English and Philosophy

English and Philosophy both explore and explain human existence. The great themes of literature and debates about language run together with the big issues of philosophy, asking questions such as:

what are the struggles, conflicts and challenges of human life?

how should we navigate the social, moral and personal struggles that make up our everyday lives?

You’ll explore a diverse range of themes in both disciplines, and develop highly transferable and sought after skills that can be applied to a wide range of professions.

You'll study each subject separately, but equally.

In philosophy, you'll explore traditional topics such as ethics and philosophy of mind alongside emerging areas like environmental and social philosophy. In English, you’ll study the full range of English, including language, literature, linguistics and drama from Old English to the present day.

The range of modules in both subjects will ensure you'll be able to follow your interests wherever they take you.

*Engaged Arts  *
All students within the Faculty of Arts can select ‘Engaged Arts’ modules where you’ll approach real world challenges across contemporary themes such as sustainability or equity and justice. These modules have been newly designed to help you gain the skills and analytical abilities that employers are looking for.

Why choose this course?

• Tailor your degree to your interests – our wide range of optional modules lets you study the topics which interest you most

• Research driven learning – engage with cutting-edge research and teachings from experts in their fields

• Career-ready skills - develop your presentation, organisation, teamwork and leadership skills and how to apply them to a wide range of professions

• Volunteering opportunities – gain valuable experience and share your passion for your subject through the School of English and Department of Philosophy volunteering opportunities

• Unleash your creativity - live in a UNESCO City of Literature. Put your skills into practice and get involved with Impact Magazine, the Creative Writing Society, or the Words on Words blog

• Work experience -Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities.

• Explore real-world challenges across interdisciplinary themes with our ‘Engaged Arts’ optional modules

Some key statistics
Top 100 in the world for Philosophy (QS World University Rankings 2024)

Top 20 for English in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and Complete University Guide 2024)

Making the difficult easy – 97% of our students said we are good at explaining things (NSS 2024)

You can also access this course through a Foundation Year. This may be suitable if you have faced educational barriers and do not expect to meet the entry requirements for direct entry to a degree course. Please see the UCAS page for the relevant Foundation Year course for further information.