PHILOSOPHY
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The word "philosophy" originates from the Greek term φιλοσοφία (philosophia) which means "love of wisdom". When considered as an academic discipline, philosophy is concerned with the study of fundamental problems such as those connected to the nature of knowledge, reality, existence, mind, language, science, and morality. It involves a broad and systematic critical examination of questions that underlie the foundations of other disciplines. Some of the typical questions philosophers ask are:
What kind of world do we live in?
Is there a God?
Is there an external world?
What kind of life should we live?
Do human beings act freely?
Where do moral obligations come from?
How do we construct a just society?
Where does knowledge come from and what are the limitations of our knowledge?
The discipline of philosophy helps you develop a sophisticated sense of logic, a capacity for rigorous reasoning, a comprehensive perspective in understanding the world, and a broad knowledge base that intersects with other disciplines such as anthropology, biology, business administration, computer science, economics, history, law, literature, mathematics, media, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, and sociology. Studying philosophy enables you to read carefully, write well, reason clearly, communicate effectively, think critically, and (most importantly) think for yourself. These are essential skills for a successful career and an enriched life.
Follow us on Twitter: NTU Philosophy
CURRICULUM STRUCTURE AND
MODULES OFFERED
To graduate, students must complete two categories of requirements, totaling at least 128 Academic Units (AUs):
(A) Major Requirements (66 AUs)
(B) Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC)
-
Common Core (17 AUs)
-
Foundational Core (10 AUs)
(C) Broadening & Deepening Electives (35 AUs)
Students can pursue in-depth studies in any of the courses offered by the Philosophy programme.
Click here for the full list of module descriptions.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students with Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' level
A good grade in General Paper/Knowledge & Inquiry/H1 or H2 Level Humanities subject
Students with NUS High School Diploma
Good overall CAP in English Language
Students with IB Diploma
A good grade in Standard Level English
Please note the following:
-
The grade profiles, GPAs, and programme places vary from year to year, depending on the number and performance of applicants and the number of places available.
-
Meeting the previous year's grade/GPA scores of a programme does not guarantee admission to that programme for the current year.
NTU is increasingly admitting students based on holistic practices, including written exams and interviews. For this reason, we encourage all interested parties to apply
CAREER PROSPECTS
The unique perspective that philosophy offers makes its students potentially fit for any profession.
Philosophy trains its students to question fundamental assumptions, argue logically, and think through issues as comprehensively as possible. In this way, philosophy shapes the way we think and act. It also heightens our sensitivity towards the nuances of life and enhances our ability to engage with them. The study of philosophy typically cultivates the ability to:
-
Ask good questions
-
Think independently, critically, and clearly
-
Uncover and examine hidden assumptions
-
Analyse and critically assess arguments
-
Formulate consistent, coherent, and complex arguments
-
Conceptualise and articulate difficult issues or abstract ideas
-
Examine and justify what we believe in or/and what we do
These skills are extremely useful in a broad range of disciplines such as anthropology, biology, business administration, computer science, economics, history, law, literature, mathematics, media, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, and sociology. Many philosophy students have benefited from concurrently pursuing another degree in the above disciplines.
Philosophical training equips students with transferable skills that enable them to adapt to changing circumstances of the world. Students of philosophy have successfully navigated their way in different career paths such as arts, business, computer science, law, medicine, public administration, publishing, writing, and many others.
SELECTED FACULTY PUBLICATIONS
