Oxford Philosophy BPhil or MPhil?
Haven’t managed to find much on the different experiences between the two, so if you know or can recommend one over the other, I’d be grateful! I'd especially be curious to know about the relative benefit of the extra year. For example, I believe that you can skip a year of the DPhil after the BPhil, but in terms of funding, even if you don't get (probably easier) external funding, the tuition fee is lower. So why not just do the MPhil then DPhil (aka why is the BPhil directed so much to those that are wanting to do doctorate research?) Also, if anyone knows if this skipping the first year thing is true if you don't immediately progress but say take a gap year, that would be good to know too!
Also very interested to know if there is any possibility to be accepted into these graduate degrees having not done a philosophy undergrad. I am currently completing a sociology undergrad (which I would argue can be very similar to philosophy; I’m sure we ask some of the same questions/look at similar theorists/debates). If I orient the essays that I submit to my masters application to be very theoretical, would that be enough/recommended? How else can I prove that I have an interest and knowledge in philosophy?
Also very interested to know if there is any possibility to be accepted into these graduate degrees having not done a philosophy undergrad. I am currently completing a sociology undergrad (which I would argue can be very similar to philosophy; I’m sure we ask some of the same questions/look at similar theorists/debates). If I orient the essays that I submit to my masters application to be very theoretical, would that be enough/recommended? How else can I prove that I have an interest and knowledge in philosophy?
(edited 2 months ago)
Reply 1
Yes you can skip the first year of the DPhil if you do the BPhil and you are allowed to reuse your BPhil thesis as part of the DPhil thesis. Also a distinction in the BPhil gets you automatic entry onto the DPhil. If you look at the course website all this is explained in detail.
On the topic of your undergrad degree, it says you need an undergrad in philosophy or a closely related subject so it depends if they define sociology as close enough. You can argue that case in your statement. It also says that the BPhil is not suitable as a conversion course to philosophy so they would have to be convinced.
On the topic of your undergrad degree, it says you need an undergrad in philosophy or a closely related subject so it depends if they define sociology as close enough. You can argue that case in your statement. It also says that the BPhil is not suitable as a conversion course to philosophy so they would have to be convinced.
Reply 2
10
I think you might be confused. There is no MPhil in philosophy at Oxford; the BPhil is just the philosophy equivalent of what is called the MPhil in other subjects. (As a historical side note: when Oxford first introduced two-year taught master’s degrees in the late 1940s, they were originally all called BPhils. But this tended to confuse outsiders for obvious reasons (a master’s degree called a bachelor’s), so in the late 70s the University decided to change the name to MPhil — except for philosophy, which was allowed to keep the BPhil title because it was the oldest and best-known of the programmes with a great deal of existing name recognition in the English-speaking world.)
The only other master’s programmes that the philosophy faculty offers are the one-year MSts in ancient philosophy and the philosophy of physics. But given what you mentioned about your background, I assume these would not be relevant to you.
Regarding your second question: the faculty is explicit that the BPhil is *not* intended as a conversion course in philosophy. The vast majority of those admitted have done at least joint-honours philosophy degrees at undergrad. Very occasionally I think they will admit candidates who haven’t done so; these typically tend to be people with first degrees in, for instance, politics or law with a very strong background in political or legal philosophy. So not having a first degree in philosophy is not automatically disqualifying, but I suspect it will make life very difficult for you in what is already a very competitive admissions process.
As far as sociology in particular goes, I suspect many of the theorists you look at will be somewhat alien to what is still the predominantly analytic focus of the BPhil (though it is certainly more pluralistic than it once was). If you can give me more detail on what exactly the philosophically relevant content you’ve studied in your undergrad is, and what the areas of philosophy you’re interested in are (in particular, what topic you’d consider doing your writing sample on, which is the most important factor for admissions), then perhaps I can give you some more specific advice on how realistic a candidate for the BPhil you’d be.
The only other master’s programmes that the philosophy faculty offers are the one-year MSts in ancient philosophy and the philosophy of physics. But given what you mentioned about your background, I assume these would not be relevant to you.
Regarding your second question: the faculty is explicit that the BPhil is *not* intended as a conversion course in philosophy. The vast majority of those admitted have done at least joint-honours philosophy degrees at undergrad. Very occasionally I think they will admit candidates who haven’t done so; these typically tend to be people with first degrees in, for instance, politics or law with a very strong background in political or legal philosophy. So not having a first degree in philosophy is not automatically disqualifying, but I suspect it will make life very difficult for you in what is already a very competitive admissions process.
As far as sociology in particular goes, I suspect many of the theorists you look at will be somewhat alien to what is still the predominantly analytic focus of the BPhil (though it is certainly more pluralistic than it once was). If you can give me more detail on what exactly the philosophically relevant content you’ve studied in your undergrad is, and what the areas of philosophy you’re interested in are (in particular, what topic you’d consider doing your writing sample on, which is the most important factor for admissions), then perhaps I can give you some more specific advice on how realistic a candidate for the BPhil you’d be.
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