Philosophy

Studying Philosophy involves addressing tough and fundamental questions about human thought, the basis of knowledge, the nature of reason, consciousness and cognition, morality and value. The degree is intriguing, complex, rigorous and inspires independent thought, reflecting Cambridge’s distinguished and continuing contribution in the history of the development of Philosophy.

Overview

Ucas code

V500

Campus code

X

Typical offers made per year

5

Typical Undergraduate cohort

10

Minimum offer level

A Levels: A*AA

IB: 42 points, with 776 at Higher Level.

Other qualifications: check what other international qualifications are accepted at Cambridge

STEP (SIXTH TERM EXAMINATION PAPER)

COURSE DURATION

BA (Hons) 3 years, full-time

Essential subjects

None. Please note that Philosophy A-level is not a requirement for an application.

Desirable subjects

Useful preparation would be Mathematics along with an arts/science mix or an essay-based subject.

ADMISSIONS ASSESSMENT

Admissions Assessment: None

Submitted Work: None

Why Choose St John's for Philosophy?

Illustration depicting Alexander the Great and the seven philosophers, from the Khamsa manuscript of Nizami in the College Library

Our Fellowship includes Professor Alexander Bird, Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy in the University, Dr Jessie Munton and Emeritus Professor Jane Heal, together a fount of brilliant insight and knowledge for our students in the discipline.

We usually have 12-15 philosophy undergraduates in St John’s. This forms a bigger cohort to learn with – and from – than in most colleges and a ready-made community of enthusiastic, fun and active philosophers.

An extensive and varied College programme of academic lectures, topical talks and thought-provoking Sunday evening sermons offer academic enrichment and intellectual challenge through the year.

Our student-led Philosophy Society runs socials and events attended by undergraduates, postgraduates, Fellows and visiting academics.

Thomas Hobbes, a St John's alumnus, is one of a handful of truly great political philosophers and a founder of modern political philosophy. His 1651 masterwork Leviathan stands alongside the political writings of Plato and Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant, and Rawls.

Watch this video to find out more about studying Philosophy at St John's College.

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Our academics

Director of Studies

Sub-Director of Studies

Professor Alexander Bird

Fellow

Director of Studies

Sub-Director of Studies

Dr Leah Downey

Fellow

Director of Studies

Sub-Director of Studies

Professor Jane Heal

Fellow

Director of Studies

Sub-Director of Studies

Dr Jessie Munton

Fellow

Course structure and information

Philosophy Tripos students receive a solid grounding in central areas of analytic philosophy and history of philosophy, with freedom to explore their interests in areas like ethics, ancient philosophy, formal logic, philosophy of science and metaphysics.

Find out more about the course structure and what to expect when studying at St John's College.

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Supporting your studies

Academic skills support

All St John's students have access to academic skills support throughout their studies. Academic skills workshops are offered throughout the academic year, and focus on a variety of topics including general study tips, essay-writing skills and revision strategies.

Some subjects hold compulsory academic skills workshops during the Michaelmas term. If you require individual support you can contact one of our Academic Skills Advisers, who each have a range of specialities, including essay writing tips, numeracy, presentation skills, prioritisation and revision skills. We have specialists in Arts and Humanities and in STEM, and in particular in Engineering.

Writer-in-residence

The College's Writer-in-residence programme brings award-winning professional writers into the St John's community to interact with students and encourage participation in the contemporary literature scene.

As well as organising guest readings and other events that are open to anyone across the University, the Writer-in-residence, Vona Groarke, runs informal reading and discussion groups exclusively for St John's students and staff, and offers one-to-one meetings to any St John's students who are keen to experiment with and develop their own creative writing.

Every year, applications from students of St John's are invited to apply for Travel Exhibitions and Grants, for the promotion of travel.

Travel Grants

There are currently more than 20 travel grants available to students of St John's, made possible by generous donor funding. These funds are available to help students extend and develop their subject knowledge by, for example, travelling to archaeological sites abroad, further international understanding, undertake adventurous travel and much more.

Discover student life

meet our students

Philosophy is for people interested in the nitty-gritty of how the world works. It’s about asking the biggest questions that can be asked - why we do things, and why we do them the way we do

Theo, Philosophy, undergraduate

More

Philosophy is for people interested in the nitty-gritty of how the world works. It’s about asking the biggest questions that can be asked - why we do things, and why we do them the way we do

Theo, Philosophy, undergraduate

Less

Philosophy is all about big ideas. I took A-levels in Maths, Physics, Religious Studies, and Politics - a really good foundation for studying Philosophy at Cambridge, as they all develop logic and analytical skills.

I feel incredibly lucky to have come to Cambridge, and especially to St John’s. I learned to row here, and thanks to the amazing Lady Margaret Boat Club and its fantastic novice rowing programme, I’ve been able to get really good at it.

A big draw to St John’s was that the Head of the University’s Faculty of Philosophy is based here. He was my Director of Studies and was always very supportive.

A friend and I started the St John’s Philosophy Society. I’m now Secretary, and it’s been great fun — we’ve hosted speaker events, socials, and an inaugural dinner. It’s been really rewarding to run something like this and feel so supported by the College.

Applying

Studying Philosophy at St John’s is intellectually rigorous. We will look for excellent examination grades and a strong school reference to support equally outstanding predicted grades. Philosophy A-level is not required to support your application; competitive candidates often combine Mathematics with an arts/science mix or essay-based subjects.

Whether or not you are studying Philosophy at school, we’ll be looking for candidates who have engaged with the subject on their own initiative.

A good starting point would be any of the great podcasts such as Philosophy Bites, or the more philosophical episodes of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time.

Introductory books like Simon Blackburn’s Think should nudge you towards the classics – maybe Descartes’ Meditations for a start – and you could explore Philosophy in the context of technology, science and medical issues.

There are excellent online talks you could attend too to widen your exposure to different aspects of Philosophy.

If you are invited to interview, this will typically be conducted by the Director of Studies and Fellows in Philosophy and last for around 45 minutes. No specific preparation is required.

In a relaxed and informal conversation, we will talk about your motivation and aptitude for the course, perhaps drawing on points in your personal statement, as well as other topics. We’ll explore your critical thinking skills through various questions – there are no right or wrong answers. Examples of the type of questions that you might be asked are:

What value does Philosophy have?
Does it have any value for society as a whole? And does it matter what kind of value Philosophy has?
Is there any important difference between being able to explain an event and being able to predict it?
Does beautiful natural scenery have value if no-one is there to enjoy it?

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Life after St John's

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Our societies

Philosophical Society

We promote the study and popularisation of Philosophy outside of the course at Cambridge.

Philosophy as a discipline is multifaceted, from metaphysics to aesthetics, Wittgenstein to Sartre, and anyone can become quickly engrossed in its study.

Cambridge is second to none with its philosophical history, with St John’s itself having alumni including Thomas Hobbes and Margaret Cavendish.

All students and researchers of Philosophy at St John’s are automatically members of the society, including undergraduates, postgraduates, Fellows and other researchers. However, anyone with interested in philosophy is welcome to attend our events.

Find out more Visit society's website

Discover all societies

Notable alumni

Mike Brearley

1960

Cricketer, Psychoanalyst

Nobel Laureate

Royal Medal winner

Academy Award winner

Pulitzer Prize winner

Olympic Medal winner

Poet Laureate

Brearley captained the England cricket team in 31 of his 39 Test matches in 1977-81. He had given up a lectureship in Philosophy at Newcastle to become captain of Middlesex, leading them to four county championships over a decade. In the 1981 Ashes, his leadership skills came to the fore: with England 1-0 down after two Tests, he was brought in and spurred his team to three wins. On retiring from cricket, he trained as a psychoanalyst. He has written The Art of Captaincy, On Form and Turning Over the Pebbles: A Life in Cricket and in the Mind.

Thomas Hobbes

1608

Philosopher

Nobel Laureate

Royal Medal winner

Academy Award winner

Pulitzer Prize winner

Olympic Medal winner

Poet Laureate

By Jan Baptist Jaspers © St John's College, Cambridge

In Europe during the English Civil War, Hobbes met Galileo, Descartes and other great philosophers. His Leviathan sought a rational grounding for the authority of the state based on people's desire to avoid natural anarchy. He set out an unpopular rationale for an unaccountable sovereign, but in doing so defined 'social contact theory', addressing a world where people give up freedoms to an authority in order to have basic rights guaranteed. He questioned who should carry this authority and the part that religion plays – still relevant today.