BSc Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method

at London School of Economics

This programme involves studying courses to the value of 12 units over three years, plus LSE100. The programme offers a great deal of choice. In a nutshell: beyond the compulsory philosophy courses, you can put together an approved programme of study according to your interests from a large selection of philosophy options and the tremendous range of outstanding social science courses at LSE. 

Language specialism
Students who have taken and passed a one unit language course in each year of their degree (ie, 25 per cent of their overall programme of study) will be offered the opportunity to receive a language specialism attached to their degree certificate and transcript. Students must take all courses in the same language (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin or Russian) in order to qualify for the specialism. The three courses must also be consecutively harder in level, for example: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Students who choose to take language courses are not obligated to receive a specialism, but have the option if they wish. Degree certificates which include a language specialism will state the language in the title, for example: BSc Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method (with French).

First year 
In your first year, you take three compulsory courses: The Big Questions, Introduction to Logic and either Historical and Global Perspectives or Intermediate Logic. You also select two further courses from the range of options offered by other departments. In addition, you will ​also take LSE100.

(* denotes a half unit course)

The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy
Provides an introduction to analytical philosophy by using classic and contemporary texts to study a selection of philosophical problems. 

Introduction to Logic*
Introduces the basic system of modern formal logic, including propositional logic and predicate logic.

And Either

Historical and Global Perspectives on Philosophy*
Explores the multitude of philosophical traditions and schools around the globe, focussing on specific topics of relevance to the philosophical research taking place at LSE.

Or

Intermediate Logic*
Focuses on concepts and theories that are useful for a deeper understanding and critical analysis of claims and arguments, both in contemporary philosophical research and in the social and natural sciences.

Two approved outside options 

LSE100*
A half unit, running across Michaelmas and Lent Term in the first year, LSE100 is compulsory for all LSE undergraduate students, and is designed to build your capacity to tackle multidimensional problems through research-rich education.

Second year
In the second year, you will take the course Philosophy of Science and choose courses to the value of three units from the Philosophy options list, which includes a wide variety of courses in the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, including both theoretical and applied moral and political philosophy, philosophy of mind and language, and further logic, as well as some philosophical courses taught outside the department, such as courses on literature and philosophy. One of your courses may be an approved outside option from a range of LSE departments. 

Philosophy of Science 
 

• Explores the philosophical underpinnings of modern science.
• Up to three courses from the philosophy options list  (can include an approved outside option)

Third year 
In the third year, you take up to four courses from the philosophy options list, which again includes some philosophical third year courses taught outside the department, such as Jurisprudence (philosophy of law). One of your courses may be an approved outside option from a range of LSE departments. 

Up to four courses from the philosophy options list (can include an approved outside option)

Below we list our entry requirements in terms of GCSEs, A-Levels (the entry requirements should be read alongside our A-level subject combinations information) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We accept a wide range of other qualifications from the UK and from overseas. 

GCSEs

• A strong set of GCSE grades including a significant number at A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9)
• GCSE English Language and Mathematics no lower than B (or 6)
• We also consider your overall GCSE subject profile

A-levels*

AAA
We also consider your AS grades, if available.

Contextual admissions A-level grades**
AAB

IB Diploma
38 points overall, with 766 at higher level

Contextual admissions IB grades**
37 points overall, with 666 at higher level

Every undergraduate student is charged a fee for each year of their programme.

The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees

Home students:
The 2023 tuition fee for new Home students has not yet been set. As a guide the 2022 fee for Home students is £9,250 per year. The Home student undergraduate fee may rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Philosophy

Median salary of our UG students six months after graduating: £37,500

Top 5 sectors our students work in:
 

• Financial and Professional Services
• Accounting and Auditing
• Consultancy
• Government, Public Sector and Policy
• Information, Digital Technology and Data

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2018-19 were the second group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

A philosophy degree will prepare you with serious training for a number of important transferable skills such as creative problem solving, critical analysis, argument construction and persuasive writing.

Our graduates have excellent job prospects. A recent Guardian survey ranks us as the Department with far and away the best job prospects in the UK for philosophy graduates. Recent graduates have gone on to work in banking and financial services, government, management consultancy, media and education, and have also proved very successful in gaining entry to graduate programmes.