Philosophy
BA (Hons)
UCAS code: V500
Start dates: September 2025 / September 2026
Full time: 3 years
Part time: up to 6 years
Location: Headington
Department(s): School of Education, Humanities and Languages
Overview
Get to grips with the greatest questions generated by our attempt to make sense of the world and our place in it. Explore important topics like moral responsibility, social convention, and fake news. Discover the diverse career opportunities a philosophy degree unlocks in the 21st century.
Looking at how philosophy is relevant to our everyday lives is an important part of this course. You’ll explore answers to big questions like: how can it help us tackle the biggest challenges facing society? And what are the negative consequences of technological change?
You’ll have the chance to look at more modern thinking around philosophy of mind, epistemology, moral philosophy, and more. However, we offer a wide range of modules that focus on the past too.
Outside the lecture theatre, we encourage you to make the most of opportunities on offer. Perhaps you’ll become part of our philosophy society and attend their events. Or maybe you’ll boost your CV with a work placement or by studying abroad.
Why Oxford Brookes University?
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Strong student support
We give you feedback on all draft coursework and schedule meetings every semester to help keep you on track.
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Small class sizes
We encourage discussion and debate to help you develop your philosophical skills.
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Expert insight
Listen to Royal Institute of Philosophy lectures and attend The Philosophy Zone, a fortnightly staff-student discussion event.
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Top 10 in the UK
Philosophy is ranked 9th in the Guardian Philosophy subject league ranking 2025.
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Focus on employability
We have a careers service specifically designed for philosophy students.
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Free language courses
Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.
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Study abroad
You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Oxford Brookes. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.
Course details
Study modules
Teaching for this course takes place face to face and you can expect around 7 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.
Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Careers
Studying philosophy at Oxford Brookes will prepare you for life beyond university. You’ll be an expert in analytical thinking, moral reasoning, and problem solving. All skills that are becoming central to 21st century careers.
Employers in a range of areas will be looking for someone like you – particularly in areas of growth such as:
- social media regulation and oversight,
- the ethics of AI,
- government policy.
Want to take your expertise to the next level? Study a postgraduate course with us to develop your research skills further.
Student profiles
Our Staff
Dr Mark Cain
Mark's research interests are in the Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Mind and Language. In particular, he is interested in understanding the process by which humans develop from a state of seeming ignorance at birth to one in which they are able to speak a language and grasp a vast array of concepts only a few years later.
Read more about MarkJoint honours options
You can also study this course as part of a joint honours degree. This course can be joined with:
Related courses
Entry requirements
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 104
A Level: BCC
IB Points: 29
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
For joint honours, normally the offer will lie between the offers quoted for each subject.
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk
Specific entry requirements
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
Please see the University's standard English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, or if you would like more preparation before you start, you can take an international foundation course. Once you enrol, you will have a guaranteed pathway to this degree if you pass your foundation course with the required grades.
If you only need to meet the language requirements, you can take our pre-sessional English course. You will develop key language and study skills for academic success and you will not need to take an external language test to progress to your degree.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Credit transfer
Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.
Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
International qualifications and equivalences
How to apply
Application process
Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Optional costs
Additional costs | Amount (£) |
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It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£94-265 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£122-180 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. BrookesBus travel is subsidised for full-time undergraduate students that are on a course with a fee of £9,250 or more, or living in an Oxford Brookes hall of residence. There is an administration fee for the production of a BrookesKey. |
From £10 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
All financial support and scholarships
Information from Discover Uni
Full-time study
Part-time study
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.