LONDON'S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
Philosophy and History of Art BA
UCAS code: VV53
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/philosophy
Philosophy and History of Art BA
This degree aims to provide you with an
understanding of a range of central
philosophical debates together with a detailed
education in history of art. All major areas of
philosophy are available for study. You will also
address issues about the very nature of art and
human perception of visual culture.
Degree summary
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UCL Philosophy was one of the top-rated departments in the UK in
the most recent (2014) Research Excellence Framework. The
research interests of the academic staff are wide-ranging, covering all
the main areas of philosophy.
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UCL History of Art academic staff include specialists on all periods
from the early Renaissance onwards, with particular strength in the
study of contemporary art and two experts in the technical analysis of
paintings.
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A rich array of extracurricular philosophy events is available in
London. As a UCL philosophy student you will be able to attend the
meetings of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Aristotelian Society
and the University of London's Institute of Philosophy.
UCL's central location in London is within walking distance of the
British Museum and provides easy access to the National Gallery, the
Tate Galleries and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The first year includes several introductory lecture courses, which provide
a foundation for later studies. The programme covers political philosophy,
examining questions about the state, liberty and laws; moral philosophy,
questioning distinctions of right and wrong, and our motivation for
choosing between the two; epistemology which investigates the nature of
knowledge and belief; metaphysics, which attempts to grasp the nature of
things; and logic, which imparts principles of sound reasoning.
You will study Philosophy and History of Art on an equal basis.
Your learning
Our teaching is based on lectures and seminars that complement each
other. In your first year, you will be introduced to the basic elements of
philosophical reasoning through lectures, seminars and small-group
tutorial classes. In years two and three your chosen courses will be
taught by an expert from within our department through a combination of
lectures, related seminars and classes.
Assessment is by a mixture of coursework (essays) and written
examination. You may also elect to submit a dissertation as one of your
philosophy options.
Your career
This programme will assist you in constructing and assessing
philosophical positions and arguments, thereby teaching you how to
analyse and present complex ideas. Furthermore, it will provide you with
an understanding of a wide range of traditional and contemporary
philosophical theories. Such skills are transferable to non-philosophical
contexts.
The discipline of philosophical training, and in particular its emphasis on
rigorous argumentation, logic, and clarity of thought and expression,
makes philosophy graduates highly suitable for a wide variety of careers.
Many recent UCL graduates have excelled in the legal profession,
training as both solicitors and barristers, while others have entered
publishing, journalism, finance, the civil service, Parliament, or local
government. Philosophy graduates are also sought after as programmers
and systems analysts. A high proportion of students go on to further
study in philosophy.
First career destinations of recent graduates (2010-2013) of this
programme and other related Philosophy programmes include:
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Graduate Trainee, Sotheby's
Full-time student, Graduate Diploma in Law at BPP Law School
Trainee ABA Tutor, Ambitious About Autism
Project Management and Design, Engage Agency
Full-time student, MA in History of Decorative Art, Parsons University,
New York
Degree structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses,
normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for
the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are
taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from
programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered
equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Year One
Compulsory courses
History of Art and its Objects
History of European Art (1): Classical to Early Renaissance
History of European Art (2): High Renaissance to Present Day
Optional courses
You will select 2.0 credits from the following:
Introduction to the History of Philosophy I
Introduction to the History of Philosophy II
Introduction to Logic I
Introduction to Logic II
Introduction to Moral Philosophy
Introduction to Political Philosophy
Knowledge and Reality
Philosophy Tutorial: Texts and Debate
Year Two
Compulsory courses
Gateway I (History of Art)
Gateway II (History of Art)
Optional courses
You will select 1.0 credit of options from a selection of History of Art
courses.
And four optional courses from Philosophy, including courses from at least
two of the groups A, B, and C:
Group A
Theoretical Philosophy (e.g. Knowledge; Metaphysics; Mind and Body;
Language)
Group B
Normative Philosophy (e.g. Aesthetics; Applied Ethics; Global Justice and
Health; Morality and Literature; Normative Ethics; Political Philosophy)
Group C
History of Philosophy (e.g. Adorno: Art and Politics; Aristotle; Kant;
Marxism; Plato)
Final Year
Compulsory courses
All third-year courses are optional.
Optional courses
You will choose four History of Art courses (to the value of 2.0 credits)
from the wide range of options.You will also select four philosophy courses
(to the value of 2.0 credits) from the wide range in year two. A maximum of
1.0 credit may be taken in other UCL departments in years two and three.
You must pass at least six level III courses and have passed one course
from group A, B, and C respectively to graduate.
Entry requirements
A levels
in, motivation towards, and experience of the subject as indicated in the
personal statement, the reference supplied, and any relevant contextual
factors.
A level grades
AAA
Fees
A level subjects
No specific subjects.
UK/EU fee
£9,000 (2016/17)
AS levels
For UK-based students a pass in a further subject
at AS level or equivalent is required.
Overseas fee
£16,130 (2016/17)
Notes
GCSE
English Language at grade B, plus Mathematics
at grade C. For UK-based students, a grade C or
equivalent in a foreign language (other than
Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is
required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the
foreign language requirement following
enrolment, further details at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
Details about financial support are available at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/study/ug-finance
IB diploma
IB points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects,
with no score below 5.
Contacts
Contact
Admissions Tutor
Email
philosophy@ucl.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7679 7116
Prospectus entry
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/philosophy
Key facts
REF
75% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3*
(‘internationally excellent’)
Department
Philosophy
Faculty
Arts & Humanities
Other qualifications
Full lists of all degree programmes and other entry requirements can be
found on our website at: www.ucl.ac.uk/otherquals
Undergraduate Preparatory
Certificates
UCL's Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive
one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic
potential, who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree
programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.
For more information see our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc
Your application
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at
school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however,
applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United
Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
In addition to looking for outstanding grades in your academic record, we
also assess your application for evidence of your ability to engage with
philosophical arguments, your skills in reasoning and your interest in
history of art.
Selection will be made on the basis of information contained in the UCAS
application: achieved and predicted academic grades, the level of interest
PDF Updated: February 19, 2016
Information correct at time of going to press. See website (www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/philosophy) for latest information
Dr Sarah Richmond