Philosophy, Religion and Ethics

Philosophy, religion, and ethics is a degree that enables you to study philosophy with a special focus on questions about religion and ethics, including some of the most momentous issues any thinking person can face: the meaning of life, the relationship between faith and reason, arguments for and against the existence of God, and the moral status of contested practices such as abortion and euthanasia. These are not merely abstract academic puzzles. They are live questions that individuals, communities, and societies must engage with, and philosophy provides the analytical tools to do so with precision, care, and intellectual honesty.

You will study both classic texts and ongoing debates across a range of philosophical traditions, equipping yourself to engage with these discussions in an informed and critical way.

At the University of Essex, this three-year full-time programme brings together philosophy of religion, moral philosophy, and applied ethics within a broader philosophical education that develops your ability to construct arguments, examine assumptions, assess evidence, and engage with opposing views at the highest level of critical rigour. Essex's philosophy department has a strong research culture and encourages students to engage with current debates in the discipline rather than treating philosophy as a purely historical subject.

With a typical entry tariff of 120 UCAS points, this programme is accessible to students with genuine intellectual curiosity about the deepest questions of human life and value. Graduates pursue careers in education, law, the civil service, journalism, ethics consultancy, healthcare ethics, religious and charitable organisations, public policy, and any field where the ability to reason carefully about difficult moral and philosophical questions is professionally valuable. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in philosophy, ethics, theology, or law.