Having a degree in philosophy from Sheffield is a real door-opener for someone trying to advance further into academic philosophy

What are your impressions of the Philosophy department?

The philosophy department at the University of Sheffield is of world-leading quality, both from a research and (more importantly, from my perspective) a teaching point of view. Other philosophy departments know this well, which means that having a degree in philosophy from Sheffield is a real door-opener for someone trying to advance further into academic philosophy.

Any advice for current students?

The first is: try new things. I entered my degree having done a bit of philosophy, and I thought that I knew what I liked. I entered interested in political philosophy and ethics, and little else. I left having just completed a project in the philosophy of mathematics, which I absolutely loved. One of the great advantages of the philosophy degree at Sheffield is that gives you the freedom to study whichever areas of philosophy interest you. Use that freedom to seek out new things, because one of them might just become your thing!

The second is: don’t be put off by the challenges of developing your philosophical skills, or getting your head around a new field of philosophy, because the rewards are waiting just around the corner. Philosophy can be hard because it forces you to challenge your beliefs and your assumptions, and it can make you doubt that you do in fact know what you thought you did - but treading that path allows you to develop critical skills.