What I enjoy most about my programme is the countless opportunities available to students to get involved in the life of the Department
Why did you choose to study Philosophy, Religion and Ethics at the University of Sheffield?
I chose to study Philosophy, Religion and Ethics at Sheffield due to the wide range of modules offered- ranging from logic and philosophy of language, to the study of lived religion and ethics. Regardless of the research interests, there are always lecturers in the department who are experts in the field. I really liked seeing that the staff from the Philosophy Department cover all areas of philosophy, as in many other universities there is too much focus on one particular branch of philosophy, whereas here you have the possibility to specialise in any topic relating to philosophy or religion.
What do you enjoy most about your programme?
What I enjoy most about my programme is the countless opportunities available to students to get involved in the life of the Department or the university in general. At the moment, I am a student representative, I work as a student ambassador on open days and will soon start tutoring first year students who take logic modules. In the past 2 years I helped organise the Undergraduate Philosophy Conference and I was a marker for Sheffield Philosophy Undergraduate Journal.
What does your typical week look like?
At the moment, a typical week involves lectures and seminars on Monday, Thursday and Friday, with Tuesday and Wednesday off, when I’m able to do the reading for the seminars. Usually after lectures I go for a coffee with some friends to discuss the material explained and end up having long but rewarding philosophical discussions. On the weekends, I tend to conduct some research for my application to the SURE scheme, which is a project funded by the University that allows students to perform research on a topic of their choosing with a member of staff, something I am very excited about.
What is the community like in the Department of Philosophy?
Everyone in the Department of Philosophy is incredibly friendly and supportive. I remember that when I first started my degree, I thought that I would find it difficult to make friends and approach lecturers, but nothing could be further from the truth! The seminars proved to be a great chance to meet new people and all the lecturers encourage students to come to office hours and discuss any issues they might have regarding their progress. The Student Experience Team is also keen on helping you with any issues that impact your studies or social life and they helped me on multiple occasions.
What is your favourite thing about the city of Sheffield?
My favourite thing would have to be the numerous green spaces across the city- whether you want a quiet stroll through the park or simply to read a good book on a sunny day, Sheffield has it all! For instance, Weston Park Museum is right next to the Students Union and is my first choice of relaxing when the weather allows it.
Are you involved in any clubs or societies?
This year I am the treasurer of the Philosophy Society and so far we have organised a variety of social and academic events, such as bar crawls, quiz nights and a Winter Ball. Also, we have held two lecturer debates on the topics of: “Do we have a soul?” and “Is morality real?”, which were amazing! We are planning to hold a couple more debates, a Summer Ball and a barbecue- it is quite a bit of work, but definitely worth it!
What skills have you developed during your course that will be useful after you graduate?
For the past 2 years I have learned not only how to better understand an argument presented to me, but also how to critically assess it. Philosophy teaches you how to think for yourself above all and how to challenge the implicit assumptions of any line of thought. This, in turn, promotes “thinking outside the box” which is valuable in any sort of job!
What advice would you give students thinking about doing your course?
My main advice would be to just go for it! If you find yourself intrigued by philosophical questions, then you should absolutely consider doing a course in Philosophy, even if you don’t know much about it: during your degree, you will be exposed to a wide range of ideas and concepts and, more importantly in my opinion, you will have the opportunity to offer your own analysis of them. The only genuine pre-requisite to a philosophy degree is passion for it.