosophy and Law(including Foundation EnglishLanguage) (VLM0 BA/PPLFEL)

Part-time coursesWe also offer part-time certificates, diplomas anddegrees after the satisfactory completion of two, four andsix years’ study on any of the above courses.Applications for the part-time courses should be madedirectly to the department and not through UCAS.

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 9

Our aim is not simplyto teach you aboutphilosophy and itshistory, but to let youexperience theintellectualexcitement of beingengaged inphilosophical debate.

Philosophy10

All Single Honours and Joint Honours students take core tutorial modules andchoose from a menu of options taught in larger groups. A few options may beunavailable in any one year (due to staff study leave), but we try to ensure thatall options will be on offer to you at some point during your three years ofstudy.

First-year modulesIn each semester of Year 1 you take one core tutorial module. These modulesintroduce you to the main problems of philosophy. Topics covered typically includescepticism and knowledge, the existence of God, the mind/body problem, languageand meaning, idealism and realism, key ethical theories, the nature of moralreasoning and the objectivity of morality, as well as specific moral problems andtheir suggested solutions. They are accompanied by three other core modules forSingle Honours students: Reason, Logic and Argument; Philosophical Texts; andHistory of Western Thought.

Second- and third-year modulesIn Year 2, there are core modules entitled Moral Philosophy, Ways of Knowing, andTwentieth-Century Philosophy; Single Honours students take all three, and JointHonours students take two of them. From the list of options, you may choose to takemodules in topics such as philosophy of mind and body; ancient metaphysics;gender theory; applied philosophy; phenomenology; and philosophy of law.

In Year 3, modules often reflect the research interests of members of thedepartment. Options are available in a diverse range of specialisms, includingenvironmental philosophy; applied ethics; Wittgenstein on knowledge andcertainty; animals in philosophy; philosophy of science; and theories ofresponsibility.

Students may also undertake research for a dissertation (an extended essay) in anarea of their choice. This is an optional module which covers both semesters of thefinal year, and for which students receive individual supervision.

Philosophy modules

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 11

We think you will find the department intellectually stimulating, but relaxedand friendly – an atmosphere conducive to profitable discussion. Through theclose contact of the tutorials, staff and students get to know each other verywell. There are about 30 Single Honours and 35 Joint Honours undergraduatestudents in each year, plus a good-sized graduate school of about 25 students.

We firmly believe that teaching and research are mutually beneficial and aretherefore keen to sustain a departmental research culture which benefits theintellectual development of staff and students. As well as sponsoring internationalconferences, we hold regular research seminars throughout each semester in whichstaff, postgraduate students and visiting philosophers from other universities givepapers on questions of current interest. These events are open to all students, whomwe encourage to attend.

In the National Student Survey, launched in 2005, we have repeatedly been rated asone of the best philosophy departments in the country for teaching quality. In twoof the past six years, we were rated as the best.

Centres of researchThe department co-sponsors two research centres at Hull. Based within thedepartment is the Institute for Applied Ethics, whose philosophical work involvesinvestigating ethical problems relevant to practical decision making in areas ofeducation, health, welfare, management, politics and the law. The department isalso a co-sponsor of the Centre for Gender Studies, with a particular interest in itsphilosophical investigations of the construction of gendered subjectivity, the role ofthe body, and the gendered nature of science and other areas of knowledge. Bothcentres organise seminars at which students are welcome.

The Philosophy SocietyInformal discussion evenings are also organised by the Philosophy Society, astudent-run organisation affiliated to Hull University Union which comprises notonly philosophy students but also interested students from across the University.

Student involvementThe department is keen that students’ formal involvement in its affairs goes beyondthe teaching context. We encourage active student participation in the organisationand running of certain departmental activities. The Philosophy Society isencouraged to suggest speakers that students particularly wish to hear. It is alsoresponsible for maintaining the departmental library.

During each semester there are regular meetings of the Staff–Student Committee,which consists of members of staff and an equal number of elected studentrepresentatives. Although the committee is an advisory body, the department takesits recommendations extremely seriously. It is worth remarking that the syllabusand teaching system outlined earlier were introduced following recommendationsmade by this committee. Through it, all students have an effective share indetermining what it is like to study philosophy at Hull.

In the NationalStudent Survey,launched in 2005, wehave consistentlybeen rated as one ofthe best philosophydepartments in thecountry for teachingquality. In two of thepast five years, wewere rated as thebest.

Life in thedepartment

Philosophy12

Once you have graduated, what then? Having readfor an Honours degree in philosophy, we hope thatat the very least you will be a more rounded, andpossibly a more interesting and interested,individual – one with a better understanding of theideas that continue to shape our culture and with theintellectual tools for critically appraising the widerworld. But what can you do with a degree inphilosophy?

Career opportunitiesIf you assume that the past is a reliable guide to thefuture, you may like to know that our recent philosophygraduates have gone on to careers in law, television andradio production, business management, teaching, thecivil service, journalism, computing, financialmanagement, freelance writing, local-governmentmanagement and theatre production. The choice ofcareer is yours.

Many career opportunities for graduates are completelyopen, so the fact that you have studied, say, philosophy,history, English literature or business studies is muchless important than the fact that you have graduatedwith a good Honours degree from a respected institution.Graduates of any discipline who are looking forsatisfying work have always had – and will continue tohave – a considerable advantage over non-graduates. Sostudying philosophy will not materially disadvantageyou. In fact, research reveals that the vast majority ofphilosophy students are in satisfying careers within ayear or so of graduating, and most of them find theirphilosophical background a positive advantage in theirjobs (see the section entitled Why Philosophy?).

The University has a good track record in the area ofgraduate employability, and it provides an exceptionallyeffective Careers Service (available both before and aftergraduation).

Postgraduate opportunitiesFor some students the ideal choice for life aftergraduation is more study. Many of our graduatesprogress to further study at postgraduate level, either inphilosophy or on more vocationally oriented coursessuch as the PGCE (teacher training) or CPE (leading toLaw Society finals). The department has its own highlyactive graduate school, and we are happy to considergraduates with good Honours degrees for MAprogrammes or research.

MRes PhilosophyThis flexible research Masters degree provides advancedpostgraduate training in general areas of philosophy,with the opportunity of specialisation in areas ofparticular philosophical interest as well as training inhigher-level research skills. It is suitable for studentswith an undergraduate degree in philosophy or acognate discipline. The degree may be taken full-time inone year or part-time across two years.

Higher degrees by researchWe take graduates with good Honours degrees to carryout full- or part-time research leading to the preparationof a thesis for an MPhil or PhD. Supervision is availablein a variety of areas, and the library provides excellentfacilities in philosophy. There are currently more than 20postgraduate students in the department.

Those who are interested in pursuing postgraduate studyshould contact

Dr Kathleen LennonAdmissions TutorDepartment of PhilosophyUniversity of HullHull, HU6 7RXk.lennon@hull.ac.uk

Life after graduation

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 13

Philosophy14

Philosophy appeals to people with a wide range of interests and aptitudes. Wedo not, therefore, have any special requirements. Apart from applications topart-time courses, all applications should be made through the Universitiesand Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

GCE A levels are the most frequent entry route. For the Single Honours courses wedo not restrict the choice of subjects at A level. This is also true of our Joint and‘with’ combinations except Joint English (a grade B or better is required in A levelEnglish Literature, English Language, or combined English Language andLiterature) and Joint Physics (a minimum of grade C is required in A level Physicsand A level Maths). We accept A level General Studies for entry to any of ourcourses.

We are happy to accept a variety of other qualifications for admissions purposes,including the European Baccalaureate, the International Baccalaureate, the IrishLeaving Certificate, the Scottish Certificate of Education and the appropriateuniversity matriculation examinations for all European Union (EU) countries.

The level of offer will vary from course to course; we give examples of typical offersunder ‘Key Facts’ on the inner front cover. But we would like to add an importantcaveat: we look at an application ‘in the round’, taking into account other factors(such as special circumstances, the personal statement, the reference), andtherefore may be prepared to vary offers in individual cases.

Mature studentsWe actively recruit mature students into the department, and these normallyconstitute about one-third of our intake. The department recognises theresponsibilities that many mature students have and tries to be as flexible aspossible in order to facilitate study. The University has a nursery on campus.

We encourage those who have been out of education for some time to undertake akitemarked Access course before entering higher education, as these provide a goodgrounding for our subject. If you are unable to take an Access course (which may bedifficult for those in full-time employment, for example), we encourage you to takeone or more A levels or an alternative course involving the production of writtenwork. In exceptional circumstances we may consider applications from peoplewithout formal qualifications. In such cases applicants are asked to demonstratethat their life/work experience has equipped them with the qualities and skillsrequired to complete the course successfully.

Our part-time certificates, diplomas and degrees offer an attractive alternative tostudents whose extracurricular responsibilities mean that full-time study is difficultor impossible. The modules studied are exactly the same as those for full-timeHonours students, except that each year’s credit load is half that of a full-timestudent.

Admissions

Philosophy appealsto people with a widerange of interests andaptitudes, so we donot have any specialrequirements.

Mature applicants who would like to discuss theirapplications, or who are interested in part-time study,are invited to contact

Mr Wayne WilliamsAdmissions TutorDepartment of PhilosophyUniversity of HullHull, HU6 7RXw.williams@hull.ac.uk

If you have a UCAS personal ID, please quote it in allcorrespondence.

International studentsWe welcome applications from outside the EU andrecognise a range of qualifications from many countries.In most cases school leaving certificates need to besupplemented with A levels, AICE or the InternationalBaccalaureate. However, as with UK and EUqualifications, the usual caveat applies: we look at anapplication ‘in the round’, taking into account factorsother than formal qualifications, and therefore may beprepared to vary offers in individual cases. Applicantswhose first language is not English must be able todemonstrate a certain level of proficiency in English.This may mean that they require additional Englishlanguage qualifications.

Further information concerning English languagequalifications can be obtained from

The Admissions OfficerUniversity of HullHull, HU6 7RX, UKadmissions@hull.ac.uk+44 (0)1482 466100

If you have a UCAS personal ID, please quote it in allcorrespondence.

Applications and further detailsFurther details of the admissions procedure can beobtained at www.ucas.com or by contacting UCAS:

enquiries@ucas.ac.uk0871 468 0468

Further details of all the philosophy study courses, entryrequirements and advice for applicants can be obtainedonline at

www.ucas.comwww.hull.ac.uk/philosophy

ScholarshipsThe University offers competitive scholarships to allstudents, including those from overseas: Sir RoyMarshall Scholarship (half tuition fee – open to overseasapplicants); Lord Wilberforce Scholarship (full tuitionfee). These provisions are, however, subject to change.For further details please contact

The Secretary to the Scholarships CommitteeFaculty of Arts and Social SciencesUniversity of HullHull, HU6 7RX

Philosophywww.hull.ac.uk 15

Philosophy16

Ferens Professor of PhilosophyKathleen Lennon BA, BPhil, DPhilPhilosophy of mind, feminist philosophy, philosophy ofthe social sciences, gender theory

Reader in Applied EthicsSuzanne Uniacke BA, MA, PhDApplied ethics, ethics, philosophy of law, social andpolitical philosophy

LecturersStephen Burwood BSc, PhDPhilosophy of body and mind, environmentalphilosophy, philosophy of science, Wittgenstein,philosophy of education

Stella González Arnal Lda en Filosofia, MA, PhDFeminist philosophy, epistemology, philosophy of mind,philosophy of science

Antony Hatzistavrou MA, PhDPhilosophy of action, legal philosophy, ancientphilosophy

Dawn Phillips BA, MA, PhDWittgenstein; the philosophy of the image; aesthetics

Wayne Williams BAAnimal rights, terrorism, Rawls

Research Associates in PhilosophyMinae Inahara BA, PhDFrench feminism (Kristeva and Irigaray), feministpsychoanalysis, the philosophy of body, disability theory

Diane Pitt BA, MScPhenomenology of illness, medical diagnostics,epistemic authority, moral agency and autonomy

Tutorial AssistantsAngie Shepherd BA, MAPhilosophy of mind

Daniel Walters BA, MAPhilosophy of mind

Senior Lecturer in Medical Ethics andProfessionalism (HYMS)Demian Whiting BSc, PhDPhilosophy of mind and emotions; psychiatry andethics; conscientious objection in medicine

Emeritus Professor of Moral and SocialPhilosophyBrenda Almond BA, MPhil, doc.hcApplied philosophy and applied ethics

Emeritus Professor of PhilosophyPaul Gilbert MAHuman relationships (personal and political),nationalism, terrorism, philosophy of mind,epistemology, Wittgenstein

Visiting Professor of PhilosophyGrant Gillett MA, MB, ChB, DPhil, FRACPhilosophy of mind, philosophy of medicine, medicalethics, Kant, Wittgenstein, post-structuralism

Staff and their researchinterests

Studying for a degree at the University of Hull is a unique experience. We aimto provide you with an education that offers both depth and breadth ofknowledge. To meet these ends the University has developed an optional FreeElective Scheme. This scheme enables the majority of undergraduate studentsto take one module a year from outside their main course of study.

So, how does it work?Each year you take 120 credits’ worth of modules.

What sort of subjects can I take?You can take almost any free elective module from outside your main course ofstudy, usually at your home campus. You can even take a module from anotherfaculty. In the past philosophy students have found electives in the following areasparticularly rewarding:

• Religion• Gender Studies• English• Politics and International Studies• Film Studies• History• Sociology and Anthropology• Law• Psychology• Computer Science

What are the main reasons for participating?• The scheme gives you the opportunity to study a subject without having to

commit yourself to taking further modules in that subject area.• By taking a free elective you are able to follow up your interests as part of your

degree.• With a broader education you may acquire extra skills that will help you when

you enter the employment market.

Admissions policyAdmissions information provided

in this pamphlet is intended as a

general guide and cannot cover all

possibilities. Entry requirements

are generally stated in terms of A

level grades and/or UCAS points,

but we encourage applications

from people with a wide range of

other qualifications and/or

experience. Some further details of

the various entry routes are

included in our general prospectus.

Please contact the Admissions

Service (see below) with any

specific queries about admissions.

DisclaimerThis publication is intended

principally as a guide for

prospective students. The matters

covered by it – academic and

otherwise – are subject to change

from time to time, both before and

after students are admitted, and

the information contained in it

does not form part of any contract.

While every reasonable precaution

was taken in the production of this

brochure, the University does not

accept liability for any

inaccuracies.

AddressFor general enquiries, please

write to

Admissions Service

University of Hull

Hull, HU6 7RX

T 01482 466100

F 01482 442290

E admissions@hull.ac.uk

Free Elective Scheme

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2

20 credits 20 credits

20 credits 20 credits

20 credits

20 credits

Here you take modules from yourmain course of study.

Here you have the option to take afree elective or another module fromyour main course of study.

This pre-Christian coin depictsAthena Glaukopis (meaning

‘Athena Bright-Eyed’), the Greekgoddess of wisdom and patrongoddess of Athens, taking theform of a bright-eyed owl. Theassociation between owls andwisdom continues to this day.

Change the way you think.

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