BA Philosophy (Placement Year)
About this course
BA Hons in Philosophy (Placement Year), a philosophy degree centred on examining fundamental questions about human existence, knowledge, and ethics. Core topics include Research Methods, Policy Analysis, Historical Research, Critical & Analytical Thinking, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Social & Cultural Analysis, and Global & Comparative Perspective. The course includes a third-year professional placement role in industry and a final-year independent research project. The first year covers core foundations through Knowledge and Reality in a Complex World, History of Philosophy: Ideas that Shaped the West, Ethics: How Should I Live?, History of Philosophy: Resistance and Inclusion, and Political Philosophy: How Should we Live Together?. The second year deepens understanding with Applied Philosophy: Decisions that Change the World, Mind, World and Science, and Philosophy Guided Project. Optional modules across the degree span areas such as politics, psychology, sociology, and religion. The final year features advanced study through Philosophy Independent Project: Extended Study, alongside options exploring global crises, politics, and culture.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: ABB IB: 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects
See the highest paying History, Philosophy & Religion degrees in the UK →
Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 100%: 6 offers from 6 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 21 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 82%
- Assessment and feedback: 75%
- Academic support: 94%
- Organisation and management: 76%
- Learning resources: 95%
- Student voice: 70%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 35 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 80%
- Left higher education: 20%
What graduates do next
Based on about 16 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 75%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 10%
- Unemployed: 5%
Most common jobs
- Elementary occupations: 15%
- Teaching Professionals: 15%
- Protective service occupations: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Finance Professionals: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 55%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 45%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 35%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 35 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 40%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 25%
- East Midlands: 5%
- West Midlands: 5%
- East of England: 5%
- London: 20%
- South East: 5%
- Scotland: 5%
Who gets in
Based on about 40 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 95%
- Other HE qualification: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Silver for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- Knowledge and Reality in a Complex World
- History of Philosophy: Ideas that Shaped the West
- Ethics: How Should I Live?
- History of Philosophy: Resistance and Inclusion
- Political Philosophy: How Should we Live Together?
- Parties, Populism and Protest
- Developmental Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Global Challenges in World Politics
- Medieval and Early Modern Worlds
- Explaining Criminology
- Thinking Sociologically
- English across Space and Time
- Logic and Discrete Mathematics
- Global Religions and Society
- Understanding Culture
- Applied Philosophy: Decisions that Change the World
- Mind, World and Science
- Philosophy Guided Project
- Philosophical Perspectives on Politics and Economics
- Language, Communication and Knowledge
- Continental Philosophy
- Body, Mind and Society
- Inventing Rights
- Death
- Britain in the 20th Century
- Discourse Studies
- Welfare States: Poverty, Policy and Politics
- Film Theory and Aesthetics
- Language and Identity in France, Spain, Germany and the Sinophone World
- Society on Screen: The Language of Film
- Employability, Purpose and Social Impact (Discovery module)
- Global Challenges and Collaborative Solutions (Discovery module)
- Taking an Idea and Making it Happen (Discovery module)
- Global Religions, Women and Gender
- Work Based Learning Year
- Philosophy Independent Project: Extended Study
- Comparative Political Philosophy
- Questions at the Frontiers of Philosophy
- Philosophy and Popular Culture
- Philosophy For Times of Global Crisis
- Textual Explorations in Philosophy
- Critical Political Theory
- Democracy Under Pressure
- Policymaking in the Real World
- Crimes and Harms of the Powerful
- The Politics of Borders and Migration
- Autocrats, Dictators and Caudillos: Dictatorship and Representation in the 20th and 21st Centuries
- Sciences and Cultures Lab
- State and Religion
- Queer Futures (Discovery module)
- People Power and Collective Action (Discovery module)
- Confronting the Climate Crisis (Discovery module)
- Artistic Fusions (Discovery module)
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University earn?
The median salary is £25,000 after 15 months, £25,000 after 3 years, £30,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £22,500 and £40,000. The £30,500 median after five years is £2,000 less than the UK median for Philosophy.
What do graduates of BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University do next?
90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
92% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
The typical offer is ABB at A level, or 32 points in the IB. The average entrant had 132 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
100% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 6 offers from 6 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
Does BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has a compulsory placement year.
How many students continue on BA Philosophy (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
80% of students continued into their second year, and 20% left higher education.