PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
Philosophy and Economics
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
BA
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
VL51
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
From 2014 entry onwards
(e.g. from 2015 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London, University of London
Teaching institution:
University College London, University of London
Faculty:
Arts and Humanities
Parent Department:
Philosophy
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
www.ucl.ac.uk/philosophy
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
Length of the programme:
A Levels: A*AA (including Mathematics A*) and a pass in one
further AS level subject.
IB: 39 points. A total of 19 points in three higher level subjects
including Mathematics grade 7, with no score below 5
3 years
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
Level 6
Philosophy
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
The programme is a modular programme, on which students
take eight (half-course unit) modules per year for three years. It
is normal for students to take four modules in philosophy and
four in economics each year. Modules are assessed either by
unseen written examination or by coursework.
Name of Board of Examiners:
Philosophy BA Board of Examiners
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
From the Philosophy side:
1. To provide the student with an understanding of a representative range of central philosophical debates, and of the
nature of philosophical problems.
2. To enable students to form their own views concerning philosophical problems, to argue for those views and to
defend or amend them in the light of criticism.
3. To provide students with an understanding of central aspects of the history of philosophy.
4. To develop skills which will equip the student for a variety of possible careers.
5. To help prepare students for the workplace, or for post-graduate training of either an academic or a vocational
nature.
From the Economics side:
To provide education of the highest standard in all major aspects of economics, preparing students for professional
careers and for further academic study. In order to do this, we aim to provide all students with a sound and
worthwhile general education, inculcating important transferable skills of problem-definition, analysis and selfmotivation.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
From the Philosophy side:
1. a solid base in philosophy including
contemporary analytic philosophy, a wide
range of the history of philosophy,
including Ancient, Modern and Recent
Philosophy, and the study of value.
2. elementary symbolic logic.
3. the relatedness of the various subject
matters within philosophy.
From the Economics side:
1. The central ideas, concepts and
methods of modern economics.
2. Principles of model-building and
problem-solving techniques in
microeconomic and macroeconomic
theory.
3. Methods of quantitative empirical
economics, including relevant
mathematical and statistical principles
and analysis of real data.
4. The application of these concepts and
ideas to one or more specialised areas of
economics.
5 The place of economic knowledge in
the formation of public policy.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
From the Philosophy side:
Teaching is primarily by lectures and small-group
classes. Optional first year courses introduce students to
a selected range of topics. Lectures and classes over
the three years provide students with the understanding
outlined in (1). First year logic lectures and classes
provide (2). (3) is achieved through a closely related
grouping of courses which reflect the wide research
interests and teaching capacities of the department.
From the Economics side:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The fundamental premise behind all our teaching,
learning and assessment is that students should learn
how to do economics themselves, rather than just learn
how we or other economists do it. The main teaching
methods are conventional lectures, demonstration
lectures on core material and small-group classes with
opportunities for group discussion and presentations by
individual students and teams. To ensure transmission
of 1, economic theory is taught in the first year using a
sophisticated modelling approach which is a significant
methodological advance on A-level; 2 and 3 are
emphasised in the second year, with compulsory
courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics and
econometrics accounting for 75% of that year’s teaching
and assessment. This core material is underpinned by
training in mathematical and statistical techniques in the
first year and instruction in economic data analysis is
aided by regular computer classes. With reference to 3
and 4, many third-year courses introduce students to
research papers and current research, including
research by members of the department. With reference
to 5, students benefit from instruction by members of
staff whose research impacts directly on policy process,
for example via contacts with the Institute for Fiscal
Studies and the Department for Education and Skills.
Assessment:
From the Philosophy side:
Courses are examined by a mixture of examinations and
essays. Other knowledge and understanding is
assessed alongside skills development (see next
section) within the examinations system.
From the Economics side:
Frequent formative assessment via graded coursework
with comments and feedback in classes, allows students
to develop the skills required to understand economic
theory and to practice as an economist. Summative
assessment at the end of each year by closed-book
examinations gives a fair chance of good grades to slow
and fast developers and to those with and without prior
knowledge of course material.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
From the Philosophy side:
1. Close reading and understanding
of philosophical texts.
2. A critical command of philosophical
terminology.
3. Ability to formulate philosophical
questions with clarity and precision.
4. Ability to summarize philosophical
views and positions.
5. Ability to support and challenge
philosophical views and positions
by constructing arguments and citing
relevant considerations.
From the Economics side:
1 Comprehension of complex arguments.
2. Confrontation of theory and evidence.
3. Analysis of numerical data.
4. Understanding of role of evidence in
policy-making process.
5. Independent formulation and
demonstration of arguments and
conclusions.
6. Ability to assess the relevance and importance of
the ideas of others.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
From the Philosophy side:
In the first year all students have the option to attend
weekly tutorials (in groups of three). Students are
assigned reading for these tutorials, and, in turn, write
essays which are read to the tutor and group. The tutor
engages all students in a discussion of the philosophical
issues, and in particular provides advice and feedback to
the student who has written the essay on the
philosophical issue of the essay and underlying reading,
and how to develop future work. Those students who do
not opt to take the tutorial course can develop the same
skills in classes associated with lectures. Hence while
lectures primarily improve the student’s knowledge and
understanding the aim of the tutorials and classes is to
develop each students own particular philosophical
skills. In their final year all students have the option of
taking a dissertation, where they have individual tuition
to help them prepare an extended piece of work.
From the Economics side:
In all courses, lectures are supplemented with other
forms of teaching, the precise form of which varies from
course to course. It is carefully tailored to the material
taught and the learning experience provided. In the early
parts of the programme the emphasis is on a heavy diet
of exercises and problems through which students learn
how to put economic models together and how to
undertake quantitative analysis. This is taught through a
combination of demonstration classes and small-group
work. In the second-year core courses, exercises may
require students to formulate their own model to address
a new problem. In the later parts of the programme,
where ideas and techniques are applied, the emphasis
is on drawing together a range of studies and bringing
them to bear on particular issues. Here small group
classes are reinforced by emphasis on independent
study and there is a more varied mode of delivery and
coursework requirement, often emphasising
collaborative work and group presentation.
Assessment:
From the Philosophy side:
Formative assessment for tutorials and the dissertation
course is provided by comments on drafts of tutorial
essays and dissertations. Courses which are assessed
by long essay require students to submit a practice
essay half way through the term, on which feedback is
given. For tutorials, one essay is submitted for the
summative assessment; for the dissertation, a 7500
word piece is submitted at the end of the final year.
From the Economics side:
The programme’s approach to assessment makes a
clear distinction between formative and summative
assessment. Formative assessment and feedback take
place mainly through classes, on a course-by-course
basis. Feedback to students that reviews their progress
across courses is provided in termly meetings with their
personal tutors. Summative assessments are based on
unseen written examinations taken in the summer term.
We do not base summative assessment on coursework
for three reasons. First, our courses are conceptually
inter-related; students need time to reflect on the ideas
and see their inter-connections before being assessed.
Secondly, heavy reliance on problems and exercises
mean that we want to assess students’ performance
when they have had time to practice and master
techniques. Thirdly, summative assessments of
coursework negate much of its learning value and
encourage plagiarism.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
From the Philosophy side:
1. Retrieve, select and critically analyse
material from a variety of sources,
including electronic databases and the
internet.
2. Learn to read, interpret and assess
historical philosophical texts.
3. Plan and undertake work to deadline.
4. Orally present their work to a small
group. Understand and criticise economic
arguments in media and professional
discourse.
From the Philosophy side:
1. Understand and criticise economic
arguments in media and professional
discourse.
2. Research economic information in
books, periodicals, websites and other
sources.
3. Bring together information from different
sources and present it in a coherent
argument.
4 Access relevant sources of numerical
data relating to national economies,
companies and the economic behaviour of
households.
5. Analyse economic data using standard
statistical techniques, implemented through
widely used software.
6. Understand arguments phrased in
diagrammatic of algebraic terms, and use
these tools in communicating with others.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
From the Philosophy side:
These practical skills are integral to a teaching system in
which students are given the opportunity to present their
work to other students and tutors in classes (and in the
first year, they have the opportunity to this in tutorials).
From the Economics side:
All students receive initial guidance on how to identify,
locate and use material available in libraries and on the
web. Comprehensive reading lists and essay and/or
exercise lists, as appropriate, are provided at the start of
each course. Because it is rarely satisfactory to use a
single textbook for the material taught in a course, staff
frequently develop their own handouts and web-based
material. Many courses employ explicit mathematical
analysis and students are required to solve problems
mathematically. Students are also taught statistical and
econometric techniques and are required to derive
statistical results.
Assessment:
From the Philosophy side:
Feedback is provided on class presentations, and for
those courses whose assessment is by essay, a practice
essay is submitted half way through the term, and
comments are given on this. Grade reflect students’
achievement in (1) (2) and (3) as well as their
philosophical knowledge, understanding and skills.
Those who choose the dissertation option must also
demonstrate (1) and (3) and, in some cases (2).
From the Economics side:
As explained above, formative assessment is via class
discussion and systematic feedback on coursework,
summative assessment via written examinations.
Because of the disparate nature of these skills, the
structure of each examination paper is carefully tailored
to the nature of the course. In core papers, students are
given the opportunity to display both knowledge and
understanding through a mixture of short questions and
longer problems and/or open-ended essay type
questions. In optional courses, there is a range of
examination style; theoretical and quantitative options
have a format close to that of principles papers, whereas
more policy oriented papers applied courses may be
predominantly essay-based, including the use of ‘openended’ essays requiring students to address an issue
that has not been explicitly analysed in lectures or
coursework.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
From the Philosophy side:
1. Analyse complex thoughts and
arguments.
2. Complete specified tasks to deadline.
3. Develop independence of judgement
and originality of thought.
4. Engage in critical discussion with
others.
5. Evaluate arguments rigorously, including
identification of logical errors.
6. Read and assess difficult texts.
7. Present views lucidly, both orally and
in writing.
8. Question generally received views.
9. Plan, undertake and complete
independent study.
10. Think about issues from many
different points of view.
From the Philosophy side:
1. Structure and communicate ideas
effectively both orally and in writing.
2. Work independently, use initiative,
manage time efficiently, meet deadlines.
3. Learn from constructive criticism.
4. Use computer applications appropriate
to typical professional situations.
5. Collaborate with colleagues.
6. Learn to learn
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
From the Philosophy side:
All of these skills are developed by successful
completion of philosophy courses. These courses
require reading and analysis of complex philosophical
material; the critical assessment of the work read;
thinking about and developing a view of the underlying
philosophical issues; presenting one’s findings to others;
defending one’s position against criticism.
From the Economics side:
1. All courses require written work. In many courses this
takes the form of essays that are assessed for
coherence of structure and expression, grammar etc as
well as content. Students are expected to contribute to
class discussion and sometimes make oral
presentations.
2. The submission of coursework is formally timetabled,
and late work is not accepted.
3. Students get written and oral feedback from staff on
all aspect of performance. Their ides can be challenged
by their peers in class discussion.
4. Core Quantitative Methods course requires students
to use computer packages to access and analyse data.
5. While students are encouraged to submit independent
work, they are encouraged and sometimes required to
work together to try to solve problems.
6. This is perhaps the most important reason for our
emphasis on small group classes. They are the best way
we know of ensuring that students find out for
themselves how to go about solving problems and how
to find sources of information.
Assessment:
From the Philosophy side:
As with other skills these are assessed both through
feedback from the class tutor and for their impact on
exam and essay performance.
From the Economics side:
These skills are mainly the focus of formative rather than
summative assessment. Feedback is provided by class
tutors in both written and verbal form; in addition, class
tutor are required to complete a form at the end of each
term recording the performance of each student, not
only in essays and exercises but also of oral skills,
willingness to participate actively and so on. All students
have a timetabled meeting with their personal tutor early
in each term at which the preceding term’s records are
reviewed and discussed.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/qualifications-frameworks.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
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 he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Name(s):
Date of Production:
Professor Lucy O’Brien
Date of Review:
November 2015
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
November 2015
July 2014
November 2015