University of Manchester

BA in Philosophy and Politics

Our BA in Philosophy and Politics course is one of the pathways within the BA Social Sciences degree.

It is ideal if you want to keep your options open or study specific topics, such as race, class, crime or religion, from a variety of different perspectives.

This flexible degree lets you study at least three subjects in the first year, and in the second and third year deepen your understanding of the subjects you feel passionate about.

The six main subject areas are:

• Criminology - The study of the causes and consequences of crime.
• Philosophy - The study of the nature of knowledge, truth and values. It encourages greater consideration of our reasoning, judgement and ethics.
• Politics - The study of human organisation, government and power, political systems and institutions.
• Data Analytics - The study of data and analysis to understand the social world.
• Social Anthropology - The study of societies and cultures across the globe in a comparative perspective.
• Sociology - The study of society and examines issues such as social inequalities and forms of everyday life.

You are not tied to the course code you apply to on UCAS and have the option to change after Year 1.

Special features

Professional Experience Year Opportunity

You apply in year 1 to boost your employability through a paid Professional Experience Year.

If you meet the criteria, the Professional Experience Team and Careers Service will work with you to find a suitable placement in your 2nd year.

You will then complete your Professional Experience Year in the 3rd year extending your degree to four years, before returning to University to finish your final year.

Your degree title will be extended to include 'with Professional Experience', giving you the added advantage of relevant work experience when entering the competitive graduate jobs market.

Paid placement opportunity

You can apply for a paid Q-Step internship between Years 2 and 3.

Study abroad

You can apply in Year 1 to spend a semester abroad in Year 2. If you are successful, you will put together a package of course units at your host university in consultation with your Academic Exchange Advisor in Manchester.

Course content for year 1

Year 1 provides you with a grounding in philosophical traditions, themes and problems.

Course content for year 2

In Year 2, you begin to specialise. You take between 60-80 credits to specialise in one subject or at least 40 credits if specialising in two subjects.

Course content for year 3

In Year 3, you pick your final areas of specialisation. You will take between 60-80 credits if specialising in one subject or at least 40 credits in each if specialising in two subjects.

Course content for year 4

If completing a year professional placement, you will take the Year 3 course content in Year 4.

We have an excellent reputation for employability and are currently the joint-most targeted university by top graduate recruiters in the UK.

Our graduates pursue a variety of careers including journalism and the media, charities, consultancy, civil service, finance, marketing and PR, social work, teaching, the law and postgraduate study.

Recent graduates now work for:

• Foreign and Commonwealth Office;
• Royal Bank of Scotland;
• the Houses of Parliament and the Ministry of Justice;
• Palgrave MacMillan;
• Google;
• Lloyds TSB;
• Siemens;
• Manchester City Council;
• the United Nations; and
• TeachFirst.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester, you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability.

We work closely with students and the careers service to embed employability into our courses through specific careers and networking events.

You can also boost your employability by choosing course units in Year 2 from the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning.