Philosophy (extended degree) BA/BSc (combined honours)

On our engaging BA in Philosophy, you will gain knowledge and understanding of topics within core areas of philosophy including ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, epistemology and logic. You will also study philosophy which relates to the major aspects of human intellectual life. This includes the philosophy of art, film, literature, religion, language, the natural sciences and the social sciences.

Philosophy is first and foremost a problem-centred discipline. There are profound problems which arise from the human condition and great philosophers have provided solutions to these. To study philosophy is to appreciate the depth of questions that we all face as humans and to consider some of the deepest answers that great philosophers have provided in response.

The extended degree programmes include a foundation year, which will provide you with a sound introduction to key elements needed for studying Philosophy at degree level. Our extended degree programme will provide you with a thorough and supportive academic preparation for study. The foundation year is carefully designed to build confidence in your abilities, develop essential academic and study skills, and provide you with the subject specific knowledge essential for success.

Taught by academic staff engaged in world-class research, this BA Philosophy degree will provide you with skills that are vital for a successful career, including analytical thinking, creative problem-solving, the ability to construct arguments, to write clearly and persuasively and to explain complex information. You will leave the course a highly-employable individual.

In the first year, we currently run modules on Classical, Medieval and Modern Philosophy in which you will gain knowledge and understanding of theories from great philosophers in the Western philosophical tradition. In subsequent years you will study philosophy from leading 19th and 20th century philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Marx, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Sartre and Wittgenstein. You will also have the opportunity to contrast and compare answers from the mainstream Western philosophical tradition with answers from the Eastern philosophical tradition in our Indian Philosophy module. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to study philosophical issues which arise within major aspects of human intellectual endeavour including: art, literature, the sciences and religion. Thus we offer modules on Philosophy, Film and Literature; the Philosophy of Science; the Philosophy of Social Science and the Philosophy of Religion.

Studying philosophy will enable you to acquire transferable analytical, logical and communication skills which are relevant for many areas of professional working life, including law, the civil service, politics, business and teaching. Many of our graduates also go into further study and progress to Masters degree and PhD study with their BA Philosophy degree from Roehampton.