University of London Diploma and BA in Philosophy
pathways and the external programme

About the External Programme

The University of London External Programme is designed and assessed according to the same standards of the BA Honours degree taken by Internal students attending one of the Colleges of London University. The ten module course in Philosophy, which takes British students three years studying full-time, usually requires at least five years for distance learning students. So it is worth reflecting for a moment how much you really want a BA Philosophy degree.

In those five years, you will learn a great deal of philosophy. The reason for taking the degree is not just for the glory of adding 'BA (Hons) London' to your name. Or it had better not be, because if it is, the chances are that you will not finish the course.

London University do offer a less demanding alternative, a Diploma in Philosophy which normally takes two years for the three modules plus a special introductory module. The entrance requirements are lower, and students who successfully complete the Diploma have the option to transfer to the BA. The University of London Diploma is a very worth while qualification.

At any one time, there are around 100–150 External students around the world at different stages of their London Diploma or BA studies.

How the program works

Pathways offers the same support for the University of London BA and University of London Diploma. You will be assigned a Pathways mentor, who will communicate with you on a one-to-one basis. In the course of studying for one course module you will send work regularly to your mentor for evaluation. Your mentor will will discuss the points raised in each assignment, as well as indicating the marks which your work would be likely to receive when assessed at the appropriate level.

When you register for the BA, The University of London will send you a study pack. The pack includes:

• Anthony Grayling's comprehensive two-volume work Philosophy: A Guide Through the Subject and Philosophy: Further Through the Subject (see Pathways Introductory Book List) based on course outlines developed by philosophy lecturers at Colleges of London University.

• Academic Guidance Handbook. You should read the Handbook carefully. This contains advice which will guide you in deciding how to pace your studies, and devising a study plan.

• BA Philosophy Examination papers. These sets of past papers include Examiners' reports on how candidates responded to each of the questions on every paper set for that year. You will find these reports an invaluable guide to writing a successful examination answer.

If you are registering for the Diploma, the text book you will receive is Reading Philosophy by Sam Guttenplan, Jennifer Hornsby and Christopher Janaway, all lecturers at Birkbeck College London. The book aims to show the student how to read and criticize a philosophical text, using actual examples of texts by classical and contemporary philosophers.

London University recommend taking two modules in one year. We estimate that in studying for one module, you will send your mentor between six and eight pieces of work of around 2000—2500 words. So you will be aiming to produce an assignment or essay every three to four weeks. Your mentor will also be on hand if at any time you get stuck or need advice with your studies.

The purpose of writing essays is to develop and enhance your understanding of a subject. It is not a good idea to try to learn essays 'off by heart'. When you sit the exam, you might get lucky, and find an examination question that exactly matches the essay you have memorized. But it is far more likely that the question will ask for something subtly different. Then you will have to think, which is exactly what the Examiners want you to do.

One great advantage of attending written examinations is that they severely curtail opportunities for plagiarism, a practice which has reached epidemic proportions in some universities. There is no way you can earn a good London BA Honours degree by cheating. However, if you are prepared to do the work, and think for yourself, your efforts will be handsomely rewarded.