Students preparing for their graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral

Philosophy and Cultural Studies - BA (Hons)

UCAS code VV59

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2014

A joint honours Philosophy and Cultural Studies degree gives you the opportunity to combine philosophical reflection with cultural analysis. As a student of Philosophy at Kent you do not so much learn about philosophy as learn to do it yourself. This includes not only studying major philosophies and philosophers, but also contributing your own ideas to an on-going dialogue.You develop the ability to connect the most abstract ideas to the most concrete things in our experience.

Overview

Cultural studies generally calls for some philosophical reflection and cultural theory figures prominently in several of the modules. Cultural Studies has distinctive perspectives on all forms of present-day culture. You have the opportunity to explore the significant connections between popular culture, the arts, and everyday life by crossing traditional social sciences/humanities boundaries. Cultural Studies addresses culture in more theoretical, analytical and critical ways, seeing it in a broader context, and evaluating its impact on the way we experience our lives and organise and govern our societies.

Independent rankings

Philosophy at Kent ranked 4th in the UK in the most recent National Student Survey (2014), with 98% student satisfaction.

Cultural Studies programmes offer the best opportunity to combine modules right across the social science and humanities faculties.

Course structure

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules, you may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.

Teaching and assessment

Philosophy

Teaching is by lectures, seminars, class discussions, and individual and group research, which is discussed in class.

All modules are assessed by 100% coursework (essays, in-class assignments, seminar participation) throughout the year.

Cultural Studies

Most modules are taught by a combination of lectures and seminars; you can always consult the lecturers for individual advice outside of formal teaching. Additionally, a wide range of study skills sessions are available to all students throughout each year of study.

Coursework is continuously assessed at Stage 1, and this is combined with the results of exams, in most modules. At Stage 2/3, modules are assessed by a combination of essays (50%) and exams (50%). You may also have the opportunity to do a final-year dissertation on a chosen subject, which counts as one module (and does not involve an exam).

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

  • promote the study of philosophy within a strongly multidisciplinary context
  • produce graduates with knowledge in the main themes and texts of the Western tradition in philosophy
  • produce graduates equipped with the skills and abilities characteristic of philosophers
  • produce graduates equipped with generic skills for study in the humanities
  • enable students to develop more general skills and competences so that they can respond positively to the challenges of the workplace or of postgraduate education.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding in:

  • the ideas of the major philosophers as encountered in their own writings, from the ancient Greek philosophers to the present day
  • central theories and arguments in the fields of logic, metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind, including such topics as existence, truth, certainty, meaning, causality, free will, and the relation of mind and body
  • central theories and arguments in the fields of moral, political and social philosophy, including such topics as the nature of judgements about right and wrong, human rights, duties and obligations, the relation between the individual and society, freedom, and justice
  • the relevance of philosophical ideas to other disciplines and areas of enquiry such as literature, the arts, religion, law, politics and social studies.

Intellectual skills

You gain intellectual skills in:

  • following complex presentations
  • reading a variety of technical and non-technical material
  • using libraries effectively
  • reflecting clearly and critically on oral and written sources, using powers of analysis and imagination
  • marshalling a complex body of information
  • remembering relevant material and bringing it to mind when needed
  • constructing cogent arguments in the evaluation of this material
  • formulating independent ideas and defending them with cogent arguments.

Subject-specific skills

  • Articulacy in identifying underlying issues in philosophical debates;
  • Precision of thought and expression in the analysis and formulation of complex and controversial philosophical problems;
  • Sensitivity in the interpretation of philosophical texts drawn from a variety of historical periods;
  • Clarity and rigour in the critical assessment of arguments presented in such texts;
  • Ability to use and criticise specialised philosophical terminology;
  • Ability to abstract, analyse and construct sound arguments and to identify logical fallacies;
  • Ability to recognise methodological errors, rhetorical devices, unexamined conventional wisdom, unnoticed assumptions, vagueness and superficiality;
  • Ability to move between generalisation and appropriately detailed discussion, inventing or discovering examples to support or challenge a position, and distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant considerations; and
  • Ability to consider unfamiliar ideas and ways of thinking, and to examine critically presuppositions and methods.

Transferable skills

  • Communication: producing focused and cogent written presentations summarising information and assessing arguments; giving oral presentations, using visual aids where appropriate.
  • Problem-solving: identifying problems; assessing the strengths and weaknesses of different solutions; defending your own solutions with cogent arguments.
  • Improving your learning: identifying your strengths and weaknesses; assessing the quality of your own work; managing your time and meeting deadlines; learning to work independently.
  • Working with others: participating in seminar discussions, responding to the views of others and to criticisms of your own views without giving or taking offence; engaging in independent group work, including the preparation of group presentations.
  • Using information technology: wordprocessing essays; using on-line information sources; using e-mail for receiving and responding to communications.

Careers

Cultural Studies

As a Cultural Studies graduate, you will have a highly developed critical perspective on many aspects of the world today. You leave the University with a broad knowledge of culture and of the contemporary critical debates surrounding culture in the many senses of the term.

Our graduates do well in a wide range of positions and have gone on to work in areas including advertising and design, journalism, broadcasting, arts and arts management, public relations, the leisure industry and local government.

Others opt for postgraduate training in a related area – for instance, in the social services where the cultural dimensions of service provision in a multicultural society are valued.

Philosophy

The Philosophy Department at Kent takes employability seriously, and all of our modules are designed to give you important skills that transfer to the workplace. These modules will not only improve your grasp of philosophy, but teach you how to critically evaluate ideas, think through problems and clearly communicate even complex material. We offer opportunities to discuss and defend your ideas, to give oral presentations, to work both individually and as part of a group, all of which will equip you with useful instruments for your future careers, whatever they may be.

Recently, our graduates have gone into areas such as teaching, publishing, journalism, media, marketing, the civil service and the legal profession.

For more information on the services Kent provides you to improve your career prospects visit www.kent.ac.uk/employability.

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

ABB including B in Philosophy, Film, English Literature, Politics, Media, Geography (where taken)

Access to HE Diploma

The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall or 16 at HL

International students

The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.

Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
 
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

As a guide only, the 2014/15 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time
Part-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

Exceptions may apply. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk

Funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to support eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Our 2014 financial support package includes a £6,500 cash bursary. Find out more about the support package, eligibility and terms and conditions on our fees and funding pages.

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created a new scholarship, The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence, which will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our funding pages.

Full-time

Part-time

The Key Information Set (KIS) data is compiled by UNISTATS and draws from a variety of sources which includes the National Student Survey and the Higher Education Statistical Agency. The data for assessment and contact hours is compiled from the most populous modules (to the total of 120 credits for an academic session) for this particular degree programme. Depending on module selection, there may be some variation between the KIS data and an individual's experience. For further information on how the KIS data is compiled please see the UNISTATS website.

If you have any queries about a particular programme, please contact information@kent.ac.uk.