Philosophy BA
Develop your thinking skills through a distinctive combination of imagination and exact reasoning. This single honours course will give you a solid understanding of the foundation of the discipline, along with a great degree of flexibility to tailor your degree to your own interests.
-
A Levels
AAB -
UCAS code
V500 -
Duration
3 years -
Start date
September
- Course fee
- Funding available
- Optional placement year
- Study abroad
Explore this course:
Course description
Why study this course?
Learn from world-leading staff, teaching an exceptionally diverse range of modules.
Regular opportunities to get involved in the activities and events put on by the school, from annual conferences to regular reading groups.
Explore a wide range of topics, including fundamental political and social importance, criminal justice and social inclusion, and climate ethics.
Use your philosophical knowledge to engage with real-world problems and make a difference in the community through one of our many extra curricular opportunities.
Interrogate the pillars of society, our mental constructs and build intellectual skills that you’ll draw on for the rest of your life and career.
Thinking philosophically requires a distinctive mix of imagination and exact reasoning. You'll develop this along with analytical skills and a high degree of intellectual flexibility.
Studying thinkers from many branches – analytic, continental, pragmatist, and Chinese philosophy – you’ll learn about a wide variety of philosophical areas, identify links between different disciplines and forge your own ideas.
From a strong general understanding in year one, you’ll be free to construct your own, highly personalised pathway, choosing modules as varied as the nature of the mind and the value of art based on your interests, with opportunities for individual projects and work placements.
Modules
Our course allows you to gain a solid understanding of the ideas and theories that are the foundation of the discipline, across the full range of our modules. You will have the opportunity to tailor your degree to your interests - your lecturers will help you do this.
The philosophy course also allows you to study a small number of modules from other departments. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to broaden your university education.
We are constantly developing our courses so it is possible that the modules running during your time at Sheffield may differ slightly from those currently available. What follows is a typical list of the first, second and third year modules we offer.
UCAS code: V500
Years: 2026
Core modules:
- Writing Philosophy
- Reason and Argument
- Mind and World
- Ethics and Society
Optional modules:
- Religion, Reason and Reality
- Death and Killing
- Bodies, Sex and Desires
- Science Medicine and Society
- History of Philosophy
In your second year, you’ll continue to build your foundational knowledge of Philosophy, looking in depth at materials and further developing your skills.
Core modules:
- Mind and Language
- Knowing and Being
- Ethics: From Theory to Practice
- Global History of Philosophy
You’ll also have the opportunity to develop more critical and in-depth examinations of philosophical concepts through a range of optional modules spanning areas such as Life Worth Living, Political Philosophy, Feminism, Religion and the Good Life, Formal Logic, Philosophy of Education, Philosophy of AI and Robotics, Philosophy of the Arts, Science and the Search for Reality, and Social Justice Today.
In your third year, as well as working on a dissertation project, you’ll continue to advance your knowledge in specific areas of Philosophy.
Core modules:
- Dissertation Project
- Communicating Philosophy
You’ll also have the opportunity to conduct further study of a specialist area of your choice through a range of optional modules spanning areas such as Ethics and Belief, Social Philosophy, Global Justice, Pain Pleasure and the Emotions, People, Organisations and Technology, Bodies and Souls, Memory and the Self, Plato’s Symposium, The Science of Consciousness, Language Speakers and the World, Phenomenology, Political Resistance, Freewill and Religion, Moral Theory and Moral Psychology, and Feminist and Queer Studies.
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we will inform students and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Learning and assessment
Learning
We pride ourselves on the diversity of our modules and the high quality of our teaching. Modules in philosophy focus on central philosophical issues and thinkers, and are taught through lectures, discussion seminars and individual essay tutorials in the third year.
Our staff are among the best in the world at what they do. They're active researchers, so your lectures and seminars are informed, relevant and exciting. We'll teach you how to think carefully, analytically and creatively.
Assessment
Assessment is normally through a combination of coursework essays and exams.
On some of your third year modules, you will have the opportunity to write a longer essay instead of sitting an exam. Some modules also use other forms of assessment, such as reflective journals, presentations, and discussion boards.
Entry requirements
With Access Sheffield, you could qualify for additional consideration or an alternative offer - find out if you're eligible.
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
AAB
- A Levels + a fourth Level 3 qualification
- ABB + B in a relevant EPQ
- International Baccalaureate
- 34; 33, with B in a philosophy-based extended essay
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- DDD in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD + A at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AAAAB
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- B + AA
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of the Access to HE Diploma in either Law, Business Management, Humanities or Social Sciences, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
ABB
- A Levels + a fourth Level 3 qualification
- ABB + B in a relevant EPQ
- International Baccalaureate
- 33
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- DDD in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD + B at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AAABB
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- B + AB
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of the Access to HE Diploma in either Law, Business Management, Humanities or Social Sciences, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 30 at Distinction and 15 at Merit
You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification
Equivalent English language qualifications
Visa and immigration requirements
Other qualifications | UK and EU/international
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.
Graduate careers
School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
Studying philosophy will develop your ability to analyse and state a case clearly, evaluate arguments and be precise in your thinking. These skills will put you in a strong position when it comes to finding employment or going on to further study.
Our graduates work in teaching, law, social work, computing, the civil service, journalism, paid charity work, business, insurance and accountancy. Many also go on to study philosophy at postgraduate level.
School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
In the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities, we interrogate some of the most significant and pressing aspects of human life, offering new perspectives and tackling globally significant issues.
As a philosophy student at Sheffield you will benefit from the diversity of our modules and the high quality of our teaching which draws on the research expertise of our staff to ensure your lectures and seminars are informed, relevant and exciting.
Our staff engage in cutting-edge research across a wide range of philosophical disciplines including epistemology, ethics, social, political and environmental philosophy, metaphysics and philosophy of the mind among others.
Our supportive and inclusive community will also provide you with opportunities to use your philosophical knowledge to engage with real world problems and make a difference in the community through projects like our award-winning Philosophy in the City programme, which enables students to teach philosophy in the local community to audiences of all ages. Our students also run a thriving Philosophy Society and an undergraduate philosophy journal.
Our Centre for Engaged Philosophy pursues research into questions of fundamental political and social importance, from criminal justice and social inclusion to climate ethics, all topics that are covered in our teaching. Their events are open to all students and there are opportunities to get involved in event planning and delivery.
Philosophy students are based at 45 Victoria Street at the heart of the University campus. We're close to the Diamond and the Information Commons, as well as Jessop West, which houses our fellow arts and humanities scholars of history, English, languages, arts and societies.
Facilities
University rankings
A world top-100 university
QS World University Rankings 2026 (92nd) and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 (98th)
Number one in the Russell Group (based on aggregate responses)
National Student Survey 2025
92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
Research Excellence Framework 2021
University of the Year and best for Student Life
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024
Number one Students' Union in the UK
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
Number one for Students' Union
StudentCrowd 2024 University Awards
A top 20 university targeted by employers
The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers report
Fees and funding
Fees
Additional costs
The annual fee for your course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
Funding your study
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.
Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.
Placement and study abroad
Placements
With our third year Work Place Learning module, you can spend time with an organisation from the Sheffield voluntary or private sector, gaining skills and experience relevant to philosophy in an applied setting. You can also take part in the award-winning Philosophy in the City group, which introduces school children to philosophical ideas they can apply to everyday life. All of these experiences will help you build a compelling CV.
Study abroad
Visit
University open days
We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.
Subject tasters
If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.
Offer holder days
If you've received an offer to study with us, we'll invite you to one of our offer holder days, which take place between February and April. These open days have a strong department focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.
Campus tours
Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.
Events for mature students
Mature students can apply directly to our courses. We also offer degrees with a foundation year for mature students who are returning to education. We'd love to meet you at one of our events, open days, taster workshops or other events.
Apply
The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.