Philosophy

• We teach a wide range of different philosophies – Our team offers a wide range of expertise. Discover where Western and Eastern philosophies meet, learn the relevance of the great philosophers of old, and apply it to debates around contemporary concerns. 

• Excellent teaching – by choosing Philosophy at Brookes you will be joining a lively community of students taught by lecturers who are deeply committed to sharing their enthusiasm for philosophy, and who have a proud tradition of giving students all the support they need to get the most out of their degree.

• Think for yourself - you will develop the ability to ask challenging questions, reach reasoned conclusions and express yourself with clarity and precision, skills that will enhance your employment prospects.

• Take philosophy outside the classroom – don’t limit your learning to the classroom and library. At Brookes you’ll have opportunities to explore philosophy through student-run reading groups, informal discussions with your tutors, or at one of the many events that take place on campus and in the city.

From day 1 we will encourage you to become a philosopher in your own right. You will engage with the thoughts of great thinkers, from Plato to Kant, and examine current developments in areas such as the philosophy of mind and language, to culture, gender and sexuality.

Our small, interactive classes will teach you to debate and discuss your ideas with confidence and develop your own opinions about what it mean to be a philosopher.

Study modules

As courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the module list you choose from may vary from that shown here.

Year 1

Compulsory

• Introduction to Ethics
• Theory of Knowledge
• Introduction to Philosophy*
• Reason and Argument*

*For combined honours students only these modules are compulsory

Optional modules

• Global Philosophy in Religions
• Human Nature
• Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion

Year 2

Compulsory

• Ancient Greek Philosophy*
• Early Modern Philosophy*

*Combined honours students only need to take one of these modules as compulsory 

Optional modules

• Continental Philosophy of Religion
• Culture, Gender and Sexuality
• Evolution and the Mind
• Hellenistic Philosophy
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Science
• Work and Community Related Learning

Year 3

• Dissertation in Philosophy (compulsory for single honours)
• Experimental Philosophy
• Foundations of German Idealism
• Freedom, Justice and Politics
• Independent Study in Philosophy
• Interdisciplinary Dissertation (only available to combined honours students)
• Medieval Philosophy
• Metaethics
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Education
• Special Topics in Metaphysics
• Thinking in Dark Times

Modules in detail » Module diagrams »

Work placements

You will have the opportunity to undertake a work and community-related learning module as part of your degree.  This module lets you pick your own work placement and write a reflective journal of 3000 words based on the experience. You can even use your  existing job as a basis for a study topic. For example if you work part-time in a  care home, you could write a project on memory loss in Alzheimer's patients, or look at issues of power and authority in the workplace.

We also offer you the chance to take part in the  ‘philosophy with schools’ programme. This voluntary programme offers you specialist training before embarking on a placement in a local school, teaching philosophy to children as an enriching educational activity.

Find out more about work placement opportunities in the School of History, Philosophy and Culture.

The work and community-related module is optional and if students choose to undertake a placement in a school then it is organised by the placement staff within the University. Students can also choose to undertake a different work and community related placement, however the student would be responsible for organising it themselves.

Travel and associated costs of all work placements are the responsibility of the student, therefore it is advised that they organise placements bearing this in mind. Oxfordshire based placements are accessible via public transport and can often be accessed by the Brookes Bus service, whilst placements in London will incur higher travel costs. It is encouraged that students explore opportunities for their placement provider to cover travel costs if they opt for a placement which is not local. 

Study abroad

You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Exchanges take place in the second year and most recently students have studied in Australia, Canada, Finland and the USA.

Studying abroad provides an amazing opportunity to add value to your studies by: 

• increasing your employability within an international market
• boosting your language skills
• building your confidence in adapting to new situations
• improving your knowledge of different cultures.
• While on exchange you will gain credits which count towards your degree.

We have more than 100 partner universities around the world. Whilst on your year abroad tuition fees are paid as they would be if you remained in the UK, either to Oxford Brookes via your student loan or directly to Oxford Brookes according to your preference.

You will be responsible for all other costs such as accommodation, purchasing your airfares, travel and health insurance and any requisite visas. Funding is available through the Erasmus scheme, and also via some international programmes such as the Santander Student Awards. 

There is also a European work placement programme which gives you the chance to work abroad as part of your studies.For more information, visit our pages on studying abroad and exchanges. 

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:

• studying at a Brookes partner college
• studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Attendance pattern

Additional costs

We do not expect students to purchase any compulsory course books, as they are all available in the library. If students wish to purchase additional books to supplement their reading this is at their own discretion.

Programme changes

On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.

Teaching and learning

Our aim is to help you to think for yourself and maximise your academic potential. You’ll find on campus a friendly and supportive environment in which you can develop your own thinking.

You’ll learn through a mix of interactive lectures, group discussions, seminars, online discussions and podcasts. You will also be encouraged to continue debating the issues outside the classroom by getting together with other students, and meeting staff informally to discuss your ideas.

We’ve structured the course in such a way to help you develop broader-ranging skills that will increase your confidence and help you later in life. You will be able construct cohesive arguments, structure your thoughts, keep an open mind, maintain a critical distance, and uncover the heart of an issue through a process of debate, reflection and argument. In your final year you will also develop your research skills. 

Approach to assessment

You will be assessed through written coursework, exams and oral presentations.

This course can be combined with one of the following subjects:

Anthropology
LV65
See the Key Information Set for this combination

English Literature
W354
See the Key Information Set for this combination

International Relations
LVF5
See the Key Information Set for this combination

Politics
LV25
See the Key Information Set for this combination

Sociology
LV35
See the Key Information Set for this combination

Tuition fees

Home/EU - full time fee: 2018/19: £9,250. 2019/20: £9,250.

Home/EU - part time fee: 2018/19: £750 per single module. 2019/20: £750 per single module.

International - full time: 2018/19: £13,150 2019/20: £13,410

Please note tuition fees for Home/EU students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.

Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning home and EU students at the maximum permitted level.

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course, if any, are detailed in the 'This course in detail' window above.

Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk

Funding and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see:

• Funding for Undergraduate students from the UK and EU
• Funding for Undergraduate students from outside the EU

Typical offers

UCAS Tariff points: 112

A-Level: BBC or equivalent

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. This combination of A-level grades would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

IB Diploma: 30 points

BTEC: DMM

For combined honours, normally the offer will lie between the offer quoted for each subject.

Specific entry requirements

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

Please see the University's standard English language requirements

Pathways courses for international and EU students

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, or if you would like more preparation before you start, you can take an  international foundation course. Once you enrol, you will have a guaranteed pathway to this degree if you pass your foundation course with the required grades.

If you only need to meet the language requirements, you can take our  pre-sessional English course. You will develop key language and study skills for academic success and you will not need to take an external language test to progress to your degree.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

How to apply

Part-time applications should be made directly to the University using the University application form.

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Oxford Brookes operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). All undergraduate single modules are equivalent to 7.5 ECTS credits and double modules to 15 ECTS credits. More about ECTS credits.

Why Oxford is a great place to study this course

Specialist facilities

General support services

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Career prospects

Studying philosophy will help you to develop reasoning and communication skills that are highly prized by employers. Philosophy graduates work in a wide range of sectors including journalism and the media, the civil and diplomatic services, law, marketing, computing, management consultancy and counselling.

You can read more about the destinations of some of our recent graduates here.

Further study

You can stay at Oxford Brookes to continue your studies with us; we offer a MA by Research in Philosophy and also provide doctoral supervision. We have an active research community and pride ourselves on the high-quality supervision we give our research students, with each student being allocated at least two supervisors.

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