About This Course
Studying Philosophy, Ethics and Religion offers you the opportunity to engage with the fundamental questions of life: What does it means to be human? How should we resolve moral dilemmas? Is it possible to prove that God exists? Our course draws together modules that explore ethics, analytical and continental philosophy, and Eastern and Western religions. If you have an enquiring mind and want to cultivate new skills - this may be the course for you.
All of our modules are taught by experts in fields of Philosophy, Ethics and Religion, specialising in areas such as religious extremism, existentialism, applied ethics, aesthetics, Holocaust studies and the study of the world religions. Each year you will be able to choose from a wide range of courses and with no compulsory modules in your first and second year you will be able to tailor your degree to your own interests. In your final year of study, you will again be able to choose most of your modules but will also be required to complete an independent project which will give you the opportunity to research a topic of your choosing at an advanced level.
Our courses are taught through interactive lectures and seminars, where you will be able explore and debate some of the most significant philosophical, ethical and religious issues that confront humanity today. You will also be given the opportunity to meet with your lecturers for one-to-one tutorials or in small groups to discuss and develop your ideas further.
Our staff are dedicated to developing your academic and personal potential, ensuring that you are prepared for success after graduation.
Why choose Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ for this course?
- You will have opportunity to specialise your degree in philosophy, ethics or religion.
- You will benefit from staff expertise and their commitment to teaching, student care and welfare.
- Our staff are research active and incorporate current research into their teaching.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement YearÌýoption where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider.ÌýYou would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year.ÌýPlacements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.Ìý
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider thisÌýoptionÌýwhen you have started your course at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ and can make an application for a transfer onto thisÌýpathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch. Ìý
This course is available with an International Experience YearÌýoption where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year.Ìý You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons.ÌýWith international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinationsÌýand partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ and in your host university to improve your language skills.Ìý
You will have the opportunity to fully consider thisÌýoption at any time during your degree at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.Ìý
Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on theÌýStudent Exchanges section of our website.
Course Content
Each module will be taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars:
- Lectures will be led by a course tutor and will introduce you to the central themes and issues that are to be discussed throughout the module.
- Lectures will be accompanied by weekly seminars which provide students with the opportunity to express their ideas or debate topics in a small group setting.
- Modules also make use of Blackboard, the University’s online learning environment.
Throughout your degree you will be given the opportunity to complete different types of assessment, such as, examinations, essays, case studies, text analysis, film reviews, presentations, pod casts and glossaries. By completing such a diverse range of assessments, you will be given the opportunity to develop a wide array of different skills and writing styles that will be invaluable in your later careers. You will be given extensive feedback on each assignment, to ensure that you are able to continually make progress throughout your degree.
If you find you are anxious about one of our forms of assessment in some of our modules, we may be able to provide you with an alternative form assessment (which will cover similar learning outcomes for the module).
What will you study on this course?
The first year is intended to give you a basic grounding in topics in Philosophy, Ethics and Religion so that you become familiar with these subjects even if you have not studied them before. The first-year modules provide you with a solid grounding in the various skills required for subsequent study in Years 2 and 3. Modules in Years 2 and 3 will provide you with a range of religious, ethical and philosophical modules, many of which are relevant to issues of contemporary concern. In Year 3 the range of modules includes a dissertation module, which involves independent study with supervised support on a topic of your choice from any of the modules you have studied within the School. The dissertation module is the only compulsory module in this degree programme.
During each semester you will study modules equivalent to 60 credits, making a total of 120 credits per year.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Philosophy, Ethics and Religion BA (Hons) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Facilities
- Students are able to join the RE-Connect project that seeks to help students gain experience teaching Religious Studies to secondary school students.
- Students have access to a range of religious artifacts and resources.
- Opportunities to read with rare texts and manuscripts.
- Opportunities to engage with members of different religious communities.
- Opportunities to visit the four main pilgrimages sites in North Wales.
- The School has its own student common room with computer access.
- The School has its own journal where students can publish their work.
- Our excellent teaching facilities include geophysical labs and wave flumes, as well as advanced computer systems.Ìý
- We are on the coast, next to the Irish Sea and the Menai Strait within the UNESCO Geopark GeoMon. We are also next to the classic glaciated environments of Snowdonia and so the perfect place to study geosciences with a wide range of environments for field courses and study sites for final-year projects.Ìý
- We have a £3.5m ocean-going research ship as well as several smaller survey boats fully equipped with the latest ocean survey equipment.Ìý
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General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.Ìý
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.Ìý
Course Costs
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
- The fee for all integrated study abroad years is Ìý£1,385 (2025/26).
- The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).
More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
Offers are tariff based, 96 - 120 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels:Ìý General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted
- BTEC National Extended Diploma: MMM - DDM
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM- DDM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma: accepted
- Access: pass required
- Welsh Baccalaureate:ÌýWe will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
- T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
- Extended Project Qualification:ÌýPoints can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.
We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.Ìý
We also welcome applications from mature learners.
International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on ourÌýInternational pages.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go toÌý.
Offers are tariff based, 104 - 128 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels:Ìý General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted
- BTEC National Extended Diploma: DMM - DDM
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM - DDM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma: accepted
- Access: pass required
- Welsh Baccalaureate:ÌýWe will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
- T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
- Extended Project Qualification:ÌýPoints can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.
We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.Ìý
We also welcome applications from mature learners.
International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on ourÌýInternational pages.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go toÌý.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see .
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Through studying Philosophy, Ethics and Religion you will develop a wide array of skills that are very much in demand in today’s job market. For instance, our degree encourages students to develop a range of skills such as problem solving, analysis and evaluation, communicating and presentation, empathy and social skills, creativity, forming a well justified argument or point of view, time management, organisational and teamwork. These transferable skills are valued by a wide range of employers and can lead Philosophy, Ethics and Religion graduates finding employment in a range of different fields such as:
- Legal services
- Teaching and Education
- Academia
- Politics
- Social Work
- Event Management
- Accountants
- Business and Management
- Banking
- Prison Service
- Museums, Heritage and the Arts
- Counselling
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Ministry
- Health Care
- Non-profit Agencies
- Media
Many students will go on to pursue postgraduate degrees leading to an MA, MRes or PhD.
Opportunities at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ
The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.Ìý
Internships
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the .
Foundation Year
A 'with Foundation Year' option is available for this course. Apply for History (with Foundation Year).
What is a Foundation Year course?
If you don’t have the required qualifications for the degree-level course or are looking to re-enter education after time away from study, then a Foundation Year Programme might be the right choice for you.
The Foundation Year is an excellent introduction to studying this subject at university and will provide you with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to go on to study this course at degree-level.
When you have successfully completed the Foundation Year, you can progress on to the first year of this degree-level course.