Philosophy Programme: Learning Approaches and Assessment Methods, Slides of Philosophy

Download Philosophy Programme: Learning Approaches and Assessment Methods and more Slides Philosophy in PDF only on Docsity! Programme Specification Philosophy (2020-21) This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if s/he takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. Awarding Institution University of Southampton Teaching Institution University of Southampton Mode of Study Duration in years Full-time 3 Accreditation details None Final award Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA (Hons)) Name of award Philosophy Interim Exit awards Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) FHEQ level of final award Level 6 UCAS code Programme code V500 4097 QAA Subject Benchmark or other external reference Philosophy 2007 Programme Lead Conor McHugh Programme Overview Brief outline of the programme The programme can be studied Part Time (4098). A Philosophy degree at Southampton provides you with an excellent and rigorous education exploring fundamental and far-reaching issues. You will engage with questions that have puzzled great thinkers for millennia but are still relevant today: What can I really know? Is there a God? Is my mind something distinct and separable from my body? Can there be objective facts in ethics and politics? You will explore these fundamental questions using the philosophical method of reasoned argument and critical scrutiny. This will give you an unparalleled opportunity to develop your ability to think clearly, critically and imaginatively, to understand varying points of view, to organise and develop ideas and to work independently. The flexible curriculum will enable you to balance your choice of modules according to your own interests, while also ensuring that you graduate with skills essential to a successful career or further study. Your contact hours will vary depending on your module/option choices. Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module profiles. Learning and teaching Our teaching draws upon the cutting-edge research of Southampton's philosophers, all of whom are actively engaged in presenting and publishing their work to international audiences. We place special emphasis on small group teaching. Alongside lectures, you will participate from your first part of study in tutorials and seminars in which you will explore and develop your own ideas in discussion with fellow students and staff. Each student is assigned a personal academic tutor, a leading academic who provides help and support at every part of study. Throughout the degree, we impart advanced skills in reasoning, research, communication, and analysis, skills which, alongside the support offered by the University's career service, will prepare you for further study or a future career. Assessment You will be assessed by more than just essays and exams. Depending on the modules you choose, you will work in teams, give presentations, submit group projects, engage in debates, and manage larger research projects such as dissertations. The nature of the assessment task is appropriate to the issues you are studying and the range of tasks allows you to develop the skills you need for further study or the world of work. Special Features of the programme Please note: As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our programmes to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this programme may be revised during a student's period of registration; however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how changes may be made to a student's programme. Programmes and major changes to programmes are approved through the University's programme validation process which is described in the University's Quality handbook. Educational Aims of the Programme The aims of the programme are to: The aims of the programme are to: • provide you with an understanding of the main views, arguments and positions of major philosophers in the Western tradition. • introduce you to some of the central theories, problems and arguments concerning topics within core areas of general philosophy (for example, meaning, mind, value, truth, knowledge, existence). • enable you to engage with issues and ideas at the cutting-edge of contemporary philosophical research. • encourage you to think critically, develop the ability to learn independently and remain receptive to fresh ideas and approaches. • ensure that you develop the skills and abilities required for further study and/or your future career path. Programme Learning Outcomes Having successfully completed this programme you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: Assessment Methods All assessment tasks for Philosophy are designed to encourage the above skills and give students a chance to demonstrate them (see above). Methods particularly important for the assessment of these skills include: - essays, which demonstrate your ability to interpret and engage critically with philosophical texts, to construct and develop arguments, and to show your command of the vocabulary philosophers use. - presentations, which show your ability to express verbally philosophical ideas and positions, including your own. - the dissertation, in which you develop a sustained line of argument of your own and examine philosophical ideas in considerable depth and detail. Transferable and Generic Skills On successful completion of this programme you will be able to: C1. analyse and present ideas and positions, both orally and in writing. C2. undertake, with appropriate supervision, independent work. C3. work effectively to deadlines. C4. argue effectively and dispassionately. C5. manage, plan and execute projects. C6. understand and extract relevant information from complex texts. Teaching and Learning Methods The above skills are imparted in all aspects of teaching and learning in Philosophy at Southampton. Methods particularly important for developing transferable skills include: - a compulsory first part course in reason and argument, which develops skills in critical thinking. - library skills sessions, which take place during new students’ induction, as well as when embarking on the dissertation, which help students learn how to identify and make use of resources, including online resources. - seminars, in which students present their own views and those of others verbally. - tutorials, in which students develop their skills in clearly presenting ideas and arguments in writing - in-class discussion, in which students advance and defend their own positions. Assessment Methods All assessment tasks are designed in part to encourage and assess the above skills. Methods particularly important for developing transferable skills include: - group research projects and presentations, which require students to work together effectively, to delegate responsibilities, and to manage time. - dissertations, which require independent study, research skills, time management, and the ability to present complex ideas in writing. - essays, in which students demonstrate their ability to interpret complex texts, to present their views and those of others in writing, to argue for and against various positions, and to work to a deadline. - exams, which test your ability to present and debate ideas in writing and to communicate effectively under strict time constraints. - textual commentaries, which demonstrate your ability to extract key information from difficult texts. - presentations, which require you to articulate ideas and arguments verbally and in an engaging fashion. Programme Structure The programme structure table is below: Information about pre and co-requisites is included in individual module profiles. Where optional modules have been specified, the following is an indicative list of available optional modules, which are subject to change each academic year. Please note in some instances modules have limited spaces available. Part I Programme details: The programme is normally studied over three years full-time, but may also be taken on a part-time basis for a period of not less than four and not more than eight academic years. Study is undertaken at three parts (each corresponding to one year of full-time study). There are 30 study weeks in each year. The programme is divided into modules. Full-time students take 120 credits (CATS) at each part, normally 60 in each semester. Single modules have a credit value of 15, while double modules have a credit value of 30. Some modules are compulsory, though most are optional. Students may take up to 30 credits per part outside of Philosophy. The programme is designed to ensure that your learning is progressive. The first part is foundational. You will take compulsory modules which provide you with crucial skills in reason and argument and introduce you to core areas of philosophy and to the contributions major figures have made to those areas. In addition, you will take optional modules concerning other core areas of philosophy and key moments in the history of philosophy. This grounding is extended in the second part by a further compulsory module in the history of philosophy, in addition to which you will take seven optional modules investigating the theories, views and arguments advanced and explored in central areas of philosophy, such as moral philosophy, aesthetics, epistemology, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language and logic. This flexibility allows you to build the course around your developing interests. The final parts involves a dissertation on a topic of your choosing, in addition to which you will choose six optional modules from a wide range of choices. Third part modules typically concern topics on which academic staff are actively researching and will introduce you to the cutting-edge of philosophical thinking and scholarship. The modules offered by Philosophy can vary from year to year but the following is a list of those which are typically available. Further information about many of the modules can be found here: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/humanities/undergraduate/courses/philosophy/v500_ba_philosophy.page Assessment: Formative assessment tasks (e.g. essay drafts or plans) will enable you to receive feedback to guide you in your work for summative assessments. In some modules these formative assessment tasks may be mandatory and non- submission or fail may incur a penalty to your mark for the module. Opportunity to Study a Minor Subject The structure of your degree programme allows you to choose up to 30 credits of non-Philosophy modules in each part. If you wish, you may choose modules that build into a minor pathway, the title of which will be mentioned in your degree transcript. Details of the minors available and the modules that are included can be found at www.southampton.ac.uk/cip. Exit Award: Certificate of Higher Education Part I Compulsory Code Module Title ECTS Type PHIL1005 Ethics 7.5 Compulsory PHIL1002 Knowledge and Mind 7.5 Compulsory PHIL1016 Reason and Argument 7.5 Compulsory Part I Optional Code Module Title ECTS Type PHIL1003 Ancient Greek Philosophy 7.5 Optional PHIL1026 Applied Ethics 7.5 Optional PHIL1021 Existentialism and its Origins 7.5 Optional PHIL1020 Faith and Reason 7.5 Optional PHIL1027 Freedom and Responsibility 7.5 Optional HUMA2013 How the Arts Work: a practical introduction to cultural economics 7.5 Optional PHIL1019 Puzzles about Art and Literature 7.5 Optional Part II Exit Award: Diploma of Higher Education Part II Compulsory Code Module Title ECTS Type PHIL2028 Appearance and Reality 7.5 Compulsory Part II Optional Code Module Title ECTS Type PHIL2001 Aesthetics 7.5 Optional PHIL2021 Epistemology 7.5 Optional PHIL2039 Ethics of Global Poverty 7.5 Optional HUMA2013 How the Arts Work: a practical introduction to cultural economics 7.5 Optional PHIL2027 Kant 7.5 Optional PHIL2014 Logic 7.5 Optional PHIL2040 Metaethics 7.5 Optional PHIL2032 Metaphysics 7.5 Optional PHIL2012 Moral Philosophy 7.5 Optional PHIL2010 Philosophy of Language 7.5 Optional PHIL2009 Philosophy of Mind 7.5 Optional PHIL2037 Philosophy of Religion 7.5 Optional Our students have gone on to succeed in a dazzling range of careers, including business, law, medicine, journalism, teaching, IT, the civil service, advertising, film and television, and finance. The 2015/16 Destination of Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) survey found that 97% of our Philosophy graduates were in work or study six months after finishing their degree, with 73% of our graduates in professional or managerial roles. Career skills are embedded throughout every stage of our course and are developed at every moment of study. Certain modules offer specific teaching in reasoning and communications skills. In addition, there are work experience opportunities to help you understand how your transferable skills apply in the workplace. During your degree you will learn skills such as: • Critical thinking • Analysis • Clear oral and written communication • Mental agility • The ability to appreciate different points of view • Working in groups In a survey of results in the American GRE tests (tests of verbal, quantitative and analytical skills), Philosophy graduates achieved better average scores than graduates of any other humanities or social science subject. External Examiner(s) for the programme Name: Anthony Booth - University of Sussex Students must not contact External Examiner(s) directly, and external examiners have been advised to refer any such communications back to the University. Students should raise any general queries about the assessment and examination process for the programme with their Course Representative, for consideration through Staff: Student Liaison Committee in the first instance, and Student representatives on Staff: Student Liaison Committees will have the opportunity to consider external examiners' reports as part of the University's quality assurance process. External examiners do not have a direct role in determining results for individual students, and students wishing to discuss their own performance in assessment should contact their Personal Academic Tutor in the first instance. Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if they take full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information can be found in the programme handbook. Appendix 1: Students are responsible for meeting the cost of essential textbooks, and of producing such essays, assignments, laboratory reports and dissertations as are required to fulfil the academic requirements for each programme of study. In addition to this, students registered for this programme also have to pay for: Additional Costs Type Details Computer discs or USB drives Students are expected to provide their own portable data storage device. Hardware It is advisable that students provide their own laptop or personal computer, although shared facilities are available across the University campus. Placements (including Study Abroad Programmes) Students on placement programmes can expect to cover costs for health and travel insurance, accommodation and living expenses; travel costs; visa costs. This will vary depending on which country you are travelling to. Specific details on what additional costs there will be are detailed in the individual module profiles which can be found under the modules tab of the programmes details of your programme. Printing and Photocopying Costs Where possible, coursework such as essays; projects; dissertations is likely to be submitted on line. However, there are some items where it is not possible to submit on line and students will be asked to provide a printed copy. A list of the University printing costs can be found here: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/isolutions/students/printing/ Software Licenses All software is provided Stationery You will be expected to provide your own day-to-day stationary items, e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.). Any specialist stationery items will be specified under the Additional Costs tab of the relevant module profile. Textbooks Where a module specifies core texts these should generally be available on the reserve list in the library. However due to demand, students may prefer to buy their own copies. These can be purchased from any source. Some modules suggest reading texts as optional background reading. The library may hold copies of such texts, or alternatively you may wish to purchase your own copies. Although not essential reading, you may benefit from the additional reading materials for the module. In some cases you'll be able to choose modules (which may have different costs associated with that module) which will change the overall cost of a programme to you. Details of such costs will be listed in the Module Profile. Please also ensure you read the section on additional costs in the University's Fees, Charges and Expenses Regulations in the University Calendar available at www.calendar.soton.ac.uk.