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As an academic discipline, philosophy is concerned with the study of fundamental problems, such as those about the nature of knowledge, reality, existence, mind, language, science, and morality.
The Philosophy Group offers a range of programmes to students at NTU. Undergraduate tracks include the BA (Honours), second major and minor programmes in philosophy. Graduate tracks include the MA and PhD programmes in philosophy.
We also offer courses that can be taken as electives by NTU students outside our philosophy.
Young, accessible faculty doing globally recognized research
Focus on Chinese philosophy, philosophy of science, and ethics
Teaching in seminar-style classes centered around active discussion and argument
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.
The curriculum is designed as a four-year programme. Well-prepared students can complete the degree in three and a half years.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Philosophy are required to complete two categories of requirements, totalling at least 128 Academic Units (AUs):
A. Major Requirements (69 AUs)
B. General Education Requirements (GER) (59 AUs).
Click here to learn more about the programme structure.
Students can pursue in-depth studies in (A) Prescribed Electives, or (B) Interdisciplinary Prescribed Electives.
What can I do with a degree in philosophy
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 following abilities:
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, history, law, literature, 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 in different career paths such as arts, business, computer science, law, medicine, public administration, publishing, writing, and many others.
For information on non-academic career paths for philosophy majors, see the following links taken from the American Philosophical Association:
These websites offer a trove of information about the value of philosophy and the benefits of studying philosophy:
This free and open-access book, written by a former philosophy professor, provides practical evidence of how a philosophy degree can lead to a rewarding and successful career outside of philosophy.
News articles testify:
"I Think, Therefore I Earn," Jessica Shepherd, The Guardian, 20 November 2007.
"Study of Philosophy Makes Gains Despite Economy," Jeff Gammage, The Inquirer, 15 October 2011.
"Is Philosophy the Most Practical Major?" Edward Tenner, The Atlantic, 16 October 2011.
"I work therefore I am: why businesses are hiring philosophers," Louise Tickle and Claire Burke, The Guardian, 29 March 2018
"Please, students, take that 'impractical' humanities course. We will all benefit," Ronald J. Daniels, The Washington Post, 14 September 2018.
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