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Master of Philosophy - MPhil
MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters)
University of Essex
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) course at University of Essex.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
A,B,B
ABB - BBB or 128 - 120 tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,535 per year |
| Scotland | £9,535 per year |
| Wales | £9,535 per year |
| Northern Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| Channel Islands | £9,535 per year |
| Republic of Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| EU | £21,500 per year |
| International | £21,500 per year |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: V599
Here's what University of Essex says about its MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) course.
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.
This degree will feed your intellectual curiosity and challenge your thinking. You’ll acquire the skills required to dig deeper into ideas and question received wisdom. You’ll rigorously examine the most fundamental questions about human life: Does God exist? Is material success all that counts in life? What do I owe to others? How free am I to decide my own future?
On the four-year MPhilos Version of this course (five years if taking a year abroad or placement year), you will gain solid knowledge in the different areas of philosophy and develop the key skills of the discipline during your first three years at Essex. In your final year, you will take MA-level modules, which will allow you to investigate more advanced topics and write a draft journal article as your final project. You’ll 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; our School has particular strengths in the areas of:
-
Ethics
-
Political Philosophy
-
Philosophy of Religion
-
Modern European Philosophy (including critical theory, phenomenology, and existentialism)
Our MA-level modules include:
-
Kant
-
The Frankfurt School
-
Phenomenology and Existentialism
-
Environmental Ethics
-
Critical Theory
-
Topics in Contemporary Philosophy
Source: University of Essex
Course details
Qualification
Master of Philosophy - MPhil
Department
Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Location
Colchester Campus | Colchester
Duration
4 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Philosophy
Start date
October 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
The modules you will study
Many of our courses offer a choice of optional modules to tailor your learning experience. More information about these can be found on the University of Essex website.
University of Essex reviews
Showing 45 reviews
2nd year student
The SU tries their best with the budget they have. They are probably one of the only departments who try their hardest at Essex. Societies and sports clubs are great with lots of socials and a great way and the best way to make new friends at Essex. The 2 bars and nightclub on campus are ok although...
2 years ago
2nd year student
I live near Colchester so I haven’t moved far to go to Essex University so I knew what the area would be like. It isn’t the most busiest area and you can pretty much find every and do everything tourist-wise in a couple of days. Nightlife is ok with the club on campus and a couple in the town, all o...
2 years ago
2nd year student
With the cost of living so high in the UK, the University has only raised their rent slightly and when you take into account that bills are included, the cheaper accommodation options are quite good deals. I notice that financial support is offered to those in more difficult circumstances due to the...
2 years ago
2nd year student
There is more that could be done in this area and I imagine those who are new to this sort of environment (living on your own, needing to self motivate to study etc) would struggle as there is a lack of communication from all aspects of the University. A simple email explaining how a specific examin...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The facilities on campus for education (library, labs etc) I cannot fault and they all work effectively. However, the accommodation is quite poor. In my 1st year in halls, I moved into a dirty room which smelt like a toilet. Clearly it hadn’t been cleaned since the last tenant which meant I had to c...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The course content is good however the delivery is lacking. It seems pointless going to lectures face to face as a lot of lecturers just read off the slides and add nothing on top. Sometimes the lecturers themselves seem puzzled at some of the content on the slides and they often just quickly move o...
2 years ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Essex students who took the MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
90%
med
Teaching on my course
90%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
77%
low
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
100%
high
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
94%
high
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
89%
low
Learning opportunities
89%
high
Learning opportunities
89%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
80%
low
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
89%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
94%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
94%
high
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
86%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
81%
low
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
85%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
64%
low
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
82%
med
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
81%
med
Academic support
86%
low
Academic support
86%
low
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
86%
low
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
86%
low
Organisation and management
73%
low
Organisation and management
73%
low
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
86%
med
How well organised is your course?
69%
low
Learning resources
92%
med
Learning resources
92%
med
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
83%
med
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
100%
high
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
90%
med
Student voice
77%
med
Student voice
77%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
69%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
82%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
76%
low
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
65%
med
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
94%
high
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
81%
med
Student information
See who's studying at University of Essex. These students are taking MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Religious Studies | C | |||||
| Sociology | B | |||||
| History | C | |||||
| Government and Politics | C | |||||
| Mathematics | B | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
Facts and figures about University of Essex graduates who took MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) - or another course in the same subject area.
Graduate statistics
55%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
90%
In work, study or other activity
35%
Say it fits with future plans
15%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
25%
Administrative occupations
25%
Business and public service associate professionals
10%
Welfare and housing associate professionals
5%
Information Technology Professionals
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Essex graduates who took MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters) - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£22.6k
First year after graduation
£27k
Third year after graduation
£31.8k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to MPhilos Philosophy (four-year integrated masters).
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
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Essex on The Student Room.
University of Essex open days
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