Entry requirements
96 UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 2 A levels (or equivalent).
UCAS Tariff Points accepted.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C, or grade 4, or above.
UCAS Tariff
UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 2 A levels (or equivalent).
About this course
Grapple with the big questions that have puzzled humans for centuries by studying for our BA (Hons) Philosophy degree in the heart of Cambridge.
‘Who are we?’, ‘what can we know?’, and ‘what should we do to lead worthwhile lives?’ are just a few of the questions you’ll consider as you discover how great minds, past and present, have tried to answer them.
As a BA (Hons) Philosophy student at ARU, you'll understand both the history of philosophy, as well as cutting edge debates in contemporary philosophy, within areas such as the Philosophy of AI, Ethics and the Philosophy of Art.
Your studies will be supported by our expert philosophy lecturers, who offer one-to-one tutoring and personalised feedback. It’s this support that helped our course rank as top Philosophy degree in the UK (National Student Survey 2020), as well as top for ’Satisfied with Feedback’ (The Guardian University Guide 2021).
You’ll develop your problem solving, critical thinking and judgement skills by analysing major philosophers’ ideas and arguments, developing your own views through rigorous, systematic and creative thought, and learning to use philosophical methods in your everyday life.
These are important skills, 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: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/
There’s the chance to engage in philosophical discussions and debates through the student-led Philosophy Society, and attend events such as our Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series.
You could also boost your employability by learning a language with our Anglia Language Programme, or studying abroad for a semester.
**Careers**
Our BA (Hons) Philosophy 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.
Our degree course is designed to help you develop and think about the skills you need to enter your chosen career from day one. The problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, judgement, analysis and communication skills our philosophy students gain are highly valued by employers. You’ll also learn to work well independently and as part of a team, and may develop attitudes and viewpoints that are much appreciated in the workplace.
You could also learn more, develop a specialism or start an exciting career in research with our MA Philosophy. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.
Modules
Year one, core modules
Ancient Philosophy
Rights and Responsibilities
Introduction to Philosophy
Western Civilisation 1: Antiquity to the Renaissance
Western Civilisation 2: Reformation to the Modern Age
Year one, optional modules
Current Topics in Ethics
Year two, core modules
The Rationalists: Early Modern Philosophy
The Empiricists
Mind and World
Ethics
Year two, optional modules
Philosophy of Art
Existence and Authenticity
Applied Ethics
Year three, core modules
Major Project
Varieties of Scepticism
Year three, optional modules
Enlightenment and Modernity: The Philosophical Legacy
Reason and Religious Belief
Philosophy Special Subject
Concepts of Good and Evil
Media and Philosophy
Optional modules available all years
Anglia Language Programme
Assessment methods
For a full breakdown of module options and credits, please view the module structure.
You’ll demonstrate your learning through a combination of exams, essays, portfolios, presentations, reviews and reports, as well as your final-year Major Project.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Cambridge Campus
Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Philosophy
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Historical, philosophical and religious studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Although there aren't a lot of jobs around for professional philosophers, philosophy degrees are a relatively popular option, with more than 2,000 students graduating in a philosophy-related subject in 2015 - a little down on previous years, but still healthy. Nearly a quarter of philosophy graduates take a postgraduate qualification, and it's a relatively common subject at both Masters and doctorate level — so if you think academic life might be for you, think ahead about how you might fund further study. For those who go into work, philosophy grads tend to go into teaching, accountancy, consulting, journalism, PR, housing, marketing, human resources and the arts while a few go into the computer industry every year, where their logical training is highly rated.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Philosophy and religious studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£21k
£22k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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