Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
V520Do life’s biggest questions stir a desire in you to delve deeper – to understand and debate, for example, the meaning of life, the existence of God and how we can protect the planet we live on? Our course examines the different perspectives of great minds and thinking on such momentous issues and equips you to engage with these discussions in an informed and critical way.
Course overview
Our unique Philosophy, Religion and Ethics degree is not simply studying these fields separately but explores questions at the intersection of these disciplines. You get to set philosophical ideas in conversation with religious traditions, rituals and sacred texts, engaging in stimulating debates about right and wrong, life and death, faith and politics.
Top 15 in the UK for student satisfaction (Philosophy subject rankings, Complete University Guide 2025) (CUG,2024)
At Winchester, you study the grand narrative of the philosophical tradition, from ancient Greece to the world of existentialism and post-modernity. Each year you analyse the meaning and significance of classic philosophical works from thinkers as diverse as Aristotle, Fanon, Ibn ‘Arabi, and de Beauvoir.
In analysing the texts produced by great intellects, you grow as a writer, debater and thinker. And it’s not all about heavyweight thinkers – you have the chance to consider material practices rather than just ideas: for example, to study what burial rituals tell us about our relation to death rather than just what texts tell us.
You engage with major contemporary societal issues and learn to develop nuanced positions on them: for example, on the complex clashes between freedom, security, liberation, feminism and national identity at stake in recent European bans on items of Muslim dress. A philosophy degree might engage with some of that but only at an abstract level and without delving into the concepts and values of the community at stake. Our aim is to help our students become independent critics of society and effective problem solvers.
Find out more about the School of History, Archaeology and Philosophy
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
Winchester campus
Course length
- 3 years full-time
- 6 years part-time
Apply
V520
Typical offer
104-120 points
Fees
From £9,250 pa
Course features
- Learn from history’s greatest thinkers to analyse the profound questions at the heart of religion, philosophy and ethics from multiple perspectives
- Benefit from extra weekly talks and seminars by major international thinkers across the campus on questions relating to your course
- Gain real-world work experience as a part of your degree programme by volunteering for a placement within an organisation such as a charity or a think tank
- Visit and engage with religious sites and communities, from practising mosques and synagogues to the centuries-old religious sites of Winchester, Salisbury and Glastonbury
Course details
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars, you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
Year 1 (Level 4): Teaching, learning and assessment: 192 hours. Independent learning: 1,008 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Teaching, learning and assessment: 156 hours. Independent learning: 1,044 hours
Year 3 (Level 6): Teaching, learning and assessment: 168 hours. Independent learning: 1,032 hours
Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Teaching in Philosophy, Religion and Ethics is highly student-centred and interactive. Through the course, we will help and encourage you to develop skills of independent learning and research, critical judgement and confident communication of your ideas and conclusions to others. Classes are relatively small and you will work with fellow students on group presentations, projects and website designs. These types of assessment are used alongside the more traditional essay, commentary and exams.
Location
Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.
Teaching hours
All class based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.
Assessment
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:
Year 1 (Level 4)*: 87% coursework. 0% written exams. 13% practical assessments
Year 2 (Level 5)*: 87% coursework. 0% written exams. 13% practical assessments
Year 3 (Level 6)*: 82% coursework. 13% written exams. 5% practical assessments
Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Further information
For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Modules
This module provides students with the core skills needed to critically explore a range of Abrahamic and eastern-originating religions as they are lived, highlighting historical developments, key events, and people, whilst introducing students to contested terms in the study of religions.
We start our journey through philosophy in the ancient world where Socrates is put to death for asking questions the authorities could not allow, moving into the beginning of modernity with worries about demons altering our experiences, whether the self exists and if this is the best or worst of worlds.
Examine key debates in western thought and consider some of the key thinkers in Christian thinking.
This modules begins by providing students with a grounding in ethical theory and teaches them to apply this theory to real world cases, before shifting to broader questions of how the good might be realised within our society politically, and the forces that might work against this.
Modules
This module explores a range of global religions and spiritual traditions in their home locations and in diaspora, unpacking key concepts and considering understandings of religions in a global world where sacred material culture can be found in non-religious settings such as museums and shops.
This module introduces students to various philosophical, religious and theological ways of thinking about ecology and engagements with nature, whilst developing key academic skills in students that will enable them to confidently formulate a research project proposal for their independent study dissertation.
Philosophy has often emphasised a single model of rational thought at the expense of our lives as emotional beings. Many people have different but still valuable ways of processing the world, with this module dedicated to investigating the depth and diversity of the human mind.
Angels and Demons - 15 credits
Explore key questions of medieval philosophy and theology, such as the nature of reality and what it means to be human, through an examination of debates about angels and demons.
Religion, Ritual and Society - 15 credits
Here we introduce students to a range of ritual studies theorists and a selection of religious rituals, encouraging them to critically understand the role that ritual plays in the study of religions past and present.
Gender and Sexuality - 15 credits
Examine the range and complexity of the Bible’s approach(es) to sex and relationships and reflect critically on the way the Bible is deployed in contemporary discussions around these issues.
Nietzsche - 15 credits
Friedrich Nietzsche is perhaps the most provocative, controversial and quotable thinker in human history, and in this module we investigate his account of why our old values are bankrupt and why we need an entirely new mythology for the modern world.
Modules
Here students have the opportunity to produce a significant piece of work on a topic of their choice, working one-to-one with an academic to explore their interests and make a real contribution to a field of knowledge of their own.
This module introduces students to a range of indigenous spiritual life-ways and to the study of new religions, encouraging them to critically consider, through the anthropological and sociological study of religions, how the study of religions and religious people has developed over time, and consider the historical events that have helped shaped the discipline.
Philosophy of Religion - 30 credits
Examine debates in the philosophy of religion such as belief and evidence, faith and proof, coherence and uncertainty, science and religion.
Philosophy of Literature and Art - 30 credits
In this module we turn to Freud and later psychoanalytic thinkers to investigate whether this discipline's account of the unconscious mind, of dreams, jokes and neuroses might be important, not only as therapy, but as a way of investigating our human reality.
Contemporary Theology - 15 credits
Explore the inter-relationship between theological conceptions of God and the world and politics to see how far these influence our supposedly secular ways of thinking.
Philosophy and Psychoanalysis - 15 credits
In this module we turn to Freud and later psychoanalytic thinkers to investigate whether this discipline's account of the unconscious mind, of dreams, jokes and neuroses might be important not only as therapy but as a way of investigating our human reality.
Mapping Mortality - 15 credits
This module introduces students to various ways in which mortality has been considered, and how societies deal with human death philosophically, theologically, and through the lens of religions.
Work Placement for Philosophy, Religion and Ethics - 15 credits
Undertake a placement as an employee or volunteer and develop crucial employability and life skills while thinking critically about your role in the organisation.
Entry requirements
Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:
- A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
- BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
- International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
- T Level: Merit in a T Level
Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.
In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSEs are required:
GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.
2025 Course Tuition Fees
| UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland |
International |
|
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 2 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 3 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Total | £27,750 | £50,100 |
| Optional Sandwich Year* | £1,850 | £3,340 |
| Total with Sandwich Year | £29,600 | £53,440 |
Additional tuition fee information
If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2025, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.
Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.
* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
Additional costs
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the optional costs for this course:
Optional
Core texts
Core Texts are available from the University Library; however, students will be strongly encouraged in some modules to purchase a copy of a key work that the module focuses on. Some Core texts can be bought secondhand, or as an ebook which can often reduce this cost. Indicative cost £100 per academic year.
Study Abroad
Students have the option to study a semester abroad in the USA or Canada in their second year of study. For more information about Study Abroad please click here.
Field Trips
In year 2 and/or year 3, students may undertake field studies to explore the diversity of religions, cultures and traditions - previous trips have included India, Istanbul and Jerusalem. The cost of a field trip is dependent on location and duration. An indicative cost for previous trips is between £800 and £1,200.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates enter a wide range of careers in such areas as teaching (philosophy, religion or ethics), charity/Non-Governmental Organisation work, and employment in both the public and private sectors.
Pre-approved for a Masters
If you study a Bachelor Honours degrees with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE
"I knew Winchester would give me the freedom to study what I wanted. The department is full of passionate lecturers who truly care about their subjects."
