Philosophy is about critically making sense of ourselves and the world around us. It involves asking and trying to answer the most fundamental questions about the natural and social world – from puzzles about the nature of consciousness, free will, the metaphysics of gender, the ethics and politics of sustainability, to questions about whether modern culture dominates or liberates people. By studying philosophy, you’ll find yourself in dialogue with a range of diverse and fascinating figures, such as Socrates, Baruch Spinoza, and David Hume, to more contemporary thinkers such as Frantz Fanon, Hannah Arendt, and Patricia Hill Collins. You’ll critically reflect on many ground-breaking philosophical positions across multiple areas of philosophy. And along the way, you’ll find your intellectual voice and develop a rich set of academic and professional skills invaluable for your future – with the power to positively influence others and drive progressive change. As a student in the Department of History, Politics and Philosophy, you will join a hub of research-active internationally acclaimed philosophers, many of whom are invited to present at major international conferences and workshops. Our staff work across key areas including history of philosophy, critical social theories, philosophy of art, metaphysics, philosophy of education, history and philosophy of science and much more – with this expertise behind us, we can give you a rounded, international, balanced understanding of the subject.

Career prospects

Our state-of-the-art curriculum is designed to significantly enhance your employability. Studying philosophy enables you to develop and perfect much sought-after digital, analytical, and communication skills, opening up a very wide array of career options for you. Some of our recent graduates have found careers in primary and secondary school teaching, law, the fast-track civil service scheme, academia, the intelligence services, media work, film, and publishing.

There is also the opportunity to engage in further study and professional training, for example some of our graduates go on to study MA Philosophy, which focuses on a rich and varied tradition of philosophical theory across Anglo-American and the continental European traditions.