Overview

Questions about knowledge, existence and morality sit behind some of the biggest challenges we face today, from the ethics of artificial intelligence to how societies should respond to war and climate change. The BA (Hons) Philosophy at the University of Birmingham is led by internationally recognised researchers working across applied philosophy, philosophy of mind and philosophy of religion, connecting rigorous argument to real contemporary issues. Students build core skills in reasoning and persuasion from the first year before choosing freely from a wide range of specialist topics, with the option to combine philosophy with subjects such as politics, history or English. The course suits students with a genuine curiosity about big questions, who want to develop sharp, transferable thinking skills through open debate and close textual analysis.

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What You'll Learn

• Core problems of philosophy, alongside the art of persuasion and philosophical reasoning

• Moral and political philosophy, and the major philosophical traditions

• The foundations of belief, evidence and logical argument

• Specialist optional areas such as feminist philosophy, philosophy of mind, or climate and environmental ethics

• Contemporary applied topics, including the philosophy of mental health and the ethics of sex and relationships

• Logic and rigorous argument construction

• Advanced ethical debates, from the ethics of killing to questions of social justice

• An extended independent philosophical project on a topic of your choosing

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse complex philosophical arguments across areas such as metaphysics, ethics, and political and moral philosophy. They will be equipped to construct clear, well-reasoned arguments of their own, while engaging respectfully and rigorously with views that differ from their own. Through wide-ranging optional study and an independent philosophical project, students will develop the ability to think for themselves and pursue original lines of inquiry in depth. Graduates will leave with strong analytical, written and critical thinking skills, well suited to careers in law, journalism, teaching, publishing, management consultancy and beyond.