Philosophy

Philosophy is the discipline that asks the most fundamental questions humans have ever posed: what can we know and how do we know it? What is real? What makes actions right or wrong?

What is the nature of mind, of identity, of freedom? These are not idle questions but the foundations of every scientific, political, and ethical framework we use to understand and organise our lives. Studying philosophy develops the most rigorous form of critical thinking there is, training you to identify assumptions, evaluate arguments, and reason with precision about matters of enormous importance.

At the University of Essex this three-year full-time degree challenges you to think critically about some of the most fundamental questions of human existence, exploring topics including knowledge, identity, ethics, freedom, religion, politics, and the meaning of life. You will develop analytical and reasoning skills through close engagement with the texts and arguments of major philosophical traditions, both historical and contemporary, and you will be asked to construct and defend your own positions with care and precision. Essex has a well-regarded philosophy department with research strengths in ethics, political philosophy, continental philosophy, and philosophy of mind.

Philosophy graduates are among the most versatile in the graduate job market, precisely because the skills they develop, analytical rigour, precise writing, the ability to see through complexity to what is actually at stake, are valued across virtually every professional sector. Law, consulting, finance, public policy, journalism, the civil service, education, and technology all recruit philosophy graduates. Many go on to postgraduate study in philosophy, law, public policy, or cognitive science.

The typical entry tariff of 120 points makes the programme accessible, and Essex's research-led approach to teaching means you engage with living ideas rather than merely historical texts.