The Postgraduate Certificate in Philosophy is a part-time course in philosophy aimed at those with a degree in the arts, humanities and social or natural sciences. Taught over a series of 2-day teaching weekends and supporting one-to-one supervisions, the course explores a range of philosophical topics, from ancient philosophy to existentialism.
The first unit examines the origins of our notions of truth and reality by exploring a variety of texts from the ancient world. In the second unit, students will consider how these ideas developed in early modernity as scientific enquiry takes hold. In the third unit, students will grapple with existentialism.
Throughout, students will engage in one-to-one supervisions and will be asked to choose one element of the taught content to relate to a contemporary problem in modern life, such as artificial intelligence or post-truth politics.
Students may use this course as a progression route to further postgraduate study at university. Prior study in philosophy is helpful but is not essential.
Course Dates
Course details
Tutors
Key course information
Watch the information session for the Postgraduate Certificate in Philosophy from our Postgraduate Open Week 2025.
Who is the course designed for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in philosophy. More specifically, it will appeal to:
- students who have completed Professional and Continuing Education’s Advanced Diploma (level 6) courses, or another level 6 qualification
- students particularly interested in, amongst other things, the history of philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of language, existentialism and continental philosophy
- anyone wishing to improve their analytic, critical and creative thinking, or anyone wishing to progress to further postgraduate study in philosophy
Aims of the programme
The Postgraduate Certificate in Philosophy aims to:
- provide students with specialist knowledge and understanding of philosophical ideas and concepts at the frontiers of philosophical debate and research
- enable students to acquire and develop the skills necessary to conduct critical analysis and evaluation at the highest levels
- develop the student’s ability to analyse and evaluate different methods for conducting independent and collaborative research
We welcome applications from students with a variety of backgrounds and professional experiences. As part of our admissions process, you’ll need to meet certain requirements and make sure you’re able to attend teaching sessions in the UK.
Standard entry requirements
Typically, we expect a good UK undergraduate degree, such as a 2.1, or international equivalent in the arts, humanities and social or natural sciences.
English language requirements
Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. For more information, visit Postgraduate and Master's admissions and the University’s English language requirements.
Visa information
We welcome applications from international students. If you’re coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission.
It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions. To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website.
Teaching and learning on the course is delivered through a combination of presentations by the tutor, a range of interactive and participative methods of teaching and learning, and through reading and assignments to be undertaken by students outside of the teaching sessions. Such interactive and participative methods of teaching and learning may include:
- small and whole group exercises
- projects
- case studies
- structured seminar discussion
- videos
- oral presentations
The course will be supported by our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
In addition to attending both the in-person teaching during each day school and submitting assignments, you’ll need to set aside time for independent study. Credit is generally calculated in terms of hours of study and assumes that each credit is awarded for around 10 hours of successful learning. So, by this calculation, a 60-credit course will involve around 600 hours of successful study. Examples of how study may be broken down include:
pre-class preparation
classroom time (lectures, seminars, discussion, presentations, debates, case-studies)
engagement with the VLE
peer-to-peer interaction
preparations for assignments
assignment writing and feedback
Teaching
The Postgraduate Certificate is divided into 3 units which are structured chronologically spanning philosophical thought, ancient to modern. Each of the 3 units is taught via a 2-day teaching block and an individual supervision. Students are expected to attend all of the teaching blocks and their supervisions throughout the year.
Below are the expected teaching dates for this course. If they change, we'll update offer-holders in line with the University's terms of admission.
Unit 1
Topics in Ancient Philosophy: Reason and the Self
Teaching dates: 10 and 11 October 2026
In this unit, students will critically examine ancient, Hellenistic schools of thought. Students will explore the way in which philosophy promotes both an inward-looking approach (the cultivation of the individual through self-reflection and self-understanding, often motivated by searching, 'maieutic' questioning by others) and an outward-looking moment of social engagement, dialogue and action. The principle at work here is that positive contributions to community and society are best accomplished by individuals who 'know themselves'. In individual supervisions, students will be tasked with understanding the contemporary application of this thinking.
Unit 2
Topics in Modern Philosophy: Kant on Reason and Intuition
Teaching dates: 6 and 7 February 2027
How is knowledge acquired? How should the philosopher proceed in understanding the world? This unit will explore Kant’s answers to these questions and place them in the context of 18th-century discourses on the role of reason for philosophical speculation. In class, students will undertake a detailed examination of Kant’s 'On a Newly Arisen Superior Tone in Philosophy’, and ask: can philosophical knowledge be obtained through a private intuition? In supervisions, students will further discuss the methodology of philosophical work, and ask: what should be the “tone” of philosophy today?
Unit 3
Topics in Existentialism: Kierkegaard’s Existential Thought
Teaching dates: 8 and 9 May 2027
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) has been called ‘the father of existentialism’. His work has been pivotal for major subsequent figures in European Philosophy, from Husserl and Heidegger to Sartre and Merleau-Ponty, Derrida and Deleuze. But Kierkegaard’s contributions are difficult to pin down, not least because of the ways his enigmatic texts resist interpretation in terms of theories and doctrines. This final unit will introduce Kierkegaard’s idea of a radical alternative to systematic philosophy. Topics covered will include: the limits of reason, the use of ethical exemplars, the earnest thought of death, and the essence of tragedy.
Tutor
Dr Alex Carter is Academic Director for Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies at Professional and Continuing Education. As a supporter of philosophy that not only informs contemporary debates but actively effects change, he encourages students to examine the real ways in which philosophical problems affect our lives. “The Postgraduate Certificate in Philosophy exemplifies this commitment by applying ancient, modern and existential thought to social, scientific and ethical problems of today,” he says. “Students take up those problems that matter to them, using philosophical techniques to expose, analyse and respond to the pain of the problem.”
Assessment
You will be required to submit summative assignments totalling 11,500 to 14,500 words across the course, further details of which will be given in the course guide when available.
Fees
The total fees for this course are shown above in 'Course details'.
To understand which fee status applies to you, whether as a home or overseas student, visit the University’s fee status page.
To help you manage your finances more comfortably, you can pay the fee in instalments. See how to pay for more.
There are also some additional costs you’ll need to cover as part of this course. These are usually:
- an application fee of £85, unless you're eligible for a fee waiver, payable online
- any travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for the residential teaching sessions held in Cambridge
Funding
We're dedicated to reducing and removing financial barriers to learning. Visit financial support ahead of the application deadline to find out what options may be available to help you in your studies. You can explore external funding and stay up to date on our concessions and bursaries.
Considering applying? We look forward to receiving your application. We consider applications on a 'gathered field' basis, reviewing them all together after the application deadline.
Key timings for your application
- The application deadline is 28 May 2026.
- We’ll hold interviews for shortlisted candidates, dates to be confirmed.
- If you're shortlisted, we'll contact you in the weeks before interviews to arrange a time and format for yours.
How to apply and what you'll need
The ‘Apply now’ button will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can:
- create, save, and submit your application
- upload your supporting documents
- submit and manage your references
- pay your application fee
- track your application
Supporting documents
When you submit your application, you’ll need to provide supporting information.
CV
Upload an up-to-date resume.
Sample of writing
Upload a sample of your work (around 500 words) from either of the two options below:
- a sample of recent work from the last 3 years
- an answer to the question: ‘What, if anything, is significant about Kierkegaard’s claim in ‘Concluding Unscientific Postscript’ that “God does not think, he creates; God does not exist, he is eternal”?’
Qualifications and transcripts
Upload details of degree-level courses you have completed or are studying.
References
Submit contact details for 2 referees, who we will contact on your behalf.
For more information on applying and admissions, see Postgraduate and Master's admissions.
We're committed to supporting you in your learning journey, and we offer a variety of support opportunities to meet individual needs. Visit student support to find out more about how we can help.
