ObjectivesPhilosophy provides an excellent complement to the study of Psychology. Through Psychology you will learn about how the mind works and why we behave as we do, while in Philosophy you will have the chance to explore the conceptions of the mind, human nature and human behaviour that are invoked in psychological theories. In this degree course you will normally take half your modules in Psychology and half in Philosophy. Teaching and research are closely integrated at Sheffield and the Psychology and Philosophy departments each have an excellent reputation for both. Both departments received a rating of Excellent for their teaching and a top rating of 5A in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. Psychology: The Psychology Department is situated in a purpose-built building that houses a lecture theatre, seminar rooms and teaching laboratories. Research and teaching facilities include small laboratory rooms for individual and small-group practical work; visual perception and motor skills experimental laboratories; rooms with one-way vision screens and closed-circuit television for developmental psychology and for social psychology; state-of-the-art neuroscience facilities, including provision for brain imaging research and for neurophysiological recording from single cells. We have extensive general computing facilities for teaching and also powerful computer work stations for online experiments and research in artificial intelligence and robotics. The department has reading rooms for students and a social area with a coffee bar, as well as a vibrant, student-run Psychology Society that organises visits, talks and social events. Philosophy: The Department of Philosophy offers an exciting range of courses taught by researchers who are experts in their fields. During the three-year course you can develop your understanding of the key areas of philosophy such as ethics, philosophy of mind, theory of knowledge, political philosophy, metaphysics and logic. We also have courses on major figures in the history of Philosophy such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Hegel. The Philosophy side of the degree is highly flexible, with no required modules.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements GCE/VCE A Levels - AAB Two GCE A Levels plus two GCE AS Levels - AA+AB, AB+AA BTEC Level N - DDD Scottish Highers - AAAA Irish Leaving Cert. - AAABB International Baccalaureate - 35 points Core Requirements - Grade C in GCSE Maths and English. Overseas students will also need a recognised English language qualification which shows proficiency in both written and spoken English.
Academic titleBA Philosophy and Psychology
Course descriptionOur students usually select from a range of compulsory and optional modules to add up to 120 credits.
Some departments offer courses that don't feature optional modules whereas other courses are fully flexible.
Important notice :
This is a list of modules that have been offered in the past. We expect similar modules to be offered for courses starting in 2009.
This information is provided for illustration only and you should check with the department directly when applying to confirm module options.
Typical First Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Discovering Psychology 20
Memory, Skill and Everyday Life 10
Methods and Reasoning for Psychologists 10
Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology 10
Social Understanding, Social Communication, Social Places 10
Critical Thinking 20
Human Rights 20
Matters of Life and Death 20
Mind, Brain and Personal Identity 20
Philosophy of Art and Literature 20
Areas of Philosophy 10
History of Philosophy 10
Knowledge, Justification and Doubt 10
Philosophy of Religion 10
Philosophy of Science 10
Philosophy of Space and Time 10
Typical Second Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Psychological Research Methods 20
Cognitive Psychology 20
Descartes and The Empiricists 20
Developmental Psychology and Individual Differences 20
Ethics: Theoretical and Practical 20
Feminism 20
Formal Logic 20
Neuroscience 20
Paradoxes 20
Philosophy of Art and Literature 20
Philosophy of Law 20
Philosophy of Mind 20
Plato 20
Political Philosophy 20
Psychological Concepts and Skills 20
Reference and Truth 20
Social and Health Psychology 20
The Rationalists 20
The Social Contract 20
Theory of Knowledge 20
Topics in Ancient Philosophy 20
Topics in Ancient Philosophy 20
Typical Third Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Advanced Logic 20
Aristotle 20
Desires of One's Own 20
Epistemology 20
Feminism: Rationality and Politics 20
Hegel and His Critics 20
Hobbes and Hume 20
Metaphysics 20
Morality, Identity and Freedom 20
Philosophical Problems 1 20
Philosophical Problems II 20
Philosophy of Language 20
Philosophy of Mathematics 20
Philosophy of Psychology 20
Philosophy of Science 20
Possible Worlds 20
Pragmatism 20
Research Project in Psychology (1) 20
The Imagination 20
Theories of Rights 20
Value Theory 20
Clinical Psychology 10
Co-operative Models of Mind 10
Cognition and Emotion 10
Cognitive Development 10
Cognitive Neuropsychology 10
Environmental Psychology 10
Extended Essay in Psychology 10
Learning and Memory in Young Children 10
Multivariate Methods for Personality and Social Psychology 10
Neural Bases of Learning and Development 10
Neurons, Images and Chaos: Methods for Cognitive Science 10