Bachelor of Philosophy
The B.Phil.'s earliest form is as a University of Oxford graduate degree, first awarded in 1682. Originally, Oxford named its pre-doctoral graduate degrees the Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil.) (a two-year degree, partly taught and partly by research) and the Bachelor of Letters (B.Litt.) (a two-year research degree). After complaints, especially from overseas students, that this naming convention often meant that graduate degrees were not being recognised as such, the University renamed them Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and Master of Letters (M.Litt.). However, the Philosophy Faculty (then a Sub-Faculty) argued that its B.Phil. degree had become so well known and respected in the philosophical world that it would be confusing to change the name. In philosophy, therefore, the degree continues to be called the B.Phil. Those who pass the degree are given the choice of taking a B.Phil. or an M.Phil.; few if any choose the latter. (Note that Oxford also offers a number of other graduate degrees labeled as baccalaureate degrees: the law faculty's BCL; and the music faculty's B.Mus)
Diploma in the Philosophy of Medicine
The curriculum was created by Michael Lockwood in 1978, with assistance from Raanan Gillon. Its structure reflects philosophical developments as applied to medicine. It is the oldest philosophy and ethics of medicine and healthcare course in the UK. Previously, the diploma was earned after a two-year study period on alternating Saturdays, and was predominantly attended by graduates and medical students. After an extensive revision in 1993, the course was shortened to one year and opened up to a wider range of students.