Study philosophy in England UK. List of 118 best institutions, 2024 prices, rankings
- In 2023 80% of students achieved A*– B grades at A-levelUnited KingdomLondonCurrently watching: 8from 48037.00 £ / yearApply with documents
- In 2021 - 88% of A Level students achieved A* - BUnited KingdomOxfordCurrently watching: 7from 15100.00 £ / termApply with documents
- In 2022 80% of pupils’ results have been graded A* – BUnited KingdomCheltenhamCurrently watching: 7from 8080.00 £ / termApply with documents
- from 9083.00 £ / termApply with documents
- Brighton is the second most popular choice after London.United KingdomBrightonCurrently watching: 6from 1448 £ / weeksApply with documents
- In 2020 - 70.5% of A Level students achieved A* - AUnited KingdomRugbyCurrently watching: 6from 12818.00 £ / termApply with documents
- The highest ranked co-educational school in the United Kingdom in 2021United KingdomBrightonCurrently watching: 7from 16740.00 £ / termApply with documents
- In 2019 - near 87% of A Level students achieved A*-C gradesUnited KingdomNorthamptonCurrently watching: 10from 30690.00 £ / yearApply with documents
- from 1160 £ / weeksApply with documents
- All students holding Oxbridge places met their offersUnited KingdomLondonCurrently watching: 9from 60995.00 £ / yearApply with documents
Alternative destinations
Education information
The study of philosophy in the UKhas a long tradition based on the university education of the oldest and most prestigious universities in England - Oxfordand Cambridge. The modern world poses extensive challenges for specialists in various fields and expects them to be able to think systematically and find universal solutions to emerging problems. Philosophical education forms such skills. In foreign practice, including British practice, specialists who have received a bachelor's or master's degree in philosophy along with qualifications in another field are widely in demand in the labor market. The percentage of employment among graduates of faculties with in-depth study of philosophy is high.
Philosophical education in England is considered elite, it opens up opportunities for students to get a promising job in the best international companies. For them, such areas are open as:
- Science, teaching
- Economics
- Right
- Mass media, media
- Marketing
- Politics
- Charity, non-profit foundations
- Management
- Business.
The study of philosophy in the UKis concentrated in higher education institutions offering bachelor's, master's, doctoral courses in classical, modern, global philosophy and a number of related specialties: philosophy and linguistics, philosophy and mathematics, philosophy and art history. In addition to university education, there are academic programs with the study of philosophy. Seminars and summer schools are centered around the study of a specific philosophical problem, the legacy of an individual thinker. Separate courses for beginners are devoted to a brief introduction to philosophy as a science.
High School Philosophy in the UK
Studying philosophy in high schools in England is focused on foreign students who plan to enter the philosophical departments of British universities.
High school programs ( A-Level, International Baccalaureate) are created in accordance with the selected subjects. Applicants for the faculty of philosophy choose to study the introduction courses in philosophy, logic, mathematics, history, economics and sociology. The A-Level program, traditional for the UK, allows to deeply study 3-4 specialized disciplines, International Baccalaureate makes it possible to cover 6 academic courses at a standard and advanced level, as well as develop skills in systemic, logical thinking, writing your own essay.
Philosophical higher education in England for foregin students
Philosophical higher education in England is available to foreign students who have, first of all, a complete secondary education that meets British educational standards. Universities in the United Kingdom offer students non-standard entry data a thorough and supportive academic preparation for successful study at the faculty of philosophy - the Foundation course. It is carefully designed in accordance with the requirements of the curriculum, aimed at the development of academic, educational skills, subject knowledge necessary for successful study.
The program for studying philosophy begins with an introduction to philosophy, including the study of the foundations of ethics, metaphysics, logic, and thinking. Students learn to reason on philosophical topics, express their thoughts in oral, written forms. The academic program focuses on the philosophy of language, the issues of the interaction of medicine, religion and philosophy, feminist theory, and politics. Students work on their own research on a selected topic. Masters pay great attention to writing a dissertation, gain practical experience in teaching individual modules of philosophical courses. The learning process includes lectures, seminars, discussions, individual, group studies, project assignments.
Studying philosophy at universities in the UK is aimed at:
- Mastering knowledge on the main topics, texts of the Western philosophical tradition, understanding the ideas of the main philosophers from antiquity to the present day
- The assimilation of theories, arguments in the field of logic, metaphysics, epistemology and philosophy of the mind, including topics such as existence, truth, certainty, meaning, causality, free will and the relationship of mind and body
- Understanding of fundamental theories in the field of morality, political and social philosophy, including topics such as the nature of judgments about good and evil, human rights, duties and obligations, relations between man and society, freedom and justice
- Studying philosophy in an interdisciplinary context
- Development of intellectual skills for creating complex presentations, work and critical perception of oral, written sources, collecting, analyzing complex information, formulating, defending one's own ideas
- The formation of skills to identify key issues in philosophical discussions, accurate expression of thoughts when formulating complex, controversial philosophical problems, interpretation of philosophical texts, critical evaluation of the arguments presented in such texts, use, criticism of specialized philosophical terminology, recognition of methodological errors, rhetorical techniques, critically evaluate the premises and methods
- The formation of systemic thinking skills, a universal approach to solving global problems
- The development of skills to respond positively to challenges in subsequent working, research practice - the preparation of targeted, compelling written presentations that summarize information and evaluate arguments; identification of problems; assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of various decisions; assessment of the quality of their team work; managing time and meeting deadlines; ability to work independently and in a team; use of information technology.
Studying Philosophy at Academic Courses in England
The study of philosophy at academic courses in England is aimed at introducing students to a number of classical and modern philosophical concepts. The topics of the courses include the essence of knowledge and reality, ethics, the nature of the mind, the philosophy of logic and language, the study of key philosophical theories and the legacy of a number of central figures. Courses can improve the skills of discussion, public speaking, the ability to analyze, reason and formulate their own judgments. As part of the academic courses, students research, evaluate and present a small scientific essay on a philosophical topic of interest to them.
TOP-10 universities to study philosophy in the UK
Higher education institution | Program | Cost of education | Training duration |
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics with Foundation Year BA (Hons) | 17600 £ / year | 1 year | |
BPhil in Philosophy | 25387 £ / year | 2 years | |
Global Philosophies BA (Hons) | 15700 £ / year | 3 years | |
Business with Philosophy BA (Hons) | 16 950 £ / year | 3 years | |
Logic Computing MRes | 17 950 £ / year | 1 year | |
Logic, Philosophy of Mathematics MA | 18,400 £ / year | 1 year | |
PhD Philosophical Research Program | 20 950 £ / year | 3 years | |
MLitt in Philosophy | 15,250 £ / year | 1 year | |
Oxford university | Summer Philosophy Course, Summer Boarding Courses | 3700 £ / 2 week | 2-6 weeks |
Philosophy Short Course | 4295 £ / 2 week | 2 weeks |
Best philosophy universities in Britain 2024 | Complete University Guide
Rank | Institution | Entry Standards | Student Satisfaction | Research Quality | Research Intensity | Graduate Prospects | Overall Score |
1 | Oxford | 212 | 3.31 | 1 | 84 | 100 | |
2 | Cambridge | 193 | 3.06 | 1 | 84 | 97.4 | |
3 | St Andrews | 202 | 4.37 | 3.21 | 0.98 | 68 | 94.3 |
4 | London School of Economics | 171 | 3.82 | 3.21 | 0.92 | 90 | 94 |
5 | University College London | 180 | 4 | 3.2 | 1 | 80 | 93.7 |
6 | Exeter | 175 | 4.06 | 2.99 | 1 | 84 | 93.5 |
7 | Durham | 201 | 4.04 | 2.82 | 0.82 | 80 | 93.5 |
8 | Bristol | 177 | 3.12 | 0.85 | 72 | 93.3 | |
9 | Birmingham | 155 | 4.04 | 3.3 | 0.88 | 80 | 92.3 |
10 | Warwick | 163 | 4.09 | 3.22 | 0.9 | 74 | 91.8 |
11 | Newcastle | 139 | 3.98 | 3.46 | 0.8 | 82 | 91.8 |
12 | Lancaster | 149 | 4.03 | 3.15 | 1 | 78 | 91.3 |
13 | Edinburgh | 177 | 3.89 | 3.2 | 0.94 | 68 | 91.2 |
14 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 131 | 4.16 | 2.81 | 0.95 | 84 | 90.4 |
15 | Sheffield | 144 | 4.11 | 3.18 | 0.96 | 72 | 90.4 |
16 | Southampton | 139 | 4.27 | 2.86 | 0.92 | 76 | 90.1 |
17 | King's College London | 177 | 4 | 3.23 | 0.96 | 58 | 90 |
18 | York | 144 | 4.1 | 2.74 | 1 | 78 | 90 |
19 | Sussex | 136 | 3.91 | 2.98 | 0.81 | 82 | 89.9 |
20 | Manchester | 162 | 3.9 | 2.86 | 0.85 | 74 | 89.9 |
21 | SOAS University of London | 150 | 4.12 | 3.04 | 0.75 | 89.7 | |
22 | Leeds | 153 | 4.01 | 3.12 | 0.81 | 66 | 89.2 |
23 | Aberdeen | 160 | 4.31 | 2.75 | 0.95 | 62 | 89 |
24 | Nottingham | 142 | 4.06 | 2.8 | 0.93 | 72 | 88.8 |
25 | Liverpool | 129 | 4.04 | 2.79 | 0.89 | 78 | 88.7 |
26 | Stirling | 175 | 3.99 | 2.71 | 0.78 | 64 | 88.7 |
27 | Liverpool Hope | 112 | 4.59 | 2.37 | 0.83 | 78 | 87.9 |
28 | Kent | 120 | 4.07 | 2.72 | 1 | 72 | 87.4 |
29 | Glasgow | 162 | 3.8 | 2.57 | 0.85 | 62 | 86.8 |
30 | Hertfordshire | 99 | 4.08 | 2.78 | 0.95 | 76 | 86.8 |
31 | Cardiff | 134 | 3.81 | 2.85 | 1 | 64 | 86.6 |
32 | Essex | 104 | 4.06 | 3.19 | 0.86 | 66 | 86.6 |
33 | Queen's, Belfast | 140 | 4 | 2.98 | 1 | 54 | 86.4 |
34 | Roehampton | 104 | 4.02 | 2.47 | 0.97 | 78 | 86.4 |
35 | Keele | 115 | 4.17 | 2.73 | 0.8 | 64 | 85.7 |
36 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 121 | 3.99 | 2.5 | 0.95 | 85.2 | |
37 | Central Lancashire | 116 | 4.68 | 2.63 | 0.31 | 60 | 85.2 |
38 | East Anglia (UEA) | 128 | 3.96 | 2.88 | 0.79 | 56 | 85.1 |
39 | Dundee | 155 | 4.09 | 2.68 | 1 | 42 | 84.8 |
40 | Reading | 122 | 3.97 | 2.72 | 0.93 | 56 | 84.6 |
41 | Brighton | 102 | 4.37 | 2.95 | 0.3 | 58 | 84.1 |
42 | Bath Spa | 87 | 4.22 | 2.15 | 0.22 | 80 | 83.5 |
43 | Nottingham Trent | 115 | 4.22 | 2.81 | 0.29 | 54 | 83.4 |
44 | Manchester Metropolitan | 120 | 4.15 | 2.26 | 0.8 | 56 | 83.2 |
45 | Bangor | 123 | 4.81 | 60 | 83.1 | ||
46 | Oxford Brookes | 109 | 4.41 | 2.3 | 0.53 | 58 | 83.1 |
47 | Gloucestershire | 103 | 4.29 | 2.21 | 0.53 | 82.5 | |
48 | Anglia Ruskin | 106 | 4.28 | 72 | 82.4 | ||
49 | Hull | 115 | 4.14 | 2.22 | 0.9 | 48 | 81.7 |
50 | West of England, Bristol | 104 | 4.31 | 2.45 | 0.86 | 36 | 80.3 |
51 | Chichester | 95 | 3.89 | 77.4 | |||
52 | Leeds Trinity | 103 | 3.73 | 48 | 76.8 |