2019-20 academic year
Term 3 Activities
Advice and feedback
Although face-to-face meetings are not currently possible, members of staff in the Philosophy Department are available to meet with you virtually. We encourage all students to make an appointment to meet with your personal tutor early in Term 3 to discuss any concerns (academic or otherwise) you may have. You are encouraged to use a mutually agreeable online platform such as Teams, Skype or Zoom for such meetings.
Module tutors and course conveners will also continue to offer advice and feedback hours during which they will be available to meet with you to discuss assessments for the modules you are taking. If you are unable to meet with them during this time, please do contact them to make an appointment at another time. Details of A&F hours will be updated here before the start of Term 3: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/philosophy/people/adviceandfeedbackhours/
Students taking PH346 Issues in Contemporary Aesthetics please be aware that Karen Simecek is now on maternity leave. Diarmuid Costello will instead be happy to discuss any queries you may have concerning that module in her absence. Please also be advised that David Bather Woods is now the acting Director of Student Experience and Progression in Karen’s absence.
Revision sessions and other study support sessions
We are reviewing any planned activity for Term 3 to identify where this can be delivered online or through an alternative means. You will be notified when any decisions are finalised. Such activity is likely to include sessions for revision, advice and feedback and online versions of the Philosophy writing support programme.
Even if you are a Year 1 student who does not have any further assessment, it is still important that you continue to engage. To support this engagement, we are actively investigating more informal ways that you can ‘do Philosophy’ before returning to your studies next year.
Dissertations and Independent Projects
Dissertation and Independent Project supervision meetings should continue online. You are encouraged to use a mutually agreeable online platform such as Teams, Skype or Zoom for such meetings. Your supervisor will continue to record any meetings that have taken place on Tabula.
As with all other assessments, Dissertation and Independent Projects have been given an automatic 2 week extension. The new deadline for Dissertations and Independent Projects is therefore Thursday 21st May (see further details below).
University e-learning module for first year students
It has been announced that a University-wide online module will run during Term 3, which is designed to help first year students prepare for your second year of study.
Further information about this module can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/students/news/newsevents/summer_exams_2020_update-27-march
Module Fair and Module Pre-Registration
Unfortunately it has been necessary to cancel this year’s module fair. Instead full details of all modules running next academic year will be made available via the new online module catalogue which is scheduled to go live in Week 2.
When the module catalogue becomes available, pre-registration for Philosophy modules will open and students will be able to pre-register for their preferred modules in the normal way. We will send out an email to all Philosophy students and joint-honours students with a Philosophy component when the pre-registration forms are open.
Further information about the module pre-registration process and deadlines can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/philosophy/intranets/undergraduate/modules/optionsfair
If you are interested in taking a Philosophy module but are not either a Philosophy student or a student with a Philosophy component of a joint degree, we would encourage you to use this link to sign up for notifications so you will be informed of when the pre-registration forms open:
https://warwick.ac.uk/sitebuilder2/user/page/notifications.htm?page=/fac/soc/philosophy/intranets/undergraduate/modules/optionsfair/
Access to Library Resources
Please be aware that the Library and Learning Grids are now closed until further notice. Up to date information from the Library can be found on the Library website here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/
If you have specific concerns about access to a particular book, journal, article or resource, we would encourage you to contact the Philosophy Department’s Academic Support Librarian, Kate Courage. Further information is available here.
Assessments
First year students
All examinations for first year students scheduled for Term 3 have been cancelled.
This means that students in their first year of study will not sit examinations (or any equivalent online assessments) for the following modules:
PH132 Ideas of Freedom |
PH133/4/5 Introduction to Philosophy |
PH136 Logic 1 |
PH140 Ancient Philosophy |
PH142 Central Themes in Philosophy |
PH144 Mind and Reality |
Further information is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/students/news/newsevents/summer_exams_2020_update-27-march
First year students should also be aware that the outstanding assessments for PH143 Existence, Experience, History and PH148 Philosophy for the Real World have also been cancelled. Those students who have already submitted essays, or made significant progress with their essay and wish to submit may do so and these will be marked as a formative assignments (i.e. not for credit) and feedback will still be provided. Students should, however, still submit any assessments (including essays) for modules outside of the Philosophy Department that are currently scheduled.
Honours-level students
Alternative Assessments
All the planned honours-level examinations for the upcoming exam period will be replaced by online alternatives. Please see further details in the table below:
Module Code | Module Title | Assessment Type | Deadline |
PH140 | Ancient Philosophy (Honours students only) | 72 hour Take Home Exam | Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May |
PH201 | History of Modern Philosophy (Paper 1/2) | 72 hour Take Home Exam | Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May |
PH304 | Textual Studies | 72 hour Take Home Exam | Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May |
PH201 | History of Modern Philosophy (Paper 2/2) | 72 hour Take Home Exam | Paper released: Noon, Friday 29th May Deadline: Noon, Monday 1st June |
PH368 | Philosophy of Religion | 72 hour Take Home Exam | Paper released: Noon, Tuesday 2nd June Deadline: Noon, Friday 5th June |
PH332 | Sartre and Existentialism | 2500 Word Essay | 3pm, Wednesday 10th June |
PH346 | Issues in Contemporary Aesthetics | 2500 Word Essay | 3pm, Wednesday 10th June |
PH142 | Central Themes in Philosophy (Honours students only) | 2500 Word Essay | 3pm, Thursday 11th June |
PH252 | Epistemology | 2500 Word Essay | 3pm, Thursday 11th June |
PH373 | The Philosophy of Time | 2500 Word Essay | 3pm, Thursday 11th June |
PH210 | Logic II: Metatheory | Open Book Exam | Please refer to the Alternative Exams Portal |
PH345 | Computability Theory | Open Book Exam | Please refer to the Alternative Exams Portal |
Further information about each assessment method is available via the following links:
2500 word essays
Take home exams
Open book exams (PH210 and PH345)
Existing Assessments
For Philosophy modules which are already assessed by essay, you should submit your essay in line with the deadline as currently recorded in Tabula. Note: all deadlines have been given a 2 week extension – see further information below.
External honours-level students taking first year Philosophy modules
We are aware of a large number of honours-level students from other Departments registered on first year Philosophy modules normally assessed by examination.
We are now able to confirm that HONOURS-LEVEL STUDENTS ONLY taking first year Philosophy modules will be assessed in the following ways:
PH136 Logic 1 – 2-hour open book examination
Further information about the assessment for this module is available here.
PH140 Ancient Philosophy – 72-hour take home exam
Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May
Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May
Further information about take home exams is available here
PH142 Central Themes in Philosophy – 2,500 word essay
Deadline: 3pm, Thursday 11th June
Further information about the essay for this module is available here.
PH148 Philosophy for the Real World – 2,500 word essay
Honours level students registered on PH148 Philosophy for the Real World should submit the 2,500 word essay as planned (noting a 2 week extension has been applied).
Please note the above assessments are for HONOURS-LEVEL STUDENTS ONLY taking first year Philosophy modules. For all first year students on the above modules all further assessments have been cancelled (see further details here).
Students returning from Temporary Withdrawal or Resitting without Residence
Students returning from Temporary Withdrawal or Resitting without Residence should refer to the same advice (above) as others within their year group. Assessment methods for the modules listed above will be the same for those students returning for Temporary Withdrawal or resitting. Where required questions will be tailored to reflect what content taught in a previous year, but the methods of assessment will be the same for all registered students.
The following modules, being taken by resitting or returning students only, will be assessed by a 72-hour take home exam:
Module Title | Deadline |
Philosophy of Mind (resit/returning students only) | Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May |
Philosophy of Photography (resit/returning students only) | Paper released: Noon, Monday 25th May Deadline: Noon, Thursday 28th May |
Philosophy of Mathematics (resit/returning students only) | Paper released: Noon, Monday 8th June Deadline: Noon, Thursday 11th June |
Further information about take home exams is available here.
Marking
We fully understand that all assessments in term 3 will be affected by the current situation. We are aware that you might be unable to access some resources that you would have liked to use for your assessments, have difficulties finding a place to work undisturbed, or struggle to focus on your work with everything else that’s going on.
We can assure you that we will take these factors into account in every way we can, including when marking. Markers will adjust their expectations about what students can reasonably deliver in current circumstances, for example if particular resources have become inaccessible. To further help with the situation, please be aware that module tutors and personal tutors are available to answer your questions in this regard and to support you to do well.
Some of you might worry about not having enough time to complete your alternative assessments. We have tried to help mitigate time pressure as much as we can by setting the deadlines for alternative assessments as late in the term as possible. Essay deadlines in week 8 have also been arranged such that they would fall within a single self-certification period, if this is needed. To further help you prepare for alternative assessments, David Bather Woods, our Director of Student Experience, will offer support sessions that focus specifically on alternative assessments.
Extensions
Automatic 2 week extension
All assessments due on or after Monday 30 March have been given an automatic 2 week extension. This should already have been applied in Tabula for all students. If you believe any Philosophy assignment has not yet been granted a 2 week extension please contact philundergrad@wawick.ac.uk and we will look into this for you.
Self-certification
As you may be aware, the University has introduced a new policy on self-certification which allows an automatic 5 working day extension for any eligible assessed work within a 5 working day period without the need to submit evidence. Students are permitted to self-certify twice from now until the end of the academic year.
To request self-certification in the Philosophy Department, you should request an extension in the normal way (via the “request extension” button in Tabula) and enter a new deadline of the same time and day the following week for each relevant assessment that falls in the 5 day period. For example, you may have one essay due on Tuesday of week five and another essay due on Thursday of week five, but are unable to complete work in week 5 for medical or other special reasons. In this case you should enter new deadlines of Tuesday of week 6 for the first essay and Thursday of week 6 for the second essay. You should state that the reason for the extension is “self-certification”.
Please also note that it is only possible to request extensions via self-certification BEFORE you submit your assignment in Tabula. As soon as you submit your essay you will no longer be able to self-certify. Therefore, if you wish to request self-certification please make sure you do so prior to submitting your work. If you wish to apply for a late penalty to be waived for an assignment you have already submitted, you should complete a mitigating circumstances form in Tabula (see below).
Other Extensions
For all other extension requests students should continue to request extensions in the usual way via the “request extension” button for each assignment in Tabula. Given the unprecedented situation and the ongoing pressure on our health services, we understand that obtaining medical evidence may be more difficult than normal, so we have relaxed the usual requirement for students to always need evidence to support extension requests for essays weighted at 30% or more of a module,
However, please be prepared that you may still be asked for further information and that some longer extensions may be granted subject to receipt of evidence at a later date. If you do have medical (or other appropriate) evidence of your situation available we would encourage you to upload it with any extension request.
If you have requested an extension by self-certification, but you require a further extension for the same assessment, please apply for this in the usual way under the conditions set out above.
Deferrals
Information about how to apply to defer your assessments until September 2020 if you are unable to take online assessments is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/aro/dar/quality/categories/examinations/mitigating-circumstances-covid-19/student-faqs/deferral
If you are considering deferring your assessments, please speak to your personal tutor in the first instance.
Exam Boards
Exam board dates
All Board of Examiner’s meetings will be delayed to provide greater time for students to complete assessments. Once the new dates have been finalised, these will be published and communicated to students to provide an indication on when progression and completion details will be made available.
First Year Progression
Following the cancellation of all first year examinations, the University has now published guidance about how Departments will determine progression into the second year of study here: https://warwick.ac.uk/students/teaching_learning_assessments_summer2020/first-year-progression
If you are concerned you may not have met the requirements to progress, we would encourage you to contact your personal tutor for further advice and support. Please note however that we are not yet able to confirm whether or not individual students have met the requirements to progress.
All Mitigating Circumstances
For any other mitigating circumstances, students should continue to record this using the personal circumstances tab in Tabula. Again we understand that evidence pertaining to COVID-19 may be hard to come by, and that evidence pertaining to other, existing circumstances might also be challenging to secure at the moment, but we do recommend you upload any evidence that you have (if any) as soon as it becomes available. Submissions made to the mitigating circumstances form in Tabula will be reviewed by the relevant exam board.
Further information about the actions an exam board may choose to take are available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/aro/dar/quality/categories/examinations/policies/u_mitigatingcircumstances/mit_circs_policy_sep2019_revision.pdf
We would also encourage students to refer to the University's Mitigating Circumstances FAQ page available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/aro/dar/quality/categories/examinations/mitigating-circumstances-covid-19/student-faqs
Mitigating Circumstances as a result of COVID-19
We would like to assure all students that Exam Boards will be taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 situation on all students at a cohort level. You are therefore encouraged to submit a case for mitigating circumstances only if you have experienced specific or significant circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 situation.
Safety-net policy
Details of the University’s safety net policy are now available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/students/teaching_learning_assessments_summer2020/safety-net-support-package
We know that many of you would like clarification about what this will mean and how this will be applied in your individual circumstances (particularly regarding the graduation benchmark) but unfortunately at this time it is not possible for us to provide students with further information beyond the University-wide guidance.
On the basis of marks already in your possession, you may be able to calculate the relevant benchmark for yourself. However, officially all marks remain provisional until confirmed by external examiners at the exam board in your final year, and in individual cases marks may also change, e.g. if lateness penalties are waived at the exam board in light of mitigating circumstances. Therefore the department is not in a position to confirm individual benchmarks at this time.
Graduation and Degree Certificates
As part of our priority to safeguard health during the global coronavirus outbreak, the University has decided to postpone the July 2020 Degree Ceremonies. All those students meeting the requirements of their award will still graduate in July 2020 as usual, but this will be in absentia (in their absence) rather than at an event.
At the same time, we will post out degree certificates and, for undergraduates, update Higher Education Achievement Reports.
Further information is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/insite/news/intnews2/july2020-ceremonies
Transcripts
The production of paper transcripts has been suspended until further notice. The University will still be able to update the HEAR for Undergraduate students.
More information is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/studentrecords/records/transcript
Monitoring Points
We do not yet know what is happening with monitoring points, but will update this page as soon as we receive further updates from the University.
Visa Information
We encourage all students with any queries concerning visas and immigration to refer to the following FAQ page: https://warwick.ac.uk/study/international/immigration/coronavirus-news
Keep up to date
We will keep these pages updated with new information as it becomes available.We therefore recommend that you sign up for notifications of changes made to this page..
We will also continue to send updates to you via your Warwick email account, which you should check regularly.