Philosophy North-American Integrated Year

Update: applications open

23/24 applications to go for the integrated year 24/25 are now closed. Please monitor your email for correspondence.

The information on this page overrides any conflicting information that can be found in other previously shared materials/communications.
Please direct any questions to Dr Dino Jakusic -->

General information

The Department of Philosophy participates in exchange schemes with a North American University: McMaster University (Canada). This enables students in their 2nd year (Single Honours, Joint Honours or Philosophy with) to spend a full year studying abroad. Modules and examinations taken on the North American Exchange Programme count towards the Warwick degree.

Integrated year is opened for 1st year students in 2023/24 to spend their 2nd year at McMaster University
The integrated year counts for your degree - this means that marks received at McMaster will count towards your final degree grade
The integrated year does not extend your degree to 4 years
You will need to choose modules as close as possible to your 2nd year Warwick core modules
You will need to organise your own visa, accommodation, and travel

Application procedure

Those interested in spending their second year at McMaster (Canada) should apply by filling in this form. Students should look at the Student Mobility webpages to find information about McMaster University.

Form guidance

Degree programme: Please enter the degree you're currently on, not just the department (so Philosophy, Philosophy and Literature, PPE, etc.)
Current year of study: this scheme is only opened to current 1st years. If you're not currently in your first year, please consider applying for the intercalated year abroad.
Core 2nd year modules at Warwick and CATS: this is a very important section. Please list your 2nd year Warwick Core modules. Since you will need to take modules which are as close as possible to you Warwick 2nd year core modules, you need to show that you're aware of these requirements. Check your module handbook and see which modules will be core next year, not just in philosophy, but for your whole degree. If you have 'optional cores' (e.g. you need to choose between HMP or Ethics + Applied ethics), please list the one you would take if you were to stay at Warwick. When listing the modules, please also list the number of CATS this module weighs.
Modules Abroad and Credits/Duration: Very important section. You will need to look at the module offers at McMaster, in relevant departments (starting point here), and show which modules at McMaster would correspond to your Warwick 2nd year core modules.
Personal statement: Please address the following questions:

a) Why do you want to study in Canada?

b) How will you adapt to life in Canada and cope with being away from Britain?

c) What benefits will you receive by spending your year abroad (paying specific attention to McMaster University)?

d) What previous experiences have you had that make you suitable for the exchange?

e) Why should you be selected for the exchange?

Applications should be submitted by no later than 15th of December 2023.

The Study Abroad Co-ordinator may interview a shortlist of candidates in week 12 and ensure that they are apprised of relevant sources of information. Please make sure you're available for a Teams interview in Week 12. In addition, before supporting their application, the North American Exchange Co-ordinator may check with personal and module tutors that they know of no reason why the student should not be supported.

Choice of courses / modules

In the first instant, the students are required to choose modules which correspond to the 2nd year core modules for their degree. In cases where students are unwilling, or unable, to take courses / modules of an appropriate sort, they may be required to take core modules on their return to Warwick.

The optional modules chosen will need to correspond to the module distribution that your Warwick degree requires for your second year. For example, if you're studying BA in Philosophy (V700), your second-year requirement is to take HMP - 30CATS. This means that you will need to take a module on Early Modern Philosophy and a module on Kant's philosophy. In your second year you are also required to take at least 60 more CATS in Philosophy, and have 30 CATS free. This distribution should be replicated at McMasters.

You do not need to decide which optional modules to take at the point of application. Once you arrive at your placement, you will need to get your choices of both core and optional modules approved by the Warwick Philosophy Exchange and Placement Co-ordinator.

Contact while abroad

Students are requested to keep in touch with their personal tutors while away, as per our usual requirements, except that contact may be by telephone or email. So, for example, students will be expected to contact their personal tutor at the start and end of each term. They should treat their personal tutor as their first port of call should any questions or issues arise.

Additional briefing

The Student Mobility Department provide briefings and advice concerning all aspects of organising a year of study in North America. It is also possible to book an appointment through their webpages.

Assessment procedure

Work done while in North America is marked by tutors there, and those marks are then converted according to a standardised scheme when the student returns to Warwick. The converted marks are fed into the student’s assessment as their year 2 marks.

Returning to Warwick University

Students are required to complete a report on their time in North America. The University Exchange Department provide details about the procedure for submitting reports, including deadlines for submission. They may wish to discuss this report with their personal tutor on their return. The personal tutor will raise any issues that arise with the North American Exchange Co-ordinator.

Department of Philosophy