Students taking the BA (Hons) in Philosophy will receive an average of eight timetabled contact hours per week over the course of the degree.

Philosophical development is principally a matter of acquiring a range of reasoning skills, rather than familiarising oneself with a body of knowledge. Hence, from the outset, the course places a strong emphasis on dialogical interaction. Lectures involve plenty of opportunities for questions and extended discussion, and tutorials consist mostly of structured, critical dialogue in the context of a friendly, supportive environment.

Timetabled contact is only a part of the learning process, and its aim is to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the relevant literature yourself and to pursue independent learning. Lectures and accompanying documents contextualise material and introduce you to topics, positions and debates. At least four hours of additional study per week are recommended for each lecture, which includes reading and the completion of assignments. You are therefore expected to spend around 75% of your study time on independent research. Having done your reading, you return to lecture topics in small group tutorials. These help you to refine your understanding of material, and to develop the reasoning skills needed to formulate, present, defend and criticise philosophical positions.

In the first year of study, there are nine hours of contact time per week, consisting of weekly lectures and fortnightly tutorials. All our students are welcomed as full members of the Department’s intellectual community from the moment of their arrival, and attend an induction lecture during the first week of the course.

In the second and third years, as you further develop the critical skills required for independent learning, lecture-based modules are complemented by seminar-based modules. Weekly 90-minute seminars place more emphasis on student participation, in the form of group exercises and short presentations. Modules also become more specifically focused, and you are offered a wider range of topics to choose from, especially in the third year. These build upon lower level modules in a coherent, progressive fashion. For example, you have the option of pursuing a distinctive ‘history and philosophy of science and medicine’ strand, which runs throughout our curriculum.

Other evolving areas of study include aesthetics, philosophy of mind and psychology, theoretical and applied ethics, logic and metaphysics, history of philosophy, ‘continental’ philosophy, and non-western philosophy. Therefore, you will have the opportunity to steer your studies in a range of different directions, many of which are interdisciplinary. You will do so under the guidance of internationally recognised experts in the relevant fields, who are in a position to familiarise you with cutting-edge research.

In the second year, you will continue to receive an average of nine hours of scheduled contact time per week. However, this reduces to six hours in the third year, when you write a dissertation, which is a cornerstone of the degree. To help prepare for it, there is a lecture in your second-year, explaining how to go about choosing a dissertation topic and supervisor. In addition, you receive detailed instructions via email. In your final year, having selected your topic, you are offered six hours of one-to-one dissertation supervision with an expert in your chosen research area. This teaching includes guidance on suitable reading, critical discussion of relevant sources, detailed advice on how to write a 12,000 word piece of research, and intensive critical engagement with your own philosophical position and argument. Through the process of researching and writing a dissertation, the critical skills that you begin to develop in your first year of study (skills that can be put to work in a wide range of careers) are developed to such an extent that you are able to pursue high-level, independent research.

In addition to offering scheduled contact hours, the Department has an open-door policy. You are welcome to call by staff members’ offices or make appointments via email whenever you like. You are also offered three annual workshops, on (1) essay writing, (2) examination technique and (3) choosing second- and third-year modules. All students are invited to attend Royal Institute of Philosophy Lectures, Research Seminars, Undergraduate Philosophy Society talks and other department events.

A level offer – AAA.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD.

IB Diploma score – 37 with 666 in higher level subjects.

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.

• We consider each application holistically. Whilst academic achievement is important, it is not the only factor that we consider when assessing applications and applicants who have achieved, or are predicted to achieve, close to our typical offer, but who have not met it exactly, will be welcome to apply if they have a strong application in other key elements, for example can demonstrate merit and potential through their personal statement or their reference.

• An interview may form part of the entry requirements for mature students with non-standard qualifications.

• We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.

• If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Science A levels

Applicants taking Science A levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This applies only to applicants sitting A levels with an English examination board.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

Full Time Fees

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Of those students who graduated in 2019:

• 80% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes

Of those in employment:

• 69% are in high skilled employment
• With an average salary of £30,000.

(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)

Philosophy studies profound and important questions that arise in all areas of human life. At Durham University, we offer a distinctive, research-led Philosophy curriculum, incorporating considerable levels of variety and choice. Whatever you choose, you will be taught by internationally renowned experts in the field.

We are one of the UK’s top philosophy departments. The exceptionally high-quality education you receive here will equip you with critical abilities that can be put to use in all sorts of ways and which are prized by employers.

For more information see our department pages.

Rankings

• World Top 50 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2022
• Top 10 in The Guardian University Guide and The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022
• Top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2023.

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see the Philosophy Department pages.

Research Excellence Framework

Top 20 in the UK for the quality of our research (REF 21).

Facilities

Find out more:

The degree will be delivered by internationally renowned philosophers using a combination of methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials and self-directed learning, such as research, reading and writing.

Philosophical development is principally a matter of acquiring a range of reasoning skills, rather than familiarising yourself with a body of knowledge. Lectures involve plenty of opportunities for questions and extended discussion, and tutorials consist mostly of structured, critical dialogue in the context of a friendly, supportive environment.

Assessment

Assessment varies by module, but may typically include essays, examinations and some will involve a combination of the two. In your final year, you will submit a dissertation, which allows you to explore in depth a topic of your choice.

A level offer – AAA.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD.

IB Diploma score – 37 with 666 in higher level subjects.

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.

• We consider each application holistically. Whilst academic achievement is important, it is not the only factor that we consider when assessing applications and applicants who have achieved, or are predicted to achieve, close to our typical offer, but who have not met it exactly, will be welcome to apply if they have a strong application in other key elements, for example can demonstrate merit and potential through their personal statement or their reference.

• An interview may form part of the entry requirements for mature students with non-standard qualifications.

• We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.

• If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Science A levels

Applicants taking Science A levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This applies only to applicants sitting A levels with an English examination board.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

The tuition fees for 2024/25 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Philosophical training will equip you with a range of theoretical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, project management, presenting and researching, that will be of value to employers across a range of industries.

Our graduates work in a vast range of employment sectors worldwide, including law, the Civil Service and politics, management, public relations, teaching, journalism, media and publishing, marketing, retail and business, IT and financial services. Examples of recent employers include Penguin, Random House Publishing, Save the Children, Amnesty International and The Guardian.

Of those students who graduated in 2019:

• 80% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes

Of those in employment:

• 69% are in high skilled employment
• With an average salary of £30,000.

(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)

Philosophy is an ancient and diverse discipline that is fundamental to our understanding of what it is to be human. Amongst the most prestigious departments in the UK, at Durham we pride ourselves on our excellence in teaching and research and we are committed to the pursuit of philosophical knowledge and understanding. Our distinctive, research-led approach to learning means that our undergraduate courses are constantly shaped in line with research and to reflect contemporary study in the area.

We offer a range of single and joint honours degrees with flexible pathways to suit your interests and career aspirations. As well as covering more traditional areas of philosophy, such as ethics and values, philosophical traditions and moral theory, our curriculum also highlights the relevance of philosophy to current issues in the world. This includes modules relating to the ethics of science and medicine. You can further develop your skills and experience with the opportunity to spend a year studying overseas or on a work placement.

During your time with us you will learn as much about how to think about difficult questions, as you will learn about the answers that can be given to them. You will develop the ability to detect a bad argument, whether in politics, in the media, or with the people in your day-to-day life, and an ability to produce better arguments of your own. Whatever you end up doing with your career, philosophy will forever change your outlook on the world.

For more information see our department pages.

Rankings

• World Top 50 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2022
• Top 10 in The Guardian University Guide and The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023
• 8th in The Complete University Guide 2023.

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see the Philosophy Department pages.

Research Excellence Framework

Top 20 in the UK for the quality of our research (REF 21).

Facilities

Find out more: