Who are we? What can we know? What should we do to lead worthwhile lives? These are a few of the questions you’ll address on our BA Philosophy degree – as well as discovering how great minds through the ages have tried to answer them.

As well as exploring the history of philosophy, you’ll examine modern-day debates in areas like global feminisms, ethics and art.

Learn more about studying Philosophy at ARU.

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Why ARU?

Engage in philosophical discussions and debates through our student-led Philosophy Society.

Explore the key philosophical, social and political issues surrounding artificial intelligence and machine technology.

Boost your employability: learn a language, take a placement year, and solve live briefs for real-world organisations.

No exams! You’ll show your progress through methods likely to be used in the workplace.

Study at an award-winning university

We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.

I think employers need people who can solve complex and multi-layered problems, which philosophy students learn to do very well!

Claire White, Sound therapist and clinical administrator

Study Philosophy at ARU and develop skills for your chosen career.

Problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, judgement, analysis and communication skills are highly valued by employers, with the World Economic Forum ranking complex problem solving and critical thinking among the top ten skills needed to succeed in today’s job market. You’ll also learn to work well independently and as part of a team.

You can also boost your employability by learning a language, studying abroad for a semester, and taking part in work placements and live briefs for our partner organisations.

What can you do with a Philosophy degree?

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of fields, including new media, recruitment, events management, marketing, charities, teaching, law or medicine (via a conversion course), the Civil Service, or local government. Some even set up their own independent businesses.

You might decide to stay at ARU and take a Masters degree. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Where have Philosophy students found work experience?

Our students recently worked on live briefs with user-led mental health charity Lifecraft, creating resources that the organisation could use to address stigmas about mental health and increase awareness of their work.

They've also worked with CamYOGA, creating media resources to increase public awareness of the benefits of yoga for well-being.

Where have other Philosophy graduates worked?

Since graduating, Claire White has founded her own sound therapy business and also works as Clinical Administrator for a substance abuse rehabilitation centre. Read Claire's story.

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

We want you to be a step ahead when you graduate, so we offer:

courses designed with employers

tutors with professional industry knowledge

hands-on learning through Live Briefs, internships and placements

Ruskin Modules that help develop the skills employers value.

Alongside your course, there are lots of other opportunities to build your skills and experience:

add value to your CV with an ARU Certificate of Professional Development

get involved in a thriving volunteering programme

develop your brilliant business ideas

work with businesses to make a social impact.

We’re here to help you develop your CV and find that all-important role after graduation. Our Employability Service offers tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, help to complete job applications, and much more. You’ll have 24/7 access to an online Careers Centre too, which is packed with useful resources.

The support continues after you graduate, with lifelong access to our Alumni Career Centre.

Find out more about careers support at ARU.

In Year 1 you’ll explore some of philosophy’s biggest issues including the existence of God and the nature of knowledge and ethical deliberation, discover classical thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle, and establish what your own ideal society would look like.

In Year 2 you’ll tackle issues like consciousness, reality, and free will, while optional modules will allow you to explore your own interests.

Finally, you’ll complete a major research project on a topic of your choice, learn about Scepticism from ancient Greece to the present day and continue to specialise in your own interests.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Happiness and the Good Life

Introduction to Philosophy: The Big Questions

Ideas and Ideologies

The World Religions

Into ARU

Ethics in Theory

Ethics in Practice: Healthcare, Law, and the Environment

Mind and Consciousness

Ruskin Module (15 credits)

Philosophical Texts: From Descartes to Kant *

Critical Social Thought: Knowledge, Power and Division *

Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *

Spirituality, Religion and the Secular *

Professional Placement *

Philosophy Research Project

Knowledge and Doubt: From Antiquity to the Digital Age

Philosophy of Evil and Criminality

Hitler to the Hashtag: Political Communication in Peace and War *

Gender and Sexuality in Britain: 1880-2000 *

Philosophy of Education *

Communication, Flesh, Philosophy *

Research Communication *

Global Feminisms *

Environment, Nature and Society *

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Work Placement - Humanities and Social Sciences

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Foundation in Humanities, English, Media, Social Sciences and Education

Mind and Consciousness: Current Topics in Philosophy of Mind

Mind and Consciousness *

Anglia Language Programme *

What happens on a foundation year?

A foundation year prepares you for the rest of your course, and focuses on general skills such as researching and referencing, numeracy and ICT, and communication. We'll also start to look at some more subject-specific topics.

What happens on a placement year?

Your placement year is a chance to put everything you’ve learnt in Years 1 and 2 into practice. Spend typically 9-12 months working for an organisation, developing your skills and gaining valuable work experience. Our Placements Team is here to help you secure a placement.

How is Philosophy assessed?

You’ll show your progress through a variety of methods likely to be used in the workplace, such as presentations, research projects, reviews, reports and portfolios, as well as more traditional essays and your final-year Major Project.

Who teaches Philosophy at ARU?

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Dr Michael Wilby

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Dr Tristan Moyle

Senior Lecturer

Dr Alison Ainley

Associate Professor

Join our student community and benefit from award-winning learning facilities, including extensive library and IT resources.

You can also access support with careers and employability, study skills, health and wellbeing, and more.

Take a guided tour and meet our students.

Student experience

Discover why Luke chose to study a Philosophy degree, and how the course is inspiring him.

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"I felt inspired whilst studying, and really savoured having access to an amazing library, lectures and being able to explore Cambridge." Read Claire's Spotlight interview.

Dr Mike Wilby, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at ARU, explains the philosophical underpinnings of artificial intelligence in this 60 Second Seminar.

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Standard entry requirements

Qualifications

112-96 UCAS Tariff points. We accept A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, OCR, Access to HE and most other qualifications within the UCAS Tariff.

3 GCSEs at grade C, or grade 4, or above.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email answers@aru.ac.uk for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

See entry requirements for the BA or BSc (Hons)

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.

If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.

Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

International students

We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.

See international and EU entry requirements

See information about application deadlines

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you'll need to make sure you meet our English language requirements for undergraduate courses.

Check the section 'English language requirements' for IELTS requirements.

Contextual offers

You can find out more about the admissions process at ARU, including what happens after you apply and the different types of offer we may make.

We may automatically offer you a place at ARU if you meet any of these criteria:

are a care leaver or care experienced

have a declared disability

are from certain postcodes

provide unpaid care for another person

are currently, or were, in receipt of free school meals during secondary education

are a Service Child, where a parent or carer currently serves in the UK Armed Forces

participated in an approved activity in preparation for entry to higher education

attended a secondary school that had a Progress 8 score of average, below average or well below average

Find out more about contextual offers.

UK students

UK students starting 2027/28 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

UK students starting 2027/28 (foundation year only)

International students starting 2027/28 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

Placement year fee

This course includes an optional placement year. The placement year fee is:

You will be responsible for covering the cost of travelling to your placement during your placement year. This cost could vary significantly depending on where your placement is located, where you live during your course and how you travel.

Living costs

Living at university

We understand that affordability is an important issue when you’re thinking about studying at university.

The overall cost of university can vary depending on where you’re studying and which course you’re taking.

Costs may also be lower if you're living at home. However, some of the main costs you’ll want to think about include:

accommodation

internet, mobile phone and calls

food and drink

socialising and going out

study materials.

Most full-time UK students can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help cover living costs. More about maintenance loans.

We also have a range of offers to help with the cost of living.

Our Money Advice Service is on hand if you’d like to chat about living costs, budgets and managing your money. You can also find out more about student finance at one of our Open Days.

Bursaries, scholarships and part-time work

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for UK and international students, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university.

If you're eligible for a scholarship, you'll generally receive it automatically – there's no need to apply.

Our campus employment bureau, ARU Temps, can help you find part-time work that fits around your studies (including any time you may spend on placements). It's a great chance to enhance your CV and boost your income while you study.

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Related courses

Philosophy and English Literature

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