Course summary

Philosophy, Religion and Ethics gives you a grounding in the over-arching narrative of the philosophical tradition. From ancient Greece to existentialism and atheism, from Kant to Derrida, you encounter the thinkers who have shaped the way we see and understand our world. Each year you examine new writers and ideas, exploring great philosophical works and what they mean. Importantly, our degree also gives you the opportunity to put philosophy to work. You set philosophical ideas in conversation with religious traditions, with sacred texts, with ethical debates about right and wrong, life and death, faith and politics. You develop critical viewpoints on scholarship, and grow as writers, debaters and thinkers in your own right. This degree develops you as an independent mind, as a problem solver, as a reader and a critic of society. To begin the course, you are oriented in the core subject areas. You undertake year-long modules in theological tradition and religious studies, designed to develop study skills and enhance your confidence in critical writing and reading. These sit alongside thorough introductions to university-level philosophy and ethics. In the subsequent years, you are able to build a profile of options around your philosophical studies to reflect your own academic interests. Optional modules tend to encourage you to think about the way religious ideas and practices interact with the contemporary world.