Philosophy, Pyschology and Sociology
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Philosophy, Pyschology and Sociology
What is the current thinking on these three A levels? Are they considered hard or soft options? Which one would be considered the most academic and best fit for an English degree? Thanks DG
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Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
I reckon philosophy has the most kudos and would help with structuring arguments in any subject
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Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
What about English language A level? What would be better Eng Lang or Philsophy to go alongside English Lit and History? DG
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Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
I don't think universities accept both English Language and Literature, it's either/or.
Philosophy would be my preferred option out of your three subjects.
Philosophy would be my preferred option out of your three subjects.
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
I teach psychology and sociology. Psychology is more scientific and includes biological topics. Sociology is focussed on contemporary issues and is based on the ability to develop reasoned arguements. I have had students who have taken both these subjects and then gone on to study English at Uni but sociology seems to fit particularly well as you are using very similar skills (true also of history). Last year we had a student who took English, Sociology and History and they went on to study History at Cambridge. My advice is to take the subject you are most interested in.
p.s. At my school sociology achieves better results than psychology (maybe something for you to look into)
p.s. At my school sociology achieves better results than psychology (maybe something for you to look into)
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
Master yoyo has philosophy A level with English and psychology , he is starting a degree in philosophy, they are not easy options...
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
A bit off-topic, but why would it be either/or for English Lit and English Language? What is in the English language syllabus? Isn't it linguistics-based? If so, it's quite a different beast to English Lit.
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
This might help Daogroupie
http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images ... _Truth.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images ... _Truth.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Some universities seem more generous torwards these subjects than others. Cardiff and Exeter for example seem to have a good number with psychology or sociology while Imperial and Oxford clearly hate these.The hard truth: a snapshot
• At Oxford, more students were accepted in 2007-08 with Further Mathematics A-level (711) than Accounting,
Art & Design, Business Studies, Communication Studies, Design & Technology, Drama/Theatre Studies, Film
Studies, Home Economics, ICT, Law, Media Studies, Music Technology, Psychology, Sociology, Sports
Studies/Physical Education and Travel & Tourism A-level combined (overall 494 of these subjects were
accepted).
• Biology, Chemistry, Further Mathematics, Mathematics and Physics comprised close to half of all accepted Alevels for Bristol (49.8%) and UCL (46.9%).
• More than three times as many Economics A-levels (640) were accepted at Nottingham University than
Sociology (193) or Drama/Theatre Studies (165). These two subjects are both more popular than Economics at
A-level in schools.
• More than four times as many A-levels were accepted in French at Warwick University (331) as in Law (82). Law
is more popular than French at A-level in schools.
• More than four times as many A-levels were accepted in Physics at Manchester University (1875) than in Media
and Film Studies combined (403).
• More A-levels were accepted in Latin (272) at Oxford than Business Studies, Law, Psychology and Sociology
combined (214).
Sociology and Psychology
- Although they do not appear on the Cambridge or LSE non-preferred subject lists, we looked at Sociology and
Psychology because they are now so popular (Psychology is now the third most popular A-level excluding
General Studies), and because they remain the subject of considerable debate about their academic rigour.
Together these subjects comprise 10.2% of all A-levels studied by 16-18 year olds at school.
-However, at research-intensive universities these subjects comprised an average of 6.7% of A-levels accepted,
with 81% of all research-intensive universities falling below the 10.2% average uptake for schools.
-Uptake was particularly low for Imperial (0.7%), Oxford (1.2%) and St Andrews (2.9%).
Impossible is Nothing.
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Socialogy
Interesting figures. However it may to some extent reflect the A level choices of those pupils who have already decided they want to apply to the top universities, which will predominantly be from the sorts of schools which don't offer the "less approved" subjects anyway - becomes a vicious circle. As far as I know, they would not automatically exclude from consideration someone who was taking one such subject together with two or three more "respected" ones
Mind you, left to me everyone would do science & maths (perhaps with some music and an MFL) anyway!
Mind you, left to me everyone would do science & maths (perhaps with some music and an MFL) anyway!
Re: Philosophy, Pyschology and Sociology
According to the RAE rankings of university research, Essex is one of the top 10 universities.
Massive Sociology department, with sociology very much a desired subject.
Like all reports, you have to know how to read them!
Massive Sociology department, with sociology very much a desired subject.
Like all reports, you have to know how to read them!