Program Overview

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On our four-year BA Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (including foundation year), we work with you to develop your subject-specific knowledge, and to improve your academic skills. You receive a thorough grounding in these areas during your foundation year (known as Year Zero) to prepare you for a further three years of undergraduate study at Essex. 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 take the study abroad option. 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. You are an Essex student from day one, a member of our global community based at the most internationally diverse campus university in the UK. 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. Our course enables you to study philosophy, with a special focus on issues regarding religion and ethics, including momentous issues like the meaning of life, the relationship between faith and reason, arguments for and against the existence of God and the moral status of abortion and euthanasia. Study both classic texts and on-going debates in these fields, across a range of philosophical traditions. You will be equipped to engage with these discussions in an informed and critical way. 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 extending your education through 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

We have some of the best teachers across the University in our Essex Pathways Department , all of whom have strong subject backgrounds and are highly skilled in their areas. 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.