Classics or Philosophy at A level?

Definitely Classics!! Do you know what your modules would be? Classics is sort of a combination of History and English Lit, without the mind-numbing existentialism of philosophy though some Classics modules (ClassCiv Roman Society and Thought for example) have philosophy components.

Well the exam board is OCR and the AS course covers ‘Homer’s Odyssey and Society’ and 'Greek Tragedy and its context'. The A2 course covers ‘Art and Architecture in the Greek World’ and ‘Virgil and the World of the Hero’.

Oh, I did the Odyssey this year!! It's really interesting (if you like English lit), as is learning about Homeric society. Greek tragedy is a very popular unit, too, and looks rather enjoyable.

I chose English lit for one of my courses so hopefully I'll get to choose Classics. Thank you

If you chose English Lit, why don't you take Philosophy? I did English at A-level and then did English Lit and Classics for a year at uni. now doing Lit and Philosophy at uni...

Classics is basically Literature but in a classical sense. Basically looking at how Ancient Greece and Rome lived and how their society were constructed through the representations in Literature. That's all it is.

Philosophy is way more interesting imo. Its all about questioning the world around from what is reality and can we know it without evidence to what makes a 14 year old killer any different to a 50 year old killer? It's so much more interesting. I say pick Philosophy!

I couldn't imagine coping with English Lit and Classics and A-level!

If you chose English Lit, why don't you take Philosophy? I did English at A-level and then did English Lit and Classics for a year at uni. now doing Lit and Philosophy at uni...

Classics is basically Literature but in a classical sense. Basically looking at how Ancient Greece and Rome lived and how their society were constructed through the representations in Literature. That's all it is.

Ahh fair point, I chose Eng lit, history and RS as well so I'm preparing for a LOT of writing. However, it's the only thing I'm good at so I can't do much else lo. Is Philosophy heavily essay based? I'm undecided :/ thanks for your help

HEY HEY if you're doing English Lit why don't you take Classics? The skill set is largely similar, and thus your workload is reduced. Plus, the same revision methods work for both! And to add to that, classics is absolutely amazing - the amount you can learn about, say, Nero's reign through the literature of those around him like Petronius is stunning. It'll complement History really well, too - I find myself structuring my ClassCiv essays similarly to my History ones.

My friend does philosophy, and it is heavily essay-based. But don't worry, doing straight essay subjects is only truly excruciating during exam time! The rest of the time it's quite manageable!

Sincerely,
I'm-doing-History-ClassCiv-Economics-Latin-and-Japanese-and-you-write-essays-in-all-of-them-please-help

Ahh fair point, I chose Eng lit, history and RS as well so I'm preparing for a LOT of writing. However, it's the only thing I'm good at so I can't do much else lo. Is Philosophy heavily essay based? I'm undecided :/ thanks for your help

Oh I did all them at AS! I did Religious Studies too. Which is more or less the same as Philosophy but with RS, you'll apply all Philosophical knowledge to a prescribed religion. For example, looking at sexuality in Catholicism, and the Problem of Evil with the Judaeo-Christian God and etc. It's all the same to be honest. The only thing you won't study is the core Philosophy stuff like Epistemology.

Yeah that's A LOT of writing. I couldn't cope with doing those 4 A-levels and dropped History in March, just before revision and exams cause it was too much. But everyone's different.
I know CC hasn't changed but the rest of your A-levels have come under the new A-level reforms. Will you be doing your A-levels in Year 12 and Year 13, or will you be having all your exams at the end of Year 13? I feel soooo sorry for you if it's the latter.

Philosophy/RS is ALL essay based and shear amount of information. It's not like Lit or CC or History where you have sources or extracts that you have to analyse. It's all 100% information so you write from the get go, rather than analysing any extract-based questions. It's fun though, but for me, it was my most difficult A-level cause you had to revise and remember EVERYTHING in case as anything could come up!

I think I'm doing some in year 12 as Classics or Philosophy would only be for AS. But I might put RS down for AS and Classics up to A2. I know it's a lot of writing, but if I attempted to do either maths, science or languages for A level I would almost certainly fail them. I don't know what to do.

I think it would be Classics as that subject hasn't been changed in the new reforms. I think Philosophy has but of course, I don't know how your school works.

Yeah that's fine. However, why do you want to do four and is your AS in Philosophy be at all any benefit for you though? That' the real question for you to be honest.

I only took four AS-levels because I was unsure whether I would drop History or RS. And I dropped the former anyway.

If you know you're going to drop Philosophy, I personally don't see the point in actually studying the subject. You will study a lot of Philosophy in RS anyway. Personally, I'd stick to 3 subjects. You are really underestimating the amount of writing and reading you will have to do for the individual subjects!

Good point, I'm not acc underestimating the amount of work, I'm fully aware that essay based subjects are a LOT of writing because my friends who do those subjects currently tell me everything about them. So I am preparing for lots of essays and writing. I have to do four because that was the only option the school gave us, 3 A levels and 1 AS. If I could I would only do 3 subjects, but that's just how it turned out.

Sorry love that wasn't an attack on your or anything but that's what happens to a a lot of post-GCSE students. And I was the same. My friends gave me their AS books and even then, I still underestimated the work. It's a lot different from looking at their work to actually participating in it - trust me, been there and done it!

Oh that's the reason - that makes sense. A bit silly though. They must have high expectations of their pupils. That adds a lot more pressure to you to decide then.

Do you have any idea what you want to study at uni (assume from those subjects you plan to go to university?)

Yeah fair point, I guess I'll just see what happens when I get there. Ikr it's so annoying, I would be happy doing my 3 subjects but nope. I was meant to do Biology as an AS but it was full. I would like to go to university, either to study History or Classical Civilisations as they are so interesting to me.

You dont need Classics A Level to study it at uni. I studied it for a year at uni without an A level in History or Classics. Although either would help. But of course I had Lit and RS.

But of course the choice is yours. I am keen in what you will pick though when it comes to it!

Keep it updated and best of luck!