Ethics, Religion and Philosophy

Ethics, religion, and philosophy together form one of the most fundamental areas of humanistic inquiry. Ethics asks how we ought to live and act, and on what basis we can evaluate moral claims and practices. Religion, studied as an academic discipline, examines how human beings have understood the transcendent and organised their lives around beliefs about the sacred, drawing on history, anthropology, textual scholarship, and philosophy.

Philosophy provides the analytical tools for interrogating both, asking what can be known, how reasoning works, and what grounds our most fundamental commitments. Together, the three disciplines develop critical thinking of the most rigorous and far-reaching kind.

At Manchester Metropolitan University, this part-time BA is designed for students who want to engage seriously with the world's rich philosophical and religious traditions while developing the capacity for independent and influential thinking. You will explore the history of philosophy and religious thought, engage with contemporary ethical debates, and develop the skills to communicate complex ideas effectively. The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you professional experience alongside your academic development.

The part-time structure makes the degree manageable alongside work or other commitments.

Graduates from ethics, religion, and philosophy programmes bring a set of skills that are valued across many professional contexts. The ability to reason precisely, to engage with diverse perspectives, and to communicate carefully about values and meaning is relevant to work in education, the civil service, journalism, healthcare ethics, counselling and social work, the charitable sector, arts and cultural organisations, and public policy. Many graduates pursue careers in teaching or chaplaincy.

For those who wish to continue studying, the programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work in philosophy, theology, ethics, or related fields.