Philosophy Course (Level 3 Diploma)

A distance learning course is the ideal way to gain a Level 3 Diploma in Philosophy. Whether you're looking to go on to further education, improve your job prospects or expand your knowledge, distance learning Diploma in Philosophy is a flexible and convenient course, which allows you to comprehensively prepare for an exam or career through home study. What's more, because the distance learning Level 3 Diploma in Philosophy course is a fully comprehensive course, no prior knowledge is required.

This Quality Assured Level 3 Diploma in Philosophy introduces you to all of the central topics of Philosophy. It is designed for those seeking to explore Philosophy for personal development, for enjoyment, and for those seeking a solid preparation for degree level study in the subject.

Throughout the course you will be encouraged to think critically about a wide range of philosophical issues. In doing so you will develop an understanding of the discipline and develop your ability to think clearly and to argue effectively. Philosophy is a hugely rewarding subject. It will help you to develop intellectual skills that will enhance your personal life and be valuable in your career.

Benefits of the Course

Students will expect to derive the following benefits from the diploma course:

A thorough grounding in all of the central areas of philosophy
An introduction to the ideas of a wide range of classical and contemporary philosophers
An ability to conduct philosophical argument
An opportunity to explore and challenge personal beliefs
An enhanced ability to analyse arguments and to think critically

COURSE KEY TOPICS 

Module One - Moral Philosophy
Module Two - Applied Ethics
Module Three - Political Philosophy
Module Four - Epistemology
Module Five - Philosophy of Mind
Module Six - Metaphysics
Module Seven - An Introduction to Logic
Module Eight - Philosophy of Religion
Module Nine - Aesthetics
Module Ten - Philosophy of History

HOME STUDY SUPPORT

You will be provided with comprehensive materials designed to provide you with everything required to complete your course of study. You will have your own personal tutor helping you with your course work and with any questions you may have. Plus you can contact our Student Advisors by email or phone for all the practical advice you may need – so we really are with you 100%.

What's more, you'll have access to the online student portal, where you can interact with other students, browse our resource library and manage your account.

COURSE ASSESSMENT

When you have completed the programme, your tutor needs to verify that you have worked through all parts of any Workbooks, Activities and Exercises successfully.

100% of the final mark is made up of an online multiple choice exam.

Upon verification of the activities, exercises and assignments, you will be awarded your diploma by OLQA as confirmation that your written work has met all of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for the programme.

COURSE DURATION

We recommended you spend approximately 200 hours of your time studying for the course name. The pace of study is completely up to you. To give an example, if you dedicate 4 hours a week to the course it would take you a year to complete but if you could spare 8 hours a week you could complete it in six months.

Get started today, and you can earn your Level 3 Diploma in Philosophy in as little as six months, or take up to a year, if you prefer – the choice is yours.

HOME STUDY COURSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

All Students must be 16 years of age or above.

The good news is that no prior learning knowledge or experience is essential to take this course. This course is openly available to anyone wishing to learn more about Philosophy and would like to take part in a highly rewarding home study course. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and study further, so we try to keep our entry requirements to a minimum.

You have the freedom to start the course at any time and continue your studies at your own pace for a period of up to 12 months from initial registration with full tutor support.

The OLQA Level 3 Philosophy course is divided into ten comprehensive modules:

Module One - Moral Philosophy
This module looks at central traditional and contemporary disputes in moral philosophy. People are commonly moral relativists but is this view defensible? The consequences of our actions are often thought to be morally relevant, but are they the only consideration? In this module we will look at alternative answers to these questions.

Module Two - Applied Ethics
In this module what we have learnt from the first module is applied to animal ethics, environmental ethics, and the controversy surrounding abortion. Ethical issues are always in the news and in this module we develop the philosophical skills needed to assess them.

Module Three - Political Philosophy
Here we look at the social contract and the extent to which we are obliged to obey our rulers. This takes us to classical texts by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, and important contemporary texts by John Rawls and Robert Nozick. We also consider social justice and why we should care about inequality. Should we, as Nozick thinks, accept any amount of inequality so long as people have well protected property rights?

Module Four - Epistemology
What is the basis of our belief in an external world? Can we be certain about anything? In epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, we consider the reliability of our perceptions. We draw on Descartes, Locke, Russell, Berkeley, and Kant to ask whether a mind-independent world really exists. We also look at the major contemporary contribution to epistemology made by John McDowell in his book Mind and World.

Module Five - Philosophy of Mind
Are we composed of mind and body are we merely physical things? How can you be sure that other people have minds? Are you the same person today that you were last year? These issues (mind-body dualism, the problem of other minds, and personal identity) are considered on this module, drawing on the works of Descartes, Davidson, and Wittgenstein.

Module Six - Metaphysics
In this module we consider two central themes in metaphysics. First we look at the problem of universals. Individual objects can be red, hard, and so on. People can be brave or good. But do such things as redness, hardness, courage, and goodness exist? Then we consider freedom of will. We appear to freely decide what to do from moment to moment. We make plans and try to execute them. But is free will merely an illusion?

Module Seven - An Introduction to Logic
A large part of the philosopher's task is to examine arguments. It can be important to have a grasp of an argument's underlying logic in order to assess its merits. This module introduces some of the techniques logicians use to uncover the logic behind what people say.

Module Eight - Philosophy of Religion
Does God exist? Doesn't the existence of natural disasters show that God is a myth? Is there life after death? On this module we consider these religious issues drawing on arguments in, among others, Descartes, Kant, and Aquinas.

Module Nine - Aesthetics
What is the value of art? Is it simply a matter of personal taste or are there objective reasons for liking a painting, sculpture, or novel? Should art be assessed according to its moral value or is art independent of morality? We look at these issues in light of long-standing debates in aesthetics.

Module Ten - Philosophy of History
In this module we draw on earlier modules in epistemology and metaphysics and religion to consider what history is. Is history merely a series of events or does it have larger meaning? What causes historical change? Is it individuals or larger changes in social structure? We draw on Hegel, Marx, and others to address these questions.

Minimum 16 years of age.