Philosophy is the study of ideas. Through the study of philosophy, you will learn how previous philosophers sought to answer the big questions and how to think about them yourself. Some questions that we discuss are:
Anyone who has always thought about these questions is encouraged to choose philosophy. There are no requirements except for a good dose of curiosity!
At Intermediate level, you will have 2-3 hours of lectures per week. Throughout the two-year course we cover Module 1: Logic and Reasoning and Module 2: Ethics and Society.
At Advanced level, you will have 6-7 hours of lectures per week. Throughout the 2-year course we cover Module 1: Logic and Reasoning, Module 2: Ethics and Society and Module 3: Key Questions in European Thought. At Advanced level, you get to delve much deeper into the key areas of Philosophy. You will have a total of 4 lectures, 1 seminar and 2 tutorials per week.
In Module 1: Logic and Reasoning, you will learn how to build good arguments and identify incorrect ways of reasoning. In philosophy, all ideas need to be supported by valid reasons and Logic helps us to build better arguments to support our ideas. This will also be beneficial in improving one’s writing and thinking skills.
In Module 2: Ethics and Society, you will discuss some of the major ethical theories that deal with human action and behaviour. These theories are then applied to real life issues, such as reproductive technologies, euthanasia, privacy and cyberspace. These issues are discussed from multiple perspectives in conjunction with the main ethical theories.
In Module 3: Key Questions in European Thought, you will delve into some of the main areas of philosophy. The Module is divided into four parts and we study the History and Theory of each part together with contemporary questions in the same area. We also cover selected extracts from major philosophy texts. The four main parts are:
What am I?
Do we live in the best of all possible worlds?
How do I know?
How do we communicate what we mean?
A more detailed version of the syllabus can be found on the MATSEC website. Click the red link.
At Intermediate level, the exam paper consists of one three-hour paper. The first part is about Module 1: Logic and Reasoning and the second part is about Module 2: Ethics and Society.
At Advanced level, the exam paper consists of two three-hour papers. Paper 1 covers Module 1: Logic and Reasoning and Module 2: Ethics and Society. Paper 2 covers all of Module 3: Key Questions in European Thought.
Definitely! Even if you do not choose to continue studying Philosophy at University, it will be beneficial to anyone who chooses it. Any course that you choose at University level, will contain a credit or two in Philosophy, whether it is Marketing, Psychology, Law, Medicine or Education. The study of Philosophy will improve your reading, writing and thinking skills. It equips you with the tools of problem-solving, critical thinking and communication, which are essential to any course or career.
We also have a number of students every year who enjoy the subject so much that they switch from Intermediate to Advanced level. Others have also decided to choose it at University after they start studying it at Junior College.
Studying Philosophy at Junior College does not mean that you have to continue studying it at University. However, students who choose to continue the study of Philosophy at University level work in different sectors ranging from education, law, marketing, finance, gaming, human resources, management and many more. The study of Philosophy does not lead you to one specific career but rather gives you the tools to succeed in any career path you might choose. Click for more information.
