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Just finished Philosophy BA at KCL - Ask me anything!

Fire away! Happy to attempt to clear up uncertainties. Anything I say will be my view alone. Teaching, module content, atmosphere, workload... etc

Reply 1

fudgecake22

17

What career are you looking to go into

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Reply 2

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by fudgecake22

What career are you looking to go into

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Accountancy - for now

Reply 3

BLJHN

Concerning accommodation, where did you stay for your first year? Also, are you only guaranteed accommodation if you put Kings as your firm choice?

Cheers

Reply 4

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by BLJHN

Concerning accommodation, where did you stay for your first year? Also, are you only guaranteed accommodation if you put Kings as your firm choice?

Cheers

1. In the intercollegiate halls at Cartwright Gardens. These were the best halls but not sure what the story is now since they've just been knocked down. They were catered, which isn't for everyone, but I loved it. Saved loads of money on food and didn't have to think about shopping or cooking. Also, the dinner tables are a very good place to make friends. I think this is good in London which can lack the strong community feel you get at campus universities. What you might not like is i) the food if you're fussy ii) having to give up some individual freedoms to live as a group with others.
2. I don't know that - should be easy for you to ask King's though

Reply 5

lozdigz

I've applied for Philosophy 2015 entry, I was just wondering what your overall experience was - did you enjoy the course? Was it really difficult? What is it like compared to Philosophy A-level (if you did it)? Also what were your grades at A-level? Many thanks :biggrin:

Reply 6

Nottie

18

Don't you feel like you wasted money on a degree you don't even want to work in in the future?

Reply 7

lozdigz

Original post by Nottie

Don't you feel like you wasted money on a degree you don't even want to work in in the future?

It's not really about which degree you do as long as you do well. It's having a degree that's important :redface:

Reply 8

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by Nottie

Don't you feel like you wasted money on a degree you don't even want to work in in the future?

I'm not sure what gave you the impression I don't want to work in philosophy in the future. Anyway, putting that to one side, I can say that I don't feel like I wasted money on my degree, because I spent three years engrossed in the study of the most fascinating questions imaginable. This would remain the case whatever work I go on to do. What else is university for?

Reply 9

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by lozdigz

I've applied for Philosophy 2015 entry, I was just wondering what your overall experience was - did you enjoy the course? Was it really difficult? What is it like compared to Philosophy A-level (if you did it)? Also what were your grades at A-level? Many thanks :biggrin:

First question gets an emphatic 'yes'! It is difficult as well, but my advice about that would be: ask for help. During office hours, you can talk to someone who knows more about your essay topic than almost everyone else in the world, completely free, and hardly anyone does. Further to this, if you work hard, you'll do well. Some of the best people I've known tried hard and got poor grades to begin with, then tried hard again and ended up with firsts. In this sense it is a very level playing field, whatever terrified impression you might have when you arrive in first year.

Regarding A-Levels, I didn't do philosophy, but others who did always said how different (good different!) university was. I did English, Maths and History and got A*AB

Reply 10

FreshGarbage

3

Original post by tortoiseshell

Fire away! Happy to attempt to clear up uncertainties. Anything I say will be my view alone. Teaching, module content, atmosphere, workload... etc

Hey what is the reading workload like? Are the texts hard? Was it a big step up from a level? Cheers

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Do you have a job yet?

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Reply 12

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by FreshGarbage

Hey what is the reading workload like? Are the texts hard? Was it a big step up from a level? Cheers

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For reading, your lecturer (if they're doing it right) will set hours and hours of it, with about one hour per week you *have* to read to know what's going on. This would be per module, per week, so usually roughly four hours at a minimum (often a bit more). So after that minimum, the workload is up to you. To get a decent grade, you'd better at least double that four hours. You'll then develop the ability to discern where to read more and less as your intrests develop - a fundamental academic skill. This ability tends to be undeveloped at a level, so I'd say it is a pretty big step up. A lot of the difficultly can also depend on the modules you pick in second and third year.

Reply 13

FreshGarbage

3

Original post by tortoiseshell

For reading, your lecturer (if they're doing it right) will set hours and hours of it, with about one hour per week you *have* to read to know what's going on. This would be per module, per week, so usually roughly four hours at a minimum (often a bit more). So after that minimum, the workload is up to you. To get a decent grade, you'd better at least double that four hours. You'll then develop the ability to discern where to read more and less as your intrests develop - a fundamental academic skill. This ability tends to be undeveloped at a level, so I'd say it is a pretty big step up. A lot of the difficultly can also depend on the modules you pick in second and third year.

OK cheers! What modules did you pick? What is your favourite? I'm predicted an A at A level but I know I won't get it, I'm hoping it won't be too hard :frown:

(

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Reply 14

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by Edminzodo

Do you have a job yet?

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Yes

Reply 15

VannR

21

What is your final degree classification?
Why are you not going on to postgraduate study?

Reply 16

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by VannR

What is your final degree classification?
Why are you not going on to postgraduate study?

2.1 (what nearly everyone gets). A few reasons, some personal, but mainly the terrific cost!

Reply 17

tortoiseshell

OP

Original post by FreshGarbage

OK cheers! What modules did you pick? What is your favourite? I'm predicted an A at A level but I know I won't get it, I'm hoping it won't be too hard :frown:

(

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I won't list them all since you end up doing 24 (unless you do a dissertation, which I didn't) of which the first 8 (whole first year) are compulsory. I'll just say that the modules I'm most glad I picked were the traditional ones - metaphysics, epistemology, history of philosophy, philosophy of mind, etc. You'll get the best philosophical education that way - remember you're just an undergrad and have only been doing this for a short time, so a good general principe is to stick to the basics (this is just my view, though, remember)

Reply 18

VannR

21

Original post by tortoiseshell

2.1 (what nearly everyone gets). A few reasons, some personal, but mainly the terrific cost!

Hmm, I agree that it is generally understood that firsts are particularly elusive in humanities subjects. I'm currently studying A-Level Philosophy and though the expectations of the essays are far less that in your BA, I can agree that the gap between a 'very good' essay and a 'fantastic' essay is harder to bridge than, say, the gap between a 'very good' maths paper and a 'fantastic' maths paper.

Reply 19

lozdigz

Original post by tortoiseshell

First question gets an emphatic 'yes'! It is difficult as well, but my advice about that would be: ask for help. During office hours, you can talk to someone who knows more about your essay topic than almost everyone else in the world, completely free, and hardly anyone does. Further to this, if you work hard, you'll do well. Some of the best people I've known tried hard and got poor grades to begin with, then tried hard again and ended up with firsts. In this sense it is a very level playing field, whatever terrified impression you might have when you arrive in first year.

Regarding A-Levels, I didn't do philosophy, but others who did always said how different (good different!) university was. I did English, Maths and History and got A*AB

Thanks for the advice! I'm so glad there's help available because I'm pretty much constantly pestering my philosophy teacher whenever he sets an essay. I'm doing a third year at the moment, I've got an AB at A2 level already and AB as AS level too. I'm predicted A*A for the two subjects I'm currently studying. Not sure if I'll get an offer at Kings (especially due to taking an extra year) but I really hope so :tongue:

Just finished Philosophy BA at KCL - Ask me anything!

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