Philosophy - BA (Hons)

Durham University

Gain a deeper understanding of this complex world. The study of philosophy confronts profound and important questions that arise in all areas of human life – questions such as ‘What does a flourishing human life look like?’ When you choose a philosophy degree, you are embarking on a course which will equip you with the skills needed to think carefully and deeply about what matters in a good life, and how individual happiness is related to friendships, relationships, family, society, the political system and culture. 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. At Durham, you will follow one of the widest-ranging philosophy degrees in the country. Rather than studying one particular school, your degree will equip you with wide-ranging expertise in Anglo-American analytical philosophy and continental philosophy. Each of these has its own distinctive set of issues and approaches to resolving them. We have special expertise in the philosophy of science, and social science, and the history of science and medicine. You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four. Philosophy is a new subject for many students, so in your first year you will follow a range of introductory modules, introducing the fundamental philosophical subject areas. In your second year, you will further develop the critical skills required for independent learning, and modules also become more specifically focused. In your third year, you will design and carry out your own dissertation which is the cornerstone of the degree.Course structureYear 1 modulesCore modules:Ethics and Values provides a structured introduction to moral philosophy, including applied ethics, by exploring key moral concepts and showing how they influence moral practices and theories.Knowledge and Reality introduces philosophical problems in epistemology (the study of knowledge), and metaphysics (the study of reality and ourselves).Philosophical Traditions introduces a range of philosophical approaches which provides grounding for the key explanatory and interpretative skills expected at later stages of the degree. The module also introduces the practice of researching and writing philosophy by examining ways in which philosophers shape knowledge in particular areas.Reading Philosophy allows you to acquire an understanding of the issues of interpretation and comprehension in reading primary authors, through a detailed study of four thematically related texts.Optional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Science, Medicine and SocietyBeing Human: An Introduction to Post-Kantian Philosophy Year 2 modulesOptional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Philosophy of MindLanguage, Logic and RealityEarly Modern PhilosophyMoral TheoryHistory, Science and MedicineFundamentals of LogicPolitical and Social PhilosophyPhilosophy of ReligionPhilosophy of ScienceThe Philosophy of Economics and Politics: Theory, Methods and Values Year 3 modulesCore modules:Dissertation The final year includes a Dissertation on a topic of your choice in which you research a topic in depth and present your findings and conclusions.Optional modules:In recent years, optional modules have included: Revolutions in Modern Philosophy: Kant and other TrailblazersAestheticsTwentieth-Century European PhilosophyApplied EthicsBiomedical Ethics: Past and PresentHistory and Philosophy of PsychiatryEthics in Business PracticePhilosophical Issues in Contemporary ScienceIssues in Contemporary EthicsMetaphysicsFormal and Philosophical Logic Additional Pathways Students can apply to be transferred onto either the with Year Abroad or with Placement pathway.