Facilities

Postgraduate Room

Libraries

The University Library has an excellent collection of basic research works in philosophy, including a substantial number of philosophy periodicals. The collection is steadily increasing each year, and the library can help you to trace and obtain relevant material from other libraries. The library has an extensive collection of bibliographies and abstracting and indexing services, complemented by an online information service, and offers computer access to other library holdings via the academic networks.

The University's Bill Bryson Library houses reference works, books of general interest and the much-used modern collections in the humanities, science and social sciences. The Palace Green Section stands between the Cathedral and the Castle. It contains a large part of the Library’s extensive archives and special collections of manuscripts, early printed books, maps, prints and photographs. Of particular note are the medieval book manuscripts, theological, literary, liturgical and medical/scientific. Important collections of early printed books include Bishop Cosin’s Library (founded 1668), the Bamburgh Library (the family collection of Archbishop John Sharp, 1845-1714, and his descendants), and the Library of M J Routh, the great patristics scholar; holdings of seventeenth century English printing are exceptionally rich. Areas of strength include sixteenth-century political and religious controversy; seventeenth-century science; theology, especially patristics and the history of biblical exegesis; liturgy and hymnology; classical scholarship, sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.

Within the Philosophy Department there is also the the Grant Library. It contains a significant and useful collection of philosophical works, particularly in metaphysics, logic, history and philosophy of science, and history of philosophy including ancient philosophy. Graduate students are free to borrow books from this library, and also to use it as a peaceful workplace. Finally, the additional resources of the two universities, City and other libraries, museums and archives of Newcastle upon Tyne are within easy reach, and are normally available to recommended Durham research students. Edinburgh, with rich resources including the national copyright depository library, is under two hours away by rail.

Computing facilities

Most colleges provide word processing facilities for their students; and all graduate students have free access to the word processing and other computing facilities of the University Computing Service. The computing service provides advice, support and training for all members of the University, to facilitate their computing activity.

Graduate Study

In addition to college and library workplaces, the Philosophy Department has also set aside a room specifically for postgraduate students, the Postgraduate Study, which is available to all graduate students, and may be used after hours by arrangement.