Philosophy

Description

Philosophers will argue about anything… even about what philosophy is. So if you disagree with any of the following, you’re probably the perfect candidate for Philosophy! Philosophy is for people who find they’re bothered by questions that their friends can cheerfully ignore; people who don’t want to settle for conventional answers and received wisdom, but want to arrive at answers that stand up to the most searching examination.

The degree programme

On this degree programme you’ll meet the great minds of history on equal terms, not just learning what they thought, but engaging with them critically. Philosophy requires clarity and rigor of thought, imaginative flexibility and inventiveness. It also means learning to understand what others think and write, and being able to examine their arguments for weak spots and errors. This is an ability that carries over into your whole life. You’ll win more arguments, you’ll hear politician’s speeches in a whole new way, and you’ll have a real edge in the jobs market.

The study of philosophy gets divided up into sub-fields, all of which relate to, and interact with, each other. Some of the central ones are: Metaphysics, dealing with appearance and reality, substance, causation, identity, the freedom of the will, and so on; Epistemology, dealing with the foundations, scope and limits of knowledge; Ethics, dealing with the nature of morality, with whether there’s an absolute standard of morality, with the basis of justice; and Philosophy of Mind, dealing with the nature of the mind, its relationship with the body, the character of thought and feeling, and the nature of conscious experience. But there are lots of others that you’ll meet on this course: political philosophy, aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophical logic, philosophy of science … and so on, and on!

Employability

As a student of Philosophy you will have an excellent opportunity to develop skills that are highly prized by employers. Our graduates understand complex information, write clearly and effectively, can build a case for a particular view, strategy or course of action, respect the views of others even if they disagree with them, and generally think for themselves. If you're taking the year abroad option, you'll develop real confidence and independence that's valued in the working world.

50% of job vacancies advertised for new and recent graduates don't specify a degree subject, so as a graduate of Philosophy you've a vast potential to enter a wide range of careers, including law, journalism and teaching, as well as commerce and industry. Some also decide to pursue postgraduate study.

University of Birmingham Philosophy graduates are very successful after graduation. Our Philosophy graduates have a high average starting salary of £18,000 per year.

Detailed Course Facts

£9000 for Home/EU students, £12140 for Overseas students

• English

Course Content

First year

In your first year you’ll explore Knowledge and Reality; what the world is like and how, if at all, we come to know about it. You’ll also be introduced to moral and political philosophy. In seminars you’ll learn how to analyse and criticise, and practise your essay-writing and research skills. As a Single Honours student, you will also take a module from another subject area.

Second year

You’ll be given some freedom of choice to pursue the topics and questions that interest and inspire you, such as Thought and Language, Topics in the History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind and Meta-ethics. You’ll also focus on a single classic book from a range of choices and have further opportunities to hone your essay-writing skills, including an essay on a question of your own devising.

Final year

Your final year gives you an even greater choice of modules. Some areas, like ethics and metaphysics, will be familiar to you but will be studied at a more advanced level; others will be totally new. You can also opt for the Philosophical Project module in your third year, for which you research and write a dissertation with the help of a supervisor who advises you and guides you through the process.

Philosophy with a year abroad

Subject to satisfactory performance over your first two years, you may have the option of spending your third year studying Philosophy at an overseas university. You will then come back to Birmingham for your fourth and final year.

Learning and teaching

As a Birmingham student you are part of an academic elite and will learn from world-leading experts. At Birmingham we advocate an enquiry based learning approach, from the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner, qualities that are highly sought after by employers. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

Your learning will take place in a range of different settings, from scheduled teaching in lectures and small group tutorials, to self-study and peer group learning (for example preparing and delivering presentations with your classmates).

English Language Requirements

CAE score : 80(Grade A)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Number of A levels required: 3

Typical offer: AAB - ABB

Required subjects and grades: if Philosophy or Religious Studies are taken at A level, we will require at least a grade B in these subjects

International Baccalaureate: 34 - 36 points

General Studies: not accepted

Additional information:

Other qualifications are considered

International students:

Standard English language requirements apply: IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band; TOEFL IBT 93

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Birmingham.