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UK Online Philosophy Degrees by Distance Learning
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Introduction to UK Online Philosophy Degrees
This page provides a guide to selecting an undergraduate
distance learning
or online philosophy BA Degree, Diploma or Certificate
at recognised universities in the UK.
I'm currently researching postgraduate opportunities
and will add links to these soon.
You can follow updates on free philosophy podcasts, videos and articles on my
Facebook,
Twitter,
Google+ and
YouTube pages.
Elsewhere on the site there are
resources for the online philosopher;
and details of my method of
online philosophy teaching,
and of my experience as an
online philosophy tutor.
If you are seeking an online tutor for your philosophy studies
then I would be happy to receive your enquiry:
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Best Universities with Undergraduate Online and Distance Learning Philosophy Courses
So what are the top universities for a distance learning or online
philosophy qualification?
There are only four to choose from:
Lampeter, London (Birkbeck College),
Open University
and Oxford. The next section provides a table comparing their
programmes.
To compare the philosophy departments themselves I recommend browsing the
internationally recognised
Philosophical Gourmet Report. This is the only reputable site that includes
Birkbeck College (a specialist adult-education college)
in its international comparison.
You'll see that Birkbeck gets included amongst the world's top
philosophy programmes, but that the Open University and Lampeter don't
feature. Combining this information with the details of philosophy
programmes in the next section suggests the following:
if you're seeking a philosophy degree or diploma by distance learning
then
London's External Programme is the best: it will give you an
internationally-esteemed
philosophy qualification.
If you're seeking a philosophy certificate then, again, London's
Introduction to Philosophy Course is a good choice, for you can
transfer the credit towards your diploma.
If you're simply looking to study a particular
topic, without necessarily progressing to a qualification, then
all four programmes offer interesting distance learning philosophy courses.
For more information of the difference between BA degrees, diplomas and
certificates, go below to the section
Undergraduate Online Philosophy Qualifications.
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Table Comparing Undergraduate Online Philosophy Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates
If your aim is to study for an online undergraduate philosophy
degree by distance learning, then the choices are the University of London
or the University of Lampeter.
Oxford and the Open universities offer
some very interesting distance learning courses, but not an entire degree.
I have direct experience of London: I studied there for my BA degree
as a mature student, and am now a recognised tutor for their External
System Philosophy Programme.
At London you can study first for a Diploma, and
then transfer your credits to the full honours degree.
Lampeter offers a Certificate in philosophy, and a choice of two
philosophy BA degrees.
I have been
a tutor on the University
of Oxford's online philosophy courses and can recommend them
too. Even if you are registered as an online student elsewhere
they can provide valuable consolidation; and there is also
the benefit of an online community of fellow students.
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Awarding Institution
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CATS
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Diploma / Certificate
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BA Degree
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Number of Courses
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Tutor Assigned
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Individual Tuition
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Cost per course (£)
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Start Dates
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University of Lampeter
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N
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Y
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Y
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30+
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Y
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Y
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269 (EU)
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4 per year
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University of London
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Y
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Y
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Y
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24
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N
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N
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146
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Jan-Oct
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Open University
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60 each
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N
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N
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3
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Y
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Y
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610
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2 per year
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University of Oxford
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10 each
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N
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N
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7
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Y
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N
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150 (UK)
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3 per year
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University of London Distance Learning Philosophy Courses (2010/11)
The University of London, via its External System, offers
a complete single honours undergraduate philosophy degree
by distance learning; and provides a rich choice of 24 courses.
To obtain a diploma you need to complete four courses, whilst
a degree requires ten. It's possible, indeed advisable, to
study first for the diploma, and then to transfer the four
course credits towards your degree.
The University itself does not offer online teaching. It supplies
self-study materials, and you must make your own private teaching
arrangements.
(More on tutorial support for the London External Program...)
I am a recognised online philosophy tutor for the University's External
System, and would be happy to receive your enquiry:
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Mandatory Courses
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Optional Courses
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Certificate in Philosophy
(1 course)
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Introduction to Philosophy
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N/A
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Diploma in Philosophy
(4 courses)
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Introduction to Philosophy
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Three from:
Logic, Epistemology, Ethics I, Greek Philosophy I,
Modern Philosophy I
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BA degree Philosophy
(10 courses)
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Logic, Epistemology, Ethics I, Greek
Philosophy I, Modern Philosophy I
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Three from:
Metaphysics, Methodology, Greek Philosophy II, Ethics
II, Modern Philosophy II
Two from a further 14 courses including:
Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language, Aesthetics,
Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Religion
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University of Lampeter Online Philosophy Courses (2010/11)
The University of Lampeter offers the broadest range of undergraduate
distance learning philosophy courses: an entry-level
Certificate in Social Philosophy;
a BA in Philosophy and a BA in Applied Philosophy.
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Mandatory Courses
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Optional Courses
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Certificate in Social Philosophy
(2 courses)
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Social Dilemmas
Theories of Society
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BA degree Philosophy
(18 courses)
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There are six mandatory level 4 courses:
Introduction to Philosophical Enquiry,
Introduction to Self and Metaphysics,
Early Greek Philosophy,
Introduction to Continental Philosophy,
Ethics, Epistemology
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12 further courses, at levels 5 and 6, from a selection of 24;
subject to availability.
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BA degree Applied Philosophy
(18 courses)
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There are six mandatory level 4 courses:
Introduction to Philosophical Enquiry,
Social Dilemmas,
Introduction to Political Philosophy,
Human Nature and Social Values,
Ethics, Theories of Society
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12 further courses, at levels 5 and 6, from a wide selection;
subject to availability.
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Open University Online Philosophy Courses (2010/11)
The Open University no longer offers a single honours, distance
learning, undergraduate philosophy degree. However, the Philosophy
Department currently offers three courses, each worth 60 CATS
points. (It also contributes to four interdisciplinary courses.)
The courses typically run twice per year and are particularly
suited to students seeking one-to-one philosophy teaching.
There is also the chance to meet fellow students face-to-face
in a residential school.
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Course
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Undergraduate Level
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CATS points
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Philosophy and the Human Situation
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2
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60
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Thought and Experience: Themes in the Philosophy of Mind
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3
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60
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Reading Political Philosophy: Machiavelli to Mill
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3
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60
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University of Oxford Online Philosophy Courses (2010/11)
The University of Oxford does not offer a distance learning
or online undergraduate philosophy degree. However, through
its Department for Continuing Education, it currently offers
seven online courses; each worth 10
CATS
points at undergraduate level 1. Having been an online philosophy
tutor for the department, I can thoroughly recommend them.
The courses typically run three times per year with cohorts
of approximately 20 students. They are particularly suited
to students seeking online philosophical discussion, moderated
by a trained online tutor; though they do not provide one-to-one
philosophy teaching. There is, though, the chance to meet fellow
students face-to-face in a summer school.
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Undergraduate level 1 courses (10 CATS points)
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Epistemology
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Philosophy Gym
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Metaphysics
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Philosophy of Mind
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Political Philosophy
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Philosophy of Religion
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Philosophy of Science
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What are the Recognised UK Universities and Philosophy Courses?
The power to award degrees in the UK is regulated by law.
In order to be able to award a recognised higher education degree in
the UK, an organisation needs to be authorised to do so
either by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament.
Before enrolling on any UK-based course I strongly recommend that you
check that the institution and its degrees are recognised by
visiting the following official government website:
Recognised UK Universities and Degrees.
Having chosen your recognised online philosophy course,
I also advise you not to part with
any private teaching fees until you have
official confirmation of your place.
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Undergraduate Online Philosophy Qualifications: Philosophy Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees
What is the difference between a philosophy degree, diploma and certificate?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland these distinctions are defined
by the
framework for higher education qualifications (FHEQ), which
is administered by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
The FHEQ defines three levels into which available undergraduate
philosophy qualifications fall: Certificate of Higher Education (level 4),
Higher National Diploma (level 5), Bachelor's Degree (level 6).
"The fundamental premise of the FHEQ is that qualifications should be
awarded on the basis of achievement of outcomes and attainment rather
than years of study. Qualification descriptors are key to this premise.
Holders of a Certificate of Higher Education will have a sound
knowledge of the basic concepts of a subject, and will have
learned how to take different approaches to solving problems.
Holders of qualifications at this level [5] will have developed
a sound understanding of the principles in their field of study,
and will have learned to apply those principles more widely.
Through this, they will have learned to evaluate the
appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems.
Holders of a bachelor's degree with honours will have developed an
understanding of a complex body of knowledge, some of it at the
current boundaries of an academic discipline."
For more information on where the online philosophy qualifications
listed on this page fit into the FHEQ visit:
QAA's framework for higher education qualifications.
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What are CATS Points?
CATS stands for Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme.
In principle, CATS is a system to enable
students to study for a modular degree from more than one
institution. For example, you might want to pick-and-mix a
modular philosophy BA degree, selecting courses from different
universities. CATS is intended to allow you to do this by
accumulating credits at one university, and then transfering
them to another; hence the name.
In practice, credits can only be transferred between member
institutions of the same consortium.
Three UK universities that offer credits for online undergraduate
philosophy courses are all members of the same consortium.
The University of London (through its Birkbeck College), the
Open University, and the University of Oxford (through its
Department for Continuing Education), are all members of the
South East England Consortium. However only the University of
London offers a complete single honours distance learning
degree in philosophy; so you would have to transfer credits
from the Open University and/or the University of Oxford to
the University of London. (The table below compares their
main features.)
The University of Lampeter offers two modular credit-based philosophy
BA degrees.
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Best Universities with Undergraduate Online Philosophy Courses
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