Philosophy
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Philosophy Summer Courses
Explore some of the biggest questions about knowledge, morality and human existence with Atlas Summer Courses. Our two-week Philosophy summer courses, available for students aged 13–15, 16–17 and 18–24, give you the opportunity to examine challenging ideas, question assumptions and develop arguments of your own.
Through discussion, analysis and independent study, you'll engage with philosophical questions and different ways of thinking while developing your ability to reason carefully, evaluate arguments and communicate your ideas clearly.
What's Included?
Your residential Philosophy summer course includes academic teaching, accommodation, meals, a certificate on completion, airport transfer from Heathrow and insurance.
Choose from Plus, Superior and Premier packages, with accommodation and additional benefits varying by package.
What Is Philosophy?
Philosophy explores fundamental questions about knowledge, reality, morality, reasoning and what it means to live a good life.
Rather than simply looking for a single correct answer, philosophy asks you to examine the reasoning behind different positions. You might question what makes an action right or wrong, whether we can be certain about what we know, or what responsibilities individuals have towards one another.
Studying philosophy means learning to identify assumptions, analyse arguments and consider perspectives that may challenge your own.
A Philosophy summer course gives you the opportunity to explore these questions in greater depth and develop a more rigorous approach to thinking and argument.
What Will You Study on a Philosophy Summer Course?
There is no prescribed syllabus that every student follows. Atlas Summer Courses tutors create their own syllabi, drawing on their expertise while taking the interests, abilities and learning needs of their students into account.
Depending on your course and age group, you could explore areas such as ethics, logic, political philosophy, theories of knowledge, philosophy of mind or questions about identity and existence.
You might consider questions such as:
- What makes an action morally right or wrong?
- How can we know whether something is true?
- What makes an argument convincing?
- Do we have free will?
- What makes a society just?
- What does it mean to be the same person over time
The depth and approach will reflect the age group you're studying with. Tutors can also develop the course around their own areas of expertise and the interests of their students.
Any syllabus shown on our website is an example from a previous course rather than a guarantee of the exact topics you'll study.
How You'll Learn on a Philosophy Summer Course
How you'll study Philosophy depends on your age group, with each programme designed to provide an appropriate level of academic challenge and independence.
Ages 13–15
24 hours of small-group seminars
You'll take part in eight seminars where you'll explore philosophical ideas through interactive discussion, arguments, case studies and activities. You'll be encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions and explain the reasoning behind your views.
12 hours of private study
Between seminars, you'll complete independent work that could involve reading, considering a philosophical problem, developing an argument or preparing a presentation.
Ages 16–17 and 18–24
18 hours of small-group seminars
You'll take part in six three-hour seminars, exploring philosophical questions and arguments through discussion, case studies and activities.
2 hours of tutorials
You'll have one tutorial each week, providing a focused environment in which to discuss the essay or problem sheet you've been working on and receive detailed feedback.
Around 20 hours of private study
You'll complete reading in preparation for seminars and work independently on an essay or problem sheet for each tutorial.
Across all age groups, you'll be encouraged to participate actively, consider competing arguments and develop the confidence to explain and defend your own reasoning.
Who Are Our Philosophy Summer Courses For?
Our Philosophy summer courses are designed for students who enjoy asking difficult questions, discussing ideas and considering different ways of looking at a problem.
You don't need to have studied Philosophy before. The course may particularly appeal to you if you enjoy debate, questioning assumptions or thinking about questions concerning morality, knowledge, society and human experience.
You'll develop transferable skills including critical thinking, logical reasoning, analysing arguments, independent study and communicating complex ideas clearly.
If you're interested in combining philosophy with questions about politics and economics, you can also explore our PPE summer courses.
Learn from Expert Tutors
Atlas Summer Courses tutors are experienced educators and subject specialists active across academia, industry and education.
They bring their own academic expertise and interests into their teaching and have the freedom to shape their syllabus around both their specialism and the students in their group. This allows each Philosophy summer course to explore different questions, thinkers and approaches while maintaining an appropriate level of academic challenge.
Tutors are confirmed closer to the summer, so profiles on our website are examples of tutors who have previously taught with us rather than confirmation of who will teach your course.
Where Can Philosophy Take You?
Philosophy connects with a wide range of subjects across the humanities and social sciences.
Students interested in the field may go on to study Philosophy itself or related subjects such as PPE, politics, law, theology, ethics or other humanities disciplines.
The reasoning, analytical and communication skills associated with Philosophy can also be valuable across future paths in areas such as law, public policy, research, journalism, education, business and consulting.
A Philosophy summer course gives you the opportunity to explore the subject before making longer-term academic decisions and discover which philosophical questions interest you most.
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Explore our full range of courses by subject, age, and location using our course finder. With over 40 subjects available across top locations, there’s something for everyone.
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FAQs about Our Summer Courses
No. You don't usually need to have studied your chosen subject before joining an Atlas Summer Courses summer course. Courses are designed for the relevant age group, and tutors can adapt their approach to the abilities, interests and experience of the students in their group.
There is no fixed curriculum that every student follows. Our tutors create their own syllabi based on their academic expertise and the interests and learning needs of their students.
This means the exact topics can vary between courses and years. Any syllabus or topics shown on our website are examples from previous courses and shouldn't be taken as a guarantee of exactly what you'll study.
Teaching depends on your age group. Students aged 9–12 and Scholars aged 12–14 learn through structured, interactive small-group classes. Students aged 13–15 combine small-group seminars with private study, while students aged 16–17 and 18–24 experience seminars, tutorials and independent study.
Across our programmes, teaching is designed to encourage active participation, questioning and independent thinking rather than simply listening to lectures.
Your course includes your academic programme, accommodation, meals and a certificate on completion, alongside the activities and experiences included within your programme.
What's included can vary depending on the programme, age group and package you choose, so we recommend checking the individual course details for the full inclusions before applying.
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Choose from over 40 subjects taught through flexible, age-appropriate programmes. Our tutors adapt their teaching methodologies to different age groups and shape course content around students’ interests, rather than following a fixed curriculum.
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