Philosophy, Religion and Ethics

Do life’s biggest questions stir a desire in you to delve deeper – to understand and debate, for example, the meaning of life, the existence of God and how we can protect the planet we live on? Our course examines the different perspectives of great minds and thinking on such momentous issues and equips you to engage with these discussions in an informed and critical way.

Our unique Philosophy, Religion and Ethics degree is not simply studying these fields separately but explores questions at the intersection of these disciplines. You get to set philosophical ideas in conversation with religious traditions, rituals and sacred texts, engaging in stimulating debates about right and wrong, life and death, faith and politics.

At Winchester, you study the grand narrative of the philosophical tradition, from ancient Greece to the world of existentialism and post-modernity. Each year you analyse the meaning and significance of classic philosophical works from thinkers as diverse as Aristotle, Fanon, Ibn ‘Arabi, and de Beauvoir.

In analysing the texts produced by great intellects, you grow as a writer, debater and thinker. And it’s not all about heavyweight thinkers – you have the chance to consider material practices rather than just ideas: for example, to study what burial rituals tell us about our relation to death rather than just what books say.

You engage with major contemporary societal issues and learn to develop nuanced positions on them: for example, on the complex clashes between freedom, security, liberation, feminism and national identity at stake in recent European bans on items of Muslim dress. A philosophy degree might engage with some of that but only at an abstract level and without delving into the concepts and values of the community at stake. Our aim is to help our students become independent critics of society and effective problem solvers.

In Year 1, you begin by studying modules in philosophy, ethics and religious studies that are designed to develop your study skills and enhance your confidence in critical writing and reading.

In Years 2 and 3, you build a profile of options around your philosophical studies to reflect their own academic interests. Optional modules such as New and Alternative Religions, and Judaism In The Contemporary World encourage you to think about the way religious ideas and practices interact with modern societies and their communities.

You leave Winchester with a degree that shows you have an understanding of people and communities, not just books.

Graduates enter a wide range of fascinating and rewarding careers. Some students arrive with destinations in mind, including teaching, journalism, social work and academia, while others discover their vocation during the degree course. Other potential careers include working for NGOs and charities, where ethical issues are paramount.

But wherever you're heading, we want to help you reach there. A degree that develops you as an independent thinker, a close observer of society and collaborative problem solver – that gives you lots of options.