Philosophy

Single Honours 

• Philosophy 

Joint Honours 

• Philosophy and Mathematics 

• Philosophy and Physics 

• Philosophy and Psychology 

• Philosophy, Politics, and Economics 

• Philosophy and Linguistics 

SOURCE: COMMON DEGREE TITLES FROM WHATUNI 

Alternative options 

• Foundation years Providing a solid grounding in philosophical concepts and study methods, a foundation year is great preparation for undergraduate study, and gives you plenty of time to get ready to start your degree or improve English communication skills if needed. 

• Sandwich degrees Sandwich degrees involve an extra ‘sandwich’ year, usually taken between Years 2 and 3, or after Year 3 of an undergraduate course. They can be used to get extra work experience in the field, or you can travel abroad and study somewhere else for a year. 

• Integrated Master’s Integrated Master’s programs enable you to get a Master’s degree by extending your undergraduate course by one extra year. You’ll pay the same annual tuition fee rate, and so it’s a great way to get a postgraduate qualification without spending as much as is typical. 

• Degree apprenticeships While less common in philosophy, degree apprenticeships may offer opportunities for practical experience in related fields such as ethics consulting, public policy, or education, alongside academic study in philosophy. You’ll earn a wage, and your employer will cover tuition fees. 

SOURCE: WHATUNI

Entry requirements for philosophy degrees typically include A-levels or equivalent qualifications in essay-based humanities or social sciences subjects. Some courses may require specific subjects like philosophy, English, history, or religious studies. Strong critical thinking and analytical skills are essential for success. 

Philosophy asks a lot of big questions and offers a wide range of specialisations to address them, allowing students to focus on areas of interest within the field. Some of these include: 

• Metaphysics What does it mean to exist? Metaphysics investigates the nature of reality and existence, exploring fundamental questions such as the existence of God, the nature of the self, and the relationship between mind and body. 

• Epistemology What does it mean to know something? Epistemology investigates the nature, scope, and limits of knowledge itself. It explores questions about belief and truth, examining how we acquire knowledge, what counts as evidence, and how we can distinguish between justified beliefs and mere opinion. 

• Aesthetics This field examines how we perceive beauty and art. It asks questions of artistic expression, the nature of creativity, and the appreciation of art, investigating our experiences of culture, and society, and examining the criteria by which we judge whether something looks good or not. 

• Stoicism Stoicism is one of many philosophical schools of thought. It emphasises virtue and resilience, teaching about living in accordance with nature and accepting things which are beyond our control. Stoics cultivate virtues such as wisdom, courage, and temperance, following guidelines for achieving self-mastery and inner peace. 

• Logic Logic is the study of reasoning and argumentation. It provides tools for analysing communication, distinguishing between valid and invalid reasoning, and constructing clear and persuasive arguments. It's highly applicable to fields such as law and politics. 

• Ancient and modern philosophy 

• Ethics and morality 

• Epistemology 

• Metaphysics 

• Philosophy of science 

• Philosophy of mind 

• Logic 

• Political philosophies 

You can expect to learn a lot of things, without ever knowing any answers conclusively. Through philosophy, you’ll learn many different processes of thought, and approaches to understanding. This makes philosophy a great tool for engaging with complex and nuanced topics, such as those within language, law, politics, and psychology.

Through studying philosophy at university, you'll foster your own intellectual curiosity, gain some clarity of thought, and the ability to engage with many philosophical perspectives. 

More broadly, you’ll also develop transferable skills which can be applied to your daily life, and a range of future endeavours, professional roles, and workplaces, such as: 

• Critical thinking  

• Research 

• Public speaking 

• Self-awareness 

• Presentation 

While there is no formal accreditation process for philosophy programs in the UK, combined honours degrees may be accredited by professional bodies, like the British Psychological Society (BPS) in the case where philosophy is studied in combination with psychology. 

Anyone who is qualified to teach or pursue research in philosophy, as demonstrated by their training or achievements can apply for membership of the British Philosophical Association (BPA), although this generally requires postgraduate research level qualifications. 

If you're a critical thinker, love to analyse arguments, and research texts and documents, and are considering alternative pathway as well as philosophy, then you may benefit from researching related fields which also allow you to explore fundamental questions about humanity, society, and cognition. These include: 

• Theology 

• Psychology  

• History 

• Classics 

• Politics 

• Sociology 

You can commit fully to the subject and become a philosopher, exploring new or topical matters of thought in relation to the human experience. In this case, you’d likely become some sort of writer or published academic, however you could also become a public intellectual and give lectures and seminars about your area of research.

Philosophy equips graduates with versatile skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication. It’s a pretty transferable degree, meaning you can use it in lots of different industries. Graduates pursue careers in law, education, journalism, public policy, business, and academia, as well as roles in ethics consulting, publishing, and research. 

Some jobs include:  

• Professor 

• Journalist 

• Lawyer 

• Parliamentary advisor 

• Policy analyst 

• Chaplain 

• Psychotherapist 

• Social researcher 

These are just a few of the most common job roles. You'll find plenty of other options available to you, and you can also continue your studies by completing a postgraduate degree in philosophy or a related subject.