Early Scholars Program
Philosophy Intensive
Explore Philosophy. Experience University. Earn Credit.
Campion College invites Year 11 and 12 students, as well as home-schooled students in their final years of schooling, to apply for our 2025 Early Scholars Program. This program allows students to complete a first-year (Level 100) university unit and use it as an alternative admission pathway into Campion College’s Bachelor of Arts in the Liberal Arts.
This year’s intensive will focus on PHI103: Socrates and the Examined Life, a foundational philosophy unit exploring themes in Plato’s Apology. Participants will attend on-campus classes over four days during the September school holidays, gaining a taste of university life in our unique academic setting.
What’s involved:
• Daily schedule: 10.00am-12.00pm and 1.30-4.30pm (with a short afternoon break)
• One hour of preparatory reading per day
• Assessment completed after the intensive
• Successful completion (pass or higher) provides credit toward your degree and eligibility for direct admission
Whether you’re passionate about big ideas or curious to experience the liberal arts in action, the Early Scholars Program is your opportunity to learn from expert academics, connect with like-minded peers, and take the first step toward your future at Campion College.
Expressions of Interest are due by 21 July. Please note: the program will proceed subject to minimum enrolment numbers.
Express InterestDate
10am-12pm and 1.30-4.30pm, Tue 30 Sep-Fri 3 Oct 2025
VENUE
Campion College
8-14 Austin Woodbury Place
Toongabbie NSW 2146
Open to
Year 11 & 12 students (ages 16-18)
Tuition
$1,210
Additional Information
Tuition Fee
The tuition fee is heavily discounted at $1210, representing a saving of 50% on the ordinary tuition cost of a unit of study at the College.
Credit Points
6
Unit Description
In Fides et Ratio, Pope St John Paul II says that philosophy, “one of the noblest of human tasks,” is “directly concerned with asking the question of life’s meaning and sketching an answer to it”. This unit of study introduces students to this task, central to liberal education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, by focusing on Socrates, the foundational philosopher of the classical Greek tradition. As dramatized in Plato’s challenging yet accessible dialogues, Socrates asks and seeks answers to some of the most fundamental human questions as he challenges his fellow Athenian citizens to consider the purpose and nature of their lives.
Assigned Text
Plato’s Apology. The text will be supplied in advance to participants.
Assessment
Oral exam: 80%
Class participation: 20%
The oral exam will take place in small groups via Microsoft Teams in the fortnight following the final class. Exams will take place after school hours. For students in Year 12 sitting final school exams, a different exam date may be arranged in consultation with the lecturer.
Accommodation
Students from regional or interstate areas are welcome to indicate their interest in accommodation when submitting the Expression of Interest form. Limited options may be available at an additional cost, subject to availability.
Enquiries
Please contact our Future Students Advisor on (02) 9896 9303 or email study@campion.edu.au