Philosophy with a Year Abroad

Philosophy is the love of wisdom - it is the search for truth and understanding, whether about ourselves, society, the world, or reality itself. It is a wide-ranging academic discipline, incorporating the study of ethics and morality, politics, human nature, knowledge and the universe.

The BA Philosophy programme at Swansea will introduce you to major philosophical theories and debates across different traditions, cultures and schools of thought. It will equip you with the ability to reflect on questions of fundamental importance (How should we live our lives? What does a just society look like? How can we know what exists?), to think creatively and logically, and to debate issues in a clear and persuasive manner.

An important focus of the programme is applying philosophy to practical, contemporary problems. For example, what is the impact of technology on wellbeing, and what it means to be human? How should forms of offensive or hateful speech be regulated? As a result, the study of philosophy is about both understanding the world, and working out how we can change it for the better.

Throughout the degree, you will be equipped with creative and critical thinking skills, coupled with the ability to reflect ethically and innovatively. You will learn to connect abstract ideas and ideals with practical problems and questions. At the heart of the degree is a focus on ensuring that you can identify, assess, develop and communicate arguments and theories. This involves complex conceptual reasoning and information analysis, as well as an appreciation of the views and experiences of people across historical and geographical contexts.

You will study at our Singleton Park Campus, in beautiful parkland, overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.

This programme includes opportunities to undertake a Semester or Year Abroad, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience.

This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The optional Foundation Year for this programme can give you an exciting introduction to higher education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful in your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after further education, or are returning to education after a gap. Following successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will progress onto Year 1 of your BA.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Living Well and Doing Good: An Introduction to Ethics; Fundamental Issues in Philosophy; Foundations in Social Sciences Research and Academic Skills; Introduction to Ancient Philosophy and Rhetoric; Critical Reasoning; The Colour Line: Race and Racism in World Politics; Freedom, Justice and Equality: Key Debates in Political Philosophy.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Philosophy of the Enlightenment; Philosophy of Mind; A Matter of Life and Death: Exploring Existential Philosophy; The State and Political Institutions; Global Justice and Human Rights in the Age of Globalisation; Investigating Gender; Social Media Cultures.

In Year 3: Modules will be dependent on which partnership University you choose to study at.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Dissertation; The Family and Children: Ethics and Policy; Philosophy, Mental Health and Illness; Capitalism and Justice; Genocide; Black Mirror Sociology: Technology and Society; Plato's Republic; Reality and Cognition: Topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology; Global Environmental Politics.

We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:

• Presentations
• Group Work
• Original Writing

Throughout your undergraduate Philosophy degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-philosophy or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk