June 22nd 2015

Open Day

Philosophy at Durham

Peter Vickers (peter.vickers@durham.ac.uk)Matthew Tugby (matthew.tugby@durham.ac.uk)Student Ambassador: Alex Thornton (a.j.thornton@durham.ac.uk)

www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/opendays/

(These slides are available online from the above page)

Who we are

• Peter Vickers

• Matthew Tugby

• Alex Thornton– Student Ambassador

Available programmes

• Single Honours Philosophy (AAA)• Joint Honours, Philosophy and…– Theology (AAA)– Politics (AAA) – including at least one social

science/humanities subject– Psychology (AAA) – you need at least a C in GCSE maths– English (A*AA) – must include English A level

• Liberal Arts– Combining modules from a wider range of subjects, with

great flexibility (A*AA)

Available programmes

• Music– Music and Philosophy: AAB – including an A-level in Music

• Natural Sciences– Philosophy and Physics: A*AA– Mathematics and Philosophy: A*AA

• School of Education– Education Studies – Philosophy: AAA

• Economics– Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE): A*AA

Entry grades, offers, and competition for entry

• AAB, AAA, and A*AA (as per the previous two slides)– International Baccalaureate?– 36 IB (AAB)– 37 IB, with 666 at higher level (AAA)– 38 IB, with 666 at higher level or 766 for Natural Sciences (A*AA)

• N.B. We have to turn away many applicants who meet our requirements!

• In 2014-15 there were 336.5 direct-entry applications (nearly all of which met our requirements) for 51.5 places

• But for AAA programmes many applicants with (only) AAA get in, and some with A*AA (or better) do not, depending on the quality of the personal statement and reference

Advice on personal statements

• Be specific and give details– E.g. avoid “I have read X, Y, and Z and found them

fascinating…”• Talk about philosophical ideas/debates that you are

interested in (why are you interested in them?)• If a joint honours application, be specific about how

you see the two subjects complementing each other• Include a paragraph on non-academic achievements

We’re expanding…

https://www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/

Lots going on…

• http://www.durhamemergenceproject.co.uk/

• http://community.dur.ac.uk/evaluating.realism/

• http://hearingthevoice.org/

• https://www.dur.ac.uk/cech/

Lots going on…

• http://chess-centre.org/

Some exciting research…• http://

www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745645469

Durham Philosophy Modules

• Our philosophy modules reflect the research expertise in the department

• All core areas of philosophy are covered

• Let’s take a look at the module list:https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/philosophy/currentstudents/Handbook14-15.pdf

Teaching and Assessment

• Year-long modules

• Group-taught modules

• Lectures, seminars and tutorials

• Range of assessment options

Philsoc

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/199424188984/events/

• One of the biggest and best philosophy societies in the UK– Attracts top philosophers for seminars/lectures– Conferences/workshops– Coffee mornings and nights out– End of year ball

International visiting speakers

• Peter Singer in 2015– Professor of Bioethics at Princeton

• Noam Chomsky in 2014– Professor Emeritus at MIT

Job prospects?

• Evidence from our alumni:

• Business/IT/Finance • Charity• Civil Service• Journalism/Media/Publishing • Law• Marketing• Teaching/Academia• Miscellaneous

Business/IT/Finance• International CEO of McDonalds (Steve Easterbrook)• Working for McLaren in Woking doing software for running formula 1 cars• Executive Director of Citigroup Global Markets• Graduate programme at KPMG in London• Chief Information Officer at UK Power Networks• UK Social Investment Advisor for Shell• Corporate Communications Officer in at a sustainability organization in

Amsterdam• Assistant Manager in Corporate Finance (Deloitte)• Internal Auditor to a multinational plc called Reckitt Benckiser• Manager, Commercial Assurance, PwC• Associate Director at Coutts (private bank services)• Management Consultant at Accenture• Management consultant in New York for PwC

Charity

• Government Relations Adviser for Amnesty International Australia

• Head of Policy & Public Affairs at Mencap)• Hostel manager (homeless sector)• Consultant at an international development consultancy

firm, working on evaluating the impact of international aid programmes

• Head of the Student Counselling Service at Newcastle University/charity work for torture victims

• Currently in the West Bank serving as an Ecumenical Accompanier

Civil Service• Civil Servant, working as Head of European Policy in the

Intellectual Property Office• PA to the Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Beijing• Programme Manager for an Adult Education department within

local government• Working for PwC's strategy consulting Economics & Policy team in

London. “I work for government and public sector clients, who tend to bring in strategy consultants when they want or need to do something radically differently to how it's been done in the past.”

• Working for the Department for Communities and Local Government on local economic growth policy

Journalism/Media/Publishing

• Writer and columnist at The Guardian• Desk Editor at Ashgate Publishing• Associate Producer, working in factual development for an

independent television company• Freelance journalist, writing for the Telegraph, Guardian,

Independent and various other newspapers and magazines• Journalist specialising in writing about the business of F1• Running a publishing company:

www.freeassociationpublishing.com• Film journalist and Video Producer• Working for ITV in a number of roles “currently using research

and analytical skills to support programme commissioners”

Law

• Child protection solicitor• Training to be a barrister• Solicitor for nearly 30 years and qualified as a Notary

Public 4 years ago • A partner in the London office of a law firm named

Trowers & Hamlins, specializing in commercial litigation• Trainee solicitor at a law firm (Trowers & Hamlins) • Training contract at Eversheds in Leeds (Commercial law)• I joined Linklaters as a trainee solicitor in 1996 and am

now a partner at Linklaters

Marketing

• Marketing Strategist at O2• Head of Corporate Brand for Morrisons (the

supermarket)• Marketing Assistant• Marketing Manager at an Information Security

firm near Manchester• Market research strategy consultant

Teaching/Academia• Head of Religious Studies and Philosophy at a large Catholic secondary school in Birmingham• University Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy• Teaching at a Junior College in Singapore (Singaporean equivalent of 6th form)• Deputy head at a secondary school• Postdoctoral fellow in human osteology (biological anthropology)• Head of RE at a large Catholic High School in Northumberland • Loughborough Grammar School as a 'Teacher of Humanities'• Tutor at Heythrop College, University of London and also Head of Philosophy at Sutton

Grammar School• Lecturer in Philosophy at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia)• Academic Registrar at Oxford Brookes University• ESL teacher in Shanghai, China (working for a multinational English Teaching company:

Wall Street English)• Formerly Senior Advisor for Subject Centres and Academic Lead for Online Learning.

Since 2011 I have been an independent consultant in higher education.

Miscellaneous

• Running a small adventure activity company • Vicar of Bolton• Army officer specialising in media operations• Senior child protection social worker• Police constable• Career Advisor at the University of Manchester• Private practice in Play Therapy and Filial

(parent-child) Therapy

Student perspective

• Alex Thornton

• Studying: 1st year Philosophy (Single Honours)

• College: St Johns

• A-levels in: Ancient History, Maths and Philosophy at Cardinal Newman College, Preston.

Further information

• Student and Departmental Handbook– Available online here:– https://

www.dur.ac.uk/resources/philosophy/currentstudents/Handbook14-15.pdf

• The Department website:– https://www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/

• These slides:– www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/opendays/

Questions?