The transition between high school and university is not an easy one. There are unfamiliar subjects to be studied and even familiar subjects are approached in new ways. The pace of learning is much faster, the volume of written work increases and all the deadlines seem to come at once. And then there are the exams. This series of books aims to bridge the gap by introducing subjects as they are taught at university, providing some time management strategies, suggesting how to get the most out of lectures and tutorials, showing how to write an essay to university standards, and taking some of the agony out of exams.

Douglas Burnham is Professor of Philosophy at Staffordshire University and author of An Introduction to Kant's Critique of Judgement (Edinburgh University Press, 2000).

Table of Contents; Introduction; Part One: A Guide to Philosophy; Chapter 1: Philosophy Degrees; A. What is philosophy? Why Study philosophy? (careers and personal growth); 1. What is philosophy?; 2. Philosophy and Your Future; A Special Word to Mature Students; B. Philosophy at university; 1. Choosing Where to Study: Which university?; 2: Which Type of Degree?; 3. Typical philosophy Courses; Chapter 2: An Orientation in Philosophy; A. Typical Courses on the First Year of philosophy Degrees; 1. Problems of Metaphysics; 2. Epistemology and Philosophy of Science; 3. Ethics, Applied Ethics, and Political Philosophy; 4. Aesthetics; 5. The Philosophy of Religion; 6. Ancient philosophy; 7. Early Modern Philosophy; 8. European' Philosophy; Part Two: Study skills; Chapter 3: Be in the Know; Chapter 4: Learning at university; A. Reading; B. Learning by Assessment; C. Self-Directed Learning; D. Time Management; E. Tutorials and seminars; F. Lectures; Chapter 5: Assessments; A. Essays and Dissertations; 1. Why Write Essays?; 2. Philosophy Essays are Different; 3. First, Read the Question; 4. The Writing Process: From Notes to a First Draft; 5. The Essay Returns; 6. Finding and Using Sources; a. Why Use Sources?; B. Finding Sources; 7. Portfolio of Work; 8. The Dissertation; B. Examinations; 1. Preparing for exams; 2. On the Day; 3. After the Exam; C. Oral Presentations; 1. Preparing and Presenting; 2. Working in Groups; Chapter 6:General Skills Handbook; A. Argument and Justification; 1. Critical Thinking; 2. Examples and Analogies; B. Writing Clear and Correctly; 1. References and Bibliographies; 2. Good Academic Style; C. Writing Skills Self-Assessment.