BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion
About this course
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Ethics and Religion, a philosophy degree centred on historical, ethical, and religious perspectives through rigorous inquiry. Core topics include Research Methods, Ethics & Professional Practice, and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning. Students complete their studies by producing an 8,000-word dissertation on a philosophical topic of their choice. The first year covers foundational ideas through Ancient Greek Philosophy, Ethics, Faith and Reason, Human Understanding and Understanding Humans, Reason and Argument, and Truth, Knowledge, and Objectivity, with optional choices such as Applied Ethics and Freedom and Responsibility. The second year examines historical and conceptual developments via Mind and World in the History of Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, and Self and Agency in the History of Philosophy, alongside various optional topics like Epistemology: Knowledge and Evidence and Political Philosophy. The final year centres on independent research through the Philosophy Dissertation alongside optional modules spanning classical philosophy, applied ethics, and political theory.
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: Pass, with 32 points overall with 16 points at Higher Level
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What students say
Based on about 79 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 91%
- Learning opportunities: 85%
- Assessment and feedback: 86%
- Academic support: 93%
- Organisation and management: 89%
- Learning resources: 90%
- Student voice: 86%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 95 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 94%
- Left higher education: 5%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 1%
What graduates do next
Based on about 23 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 60%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 10%
- Unemployed: 10%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 15%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Media Professionals: 10%
- Finance Professionals: 10%
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 85%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 55%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 40%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 70 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 1%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 3%
- East Midlands: 2%
- East of England: 4%
- London: 38%
- South East: 38%
- South West: 10%
- Wales: 3%
Who gets in
Based on about 10 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 90%
- Foundation course: 10%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Ancient Greek Philosophy
- Ethics
- Faith and Reason
- Human Understanding and Understanding Humans
- Reason and Argument
- Truth, Knowledge, and Objectivity
- Applied Ethics
- Freedom and Responsibility
- Human Origins
- Introduction to Ethnography: Food and Culture
- Philosophy of Race
- Primary and Secondary Education: Critical Observations
- Puzzles about Art and Literature
- Mind and World in the History of Philosophy
- Moral Philosophy
- Philosophy of Religion
- Self and Agency in the History of Philosophy
- AI Utopias and the Climate Crisis
- Animal Ethics, Animal Minds
- Cities of the Dead: Death, Mourning and Remembrance in Modern Britain
- Cognitive Psychology in Education
- Darwin and the Making of Evolutionary Thought: Myth, Memory, and Modern Society
- Data, Culture, and Justice
- Digital Futures of the Past: Power, Ethics, and Representation
- Epistemology: Knowledge and Evidence
- Ethics of Global Poverty
- Exploring Other Cultures
- Human Origins
- Humanities and Professional Practice
- Introduction to Ethnography: Food and Culture
- Islam's Identity Crisis: Between Violent Jihadism and Peaceful Reformation
- Kant’s Copernican Revolution in Philosophy
- Learning about Culture: Introduction to Ethnography
- Philosophy of Race
- Political Philosophy
- Self, society, nature, and normativity
- Sin and Society, 1100-1500
- The Mind, The Brain, and Consciousness
- The Power of Rome: Europe’s first empire
- Philosophy Dissertation
- Anthropological Perspectives on Migration and Mobilities
- Business, Morality, and Markets
- Cities of the Dead: Death, Mourning and Remembrance in Modern Britain
- Classical Chinese Philosophy
- Classical Indian Philosophy: Self, Knowledge, and Liberation
- Crime and Punishment
- Darwin and the Making of Evolutionary Thought: Myth, Memory, and Modern Society
- Democratic Theory
- Exploring the Hidden Assumptions in Education
- Green Political Thought: Humans and other stories
- Happiness and Wellbeing
- Islam's Identity Crisis: Between Violent Jihadism and Peaceful Reformation
- Islamic Philosophy
- Philosophical Pessimism
- Philosophy and Ethics in Psychology and AI
- Philosophy of Sex, Sexuality, and Gender
- Political Philosophy
- Sin and Society, 1100-1500
- Stonehenge to Skara Brae: the Neolithic of Britain
- The Ethics of Belief: Evidence, Truth, and Ideology
- The Ethics of Climate Change
- The Power of Rome: Europe’s first empire
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at University of Southampton earn?
The median salary is £29,000 after 15 months, £26,000 after 3 years, £32,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £27,000 and £42,500. The £32,000 median after five years is £500 less than the UK median for Philosophy.
What do graduates of BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at University of Southampton do next?
80% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at University of Southampton?
91% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at University of Southampton?
The typical offer is ABB at A level, or 32 points in the IB. The average entrant had 130 UCAS points.
How many students continue on BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at University of Southampton?
94% of students continued into their second year, and 5% left higher education.