BA Philosophy

About this course

Philosophy is the discipline that examines the foundations of our beliefs, values and ways of understanding the world. It asks questions that other subjects take for granted: what does it mean to know something, what makes an action right or wrong, what is consciousness, how should power be organised, and what does it mean for a life to go well. These are not merely academic questions. They arise in medicine, technology, law, politics and everyday life, and the ability to reason clearly about them is of genuine practical value. At the University of the West of England, Bristol, the philosophy degree is explicitly future-facing and interdisciplinary, organised around core themes that connect philosophical inquiry to the pressing issues of contemporary life. You will engage with health, society and public ethics, exploring questions in medical ethics, social justice and the philosophy of care. Technology, environment and sustainability brings philosophical analysis to bear on climate change, artificial intelligence and the ethics of our relationship with the natural world. Human flourishing and creative practice examines what it means to live well and what role art, culture and education play in human lives. This thematic structure ensures that philosophical thinking is always connected to questions that matter. The part-time mode makes the degree accessible to students who cannot commit to full-time study, and the programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you opportunities to develop professional experience and international perspectives alongside your philosophical study. Graduates of philosophy degrees work in law, the civil service, journalism, public policy, education, ethics advisory roles, the technology sector, finance and management. Postgraduate study in philosophy, ethics, law, politics or a professional discipline is a natural next step for those who want to develop specialist expertise.

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