IB Philosophy

Applications Open: - 3rd November 2025

Applications Close: - 30th June 2026

Entry Requirements: - 5 x grade 4-9 including Maths & English at G5

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

IBCP students will take a minimum of three courses of study. All of these will be Level 3 courses (A/AS Level equivalent). The courses will be a combination of vocational BTEC qualification (equivalent to up to 3 A Levels, approximately 10 hours of study per week) and 2 IB subjects (approx. AS level each and studied for 5 hours a fortnight). If you select this subject you must also select one BTEC in your application and one other IB subject.

Philosophy is a systematic critical inquiry into profound, fascinating and challenging questions, such as what does it mean to be human? Do we have free will? What do we mean when we say something is right or wrong? These abstract questions arise out of our everyday experiences, and philosophical tools such as critical and systematic thinking. Studying philosophy provides an opportunity for students to engage with some of the world’s most interesting and influential thinkers.

Units covered include:

Unit 1 : Human Nature / Identity / Freedom / Personhood /The self & the other / Mind & Body

Unit 2: Normative Ethics / Meta-ethics / Applied Ethics

Unit 3: Plato - The Republic / Nietzsche - The Genealogy of Morals

Unit 4: Philosophical analysis of a non philosophical stimulus

Paper 1 (1 hour and 45 minutes) 50%

The first paper is divided into 2 sections:

Section A: The Core Element of the course called 'Being Human.' This gives students the opportunity to search for a better understanding of themselves both as individuals and as members of communities. As we explore key concepts such as: Human Nature, Freedom, the Self and others, Mind and body, identity and Person hood. Some central discussion questions will be: What is a person? How is personhood manifest? Could animals or machines be persons? Can I know myself – or another? Do I have free will?

Section B: One Optional Module- The purpose of the optional themes is to provide students with an opportunity to explore specific areas of philosophy in depth. The optional themes are as follows: Aesthetics ,Epistemology, Ethics, Philosophy and contemporary society, Philosophy of religion, Philosophy of science and Political philosophy.

Paper 2 (1 hour) 25%

A third element of the course demands that you study a philosopher in that philosopher’s own words. In studying a text you will develop your ability to present a philosophical argument by testing your position against the standpoint of the author and using the author to take your own thinking forward on the issue under consideration. The text could be: John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, René Descartes' Meditations or Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.

Internal Assessment 25%

You will be asked to research a philosophical issue/ argument and then use this knowledge to critically analyse a non-philosophical piece of material, such as a film, poem, image, etc. Your philosophical analysis should contain 1,600 – 2,000 words.

For entry into King Ethelbert School Sixth Form all students must attain 5 grades between Grade 9 and Grade 4 (or equivalent) with a Grade 5 in both English Language and Mathematics.

A Grade 4 or above in Philosophy & Ethics GCSE is also preferable