Program Overview

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Our four-year BA Philosophy (including foundation year), will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills in order to support your academic performance.Our five-year version of this course enables you to study abroad during your fourth year of study. This course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further three or four years of study depending on whether you choose to study abroad for a year. During your Year Zero, you study three academic subjects relevant to your chosen course as well as a compulsory academic skills module, with additional English language for non-English speakers. After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our School of Philosophy and Art History. At Essex, we take philosophy back to its roots in everyday existential, social and political problems. We embrace the relevance of philosophy to other forms of enquiry – political, cultural, legal, medical, aesthetic – and bring this to bear on urgent issues in public life, such as the controversial issues raised by mental health legislation or public policy regarding end of life care. We cover a wide range of topics from the meaning of life to capitalism and its critics, from ancient philosophy to current trends in European thought; and we have particular strengths in the areas of:

• Ethics
• Political philosophy
• Philosophy of religion
• European philosophy (including critical theory, phenomenology, and existentialism)

We are involved in many exciting and interdisciplinary research projects, and have active links with other areas including Political Science, Law, Sociology, Psychoanalysis, and Art History. We are 7th in the UK for research impact in philosophy (Grade Point Average, REF2021). Why we're great.

• We equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed at Essex and beyond.
• Guarantee a place on your chosen course upon successful completion of your foundation year.
• Small class sizes allow you to work closely with your teachers and classmates.

Study abroad

Your education extends beyond our University campus. We support you in this by providing the option of an additional year. The five-year version of our degree allows you to spend the fourth year studying abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the four-year course. Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. If you spend a full year abroad you'll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won't pay any tuition fees to your host university

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Our expert staff

Our courses are taught by world-class academics and we are 7th in the UK for research impact in philosophy (Grade Point Average, REF2021). Our open-minded and enthusiastic staff are known for our unique combination of Anglo-American and European philosophy, and as a leading centre for critical theory, phenomenology, German idealism and medical humanities. Some recent projects and publications include:

• Timo Jütten’s major new Leverhulme-funded research project, Competition and Competitiveness
• Irene ene McMullin’s Existential Flourishing: A Phenomenology of the Virtues (Cambridge, 2018)
• Steve Gormley’s Deliberative Theory and Deconstruction: A Democratic Venture (Edinburgh, 2020)

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Specialist facilities

By studying within our Essex Pathways Department for your foundation year, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer, as well as those provided by our department to support you:

• We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
• Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
• Our social space is stocked with hot magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends

Our School of Philosophy and Art History also offers excellent on-campus facilities:

• An exciting programme of research seminars, reading groups and mini-courses that help you expand your philosophical knowledge beyond what you learn on your course
• A comprehensive student support system which will direct you to the best source of advice and support in the case of personal or academic difficulties
• A variety of philosophy textbooks and journals in the Albert Sloman Library

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Your future

Many employers want graduates who can think logically and creatively about practical problems. Philosophy develops these skills, providing you with:

• The ability to understand all sides of a dispute objectively and without forming a premature opinion
• The ability to work in a team, taking a collaborative approach to problems
• The ability to interpret dense text and to communicate effectively
• Analytical and problem-solving skills

Philosophy graduates are therefore well-suited to a wide range of occupations, including law, PR, journalism and the media, the Civil Service, charity work, banking, and the NHS. Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies. We also work with the university's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.