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About the Course
Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL) is a course which allows you to study thought, behaviour and language, and the connections between them.
Psychology at Oxford is a scientific discipline, involving the rigorous formulation and testing of ideas. Psychology has been defined as the science of human behaviour and it seeks to understand the mind and behaviour through experimentation, observation and measurement. Insight and intuition are certainly important, but they are not sufficient. The scope of the subject is very wide. It addresses questions such as: What are emotions? How do we perceive colours? How do children acquire language? What predisposes two people to get on along with each other? What might be the causes of schizophrenia? What is unique about the human brain? What causes prejudice?
Psychology at Oxford is essentially a scientific discipline, involving the rigorous formulation and testing of ideas. It includes subjects as diverse as social interaction, learning, child development, schizophrenia and information processing.
Philosophy is concerned with a wide range of questions concerning ethics, knowledge and the nature of mind. Philosophy at Oxford has active interests in the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of science, and has very close links with neuroscience and psychology.
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, including structure, meaning, and sound. There are many areas which link two or more of the component subjects, e.g. generation and interpretation of language, language learning and psycholinguistics.
PPL at Oxford is a flexible course, offering a wide range of choices within all of the branches. Initially you apply to take TWO of the component subjects, i.e. the available combinations are:
- Psychology & Philosophy (CV85)
- Psychology & Linguistics (CQ81)
- Philosophy & Linguistics (VQ51)
In terms 1-3, students take three of the following courses leading up to the Preliminary Examination at the end of the third term:
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Linguistics
- Neurophysiology
- Statistics
From term 4, you may take up study of the third subject if you wish (with permission from your college), or continue with the bipartite degree in the two subjects already studied for Prelims.
Philosophy
The Philosophy for the Preliminary Examination consists in the study of Moral Philosophy (focused particularly on JS Mill’s Utilitarianism), General Philosophy (Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Philosophy of Mind), and Logic (the study of argumentative structure and valid inference). Work is divided between lectures (about six per week), and tutorials and classes (two to three per week). During terms 3-9 leading to the Final Honours School examination, your time will again be divided between attending lectures (about six per week), tutorials (average of one to two per week). Students choosing Philosophy take between three and five courses in Philosophy, and those taking a least three courses have the option to write a thesis in Philosophy in place of an additional paper. A full list is available here. The options include bridge papers such as Philosophy of Cognitive Science and Philosophy of Mind (mindbody relations, personal identity, imagination, and the nature of actions and motives).
Psychology
In terms 1-3, students take courses in Psychology and Statistics. Students choosing Psychology take four of the eight courses in Experimental Psychology in terms 4-6, plus a course in Experimental Design and Statistics (examined by submission of a practical portfolio), followed by one, two or three advanced options in Psychology in terms 6-9.
During the third year of the course you will be able to select from a number of advanced topics, covering the range of psychology, e.g. Aphasia and Language Disorder; Brain Mechanisms in Voluntary Action; Development of the Imagination; Neural Networks and Brain Function. The specific topics on offer vary each year, to take into account recent developments in psychology. You can also choose to write a library dissertation instead of taking an Advanced Option.
If you choose to continue into the fourth year of the course, you will conduct an MSc research project in one of the research groups in the Department. You will be able to choose a research topic from a variety of topics and disciplines within psychology.
Linguistics
The Introduction to Linguistics course in the first three terms provides a foundation in the basic components of phonetics and phonology (speech and sound patterns), morphology and syntax (word structure and grammar), and semantics and pragmatics (meaning), with an introduction to linguistic theory and the connections between linguistics and other subjects such as sociology and psychology. The course is taught through 3 lectures per week on Grammar, Phonetics and Phonology, and General Linguistics (the latter in three modules: Introduction to General Linguistics, Introduction to Psycholinguistics and Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics). These are supported by practical classes and small-group tutorials.
In the third term, the course is assessed by a 3-hour exam. After the Prelims exam, you may study from three to five special subjects in linguistics. See the options here. Options include the topics mentioned above (in greater depth and to a more advanced standard), other topics such as language change and historical linguistics, or an original research project.
