Philosophy, Religion and Professional Education

Course description

How are our minds related to our bodies? Do we really have free will? What is knowledge (as distinct from merely true belief) and what can we really know – about the world around us, about other people, or about ourselves? How can we be confident we know what is right and wrong, just and unjust? And what would it take to live a morally good life? You have just been posed some typical philosophical questions, and if you seriously want to search for the answers then this is the course for you. Our degree course will challenge you to develop a strong set of critical, imaginative and informed reasoning skills, and deepen your understanding of the nature of the human mind, of language, of morality and politics, of art, of science, and of logic. We offer breadth and variety in this course. Some modules focus on particular historical figures, allowing students to really get to grips with one famous philosopher’s ideas – and how subsequent generations have argued over those ideas. Thinkers whom we study in depth include Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Mill, Marx, Wittgenstein, and Heidegger. O

Understanding religion in different contexts and developing the transferable skills of critical thinking, communication, research and analysis, make Religion graduates an invaluable resource for today’s employers. At Stirling we are committed to approaching ‘religion’ in a critical manner, in two broad senses: Firstly: We question the fundamental category of ‘religion’. It is sometimes assumed to be a ‘thing’ that simply exists, and this is where, in part, the idea that we can study ‘religions’ as entities in any society or context comes from.

The opportunity to work with young adults to help them fulfil their potential must surely rank as one of the most important and influential roles anyone can take up as a career. What are the complex processes that underpin both learning and teaching within classrooms and other ‘learning spaces’? How can we use expert knowledge and developed experience of these processes to maximise the quality of education experienced by all our young people? Choosing to study Secondary Education at Stirling will involve exploring these and other core pedagogical beliefs, issues and practices and lead to one of the most rewarding and challenging career choices available to any graduate. You will usually follow eight semesters (four years) which leads to an Honours degree in the chosen teaching subject(s) and Professional Education. Alternatively, seven semesters (three and a half years) lead either to a General degree, or to a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Education. General degree students may only be able to qualify in one teaching subject.

Subjects

• Philosophy
• Educational studies
• Religious studies