BA Philosophy, Religion and Ethics

What does the programme cover?

In the first year all modules are compulsory. They introduce each of the three elements of this programme and provide the foundation on which you will build in your second and third years through a combination of core and optional modules. In the final year the module Belief and Unbelief aims to draw  together and synthesise your previous learning. You also complete a dissertation which allows you to explore in depth an area which you choose, usually building on an interest arising from one or more of your modules.

In addition to the central core of your degree, you select optional modules which make up half of your second year and half of your final year. Not every option is available every year, but there is always a rich and diverse range of possibilities, in Philosophy, Religion, Ethics and in the works of great thinkers which may span all three. You can choose a  mix of whole modules and half-modules which allows you to widen your range: for example, all the Ethics options are half-modules, covering not only diverse ethical issues but also philosophical and religious approaches to ethical matters. The options in Religion allow you to explore themes in Christianity or to look at the beliefs and practices of other religions and the relationships between them.

Throughout your study you will engage in critical discussion of a wide range of issues. You will develop skills in selecting and organising material relevant to a specific task, conducting detailed and increasingly independent analysis of texts,  doctrines, theories or arguments, and presenting arguments coherently in speech and writing.