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Full Time: 3 Years
Examine some of our most fundamental ideas about truth, reality, right and wrong and explore the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome. Experience these cultures first-hand through our unique collection of antiquities with our BA Philosophy and Classical Studies.
Philosophy and Classical Studies at the University of Reading will equip you with the ability to think logically, to evaluate arguments critically, and to challenge your own ideas and those of other people.
In Philosophy, you will learn about the central philosophical principles, concepts, problems, texts and figures, from leading experts whose research strengths lie especially in moral philosophy and the philosophy of the mind and language.
Small class sizes in both our Philosophy and Classics departments ensure that students receive dedicated individual attention. In 2019 we achieved a 96% overall satisfaction score for BA Philosophy, and a 93% overall satisfaction score for the Department of Classics, in the National Student Survey.
In Classical Studies, you will learn about the literature, history and culture of ancient civilisations. Through the study of translated texts you can discover how the ancient world has influenced modern literature and culture. You will explore themes of poetry, tragedy and love in classical literature, art, and performance. You can also enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through Latin and Greek language modules or gain an understanding of the period through different media, for example through drama and films from Ben-Hur to Gladiator.
The Department of Classics is ranked sixth in the UK for research overall, third in the UK for research output (Times Higher Education Institutions ranked by subject, 2014, based on its analysis of REF 2014 - Classics), and 100% of our research impact has been recognised as world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework, 2014). Modules such as Ancient Philosophy will give you a chance to combine what you have learned in Philosophy and in Classical Studies, as you learn about the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle.
Placement
We encourage you to undertake placements as they provide you with a chance to put your newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice as well as allowing you to gain valuable real-world experience.
You can undertake a placement at any point in your degree and work in a company or charity relevant to your final year studies. For example, a previous student worked at a zoo to learn more about the ethical treatment of animals.
Other students have chosen to study abroad for one term in their second or final year. Partner institutions include universities in Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan or Australia.
Typical offer A Level BBB | IB 30 points overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year
New international students: £17,320 per year
* UK and EU fee changes
UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students
For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
Throughout the degree you will have the opportunity to complete career-related modules. These enable you to think about what career you would like and what skills you will require.
Philosophy and Classical Studies will equip you with a range of transferable skills in clear thinking, logical analysis and the critical assessment of argument. Such skills are greatly valued in a variety of professional careers such as law, politics, management and marketing. Overall, 97% of our Philosophy graduates and 94% of Classics graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduation (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, 2016–17).
Our recent graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including work in accountancy and banking, government and the civil service, law, heritage and museums, teaching, publishing, public sector management, libraries and archives, and media research and production. Recent employers include GCHQ, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the University of Oxford, the British Museum, the NHS, the Environment Agency, and Sotheby's.
Around one in four of our students continue their studies, including conversion courses, and teacher training.