BA, 3 years, UCAS: V500
Typical A level offer: AAB
Subject overview
Why philosophy?
To study philosophy is to examine the most deeply held assumptions about the most fundamental things in order to understand what should be believed about them and why. It is to raise questions such as: what is truth? What is knowledge? What is the mind? What is justice? What is art? Do human beings have free will? What reason do we have to behave morally? Is religious faith compatible with reason? Philosophers demand rigorous arguments for any view on these matters and try to produce such arguments for themselves. They require a critical engagement with the philosophical traditions in and from which such questions and arguments have arisen. They also consider how the way in which we think about these things affects our everyday lives.
To study philosophy is to participate in these sorts of discussions. For those who have the taste for it, there is perhaps no subject as excitingly thought provoking. It calls for precision, imagination, and the ability to abstract and to reflect. It involves handling complex ideas, texts and arguments.
Why philosophy at Sussex?
Philosophy at Sussex was ranked in the top 10 in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2013 and in the top 30 in the UK in The Complete University Guide 2014.
Philosophy at Sussex was rated 18th in the UK for research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). 100 per cent of our research was rated as recognised internationally or higher, and 60 per cent rated as internationally excellent or higher.
Philosophy at Sussex is thriving and, unlike most other philosophy departments in the country, offers an opportunity for study in the two dominant traditions: analytic philosophy and continental philosophy.
Our tutors have research and teaching specialisms across a wide range of topics and historical figures.
We’re a friendly and lively intellectual community, with a mixture of ages, genders and ethnicities.
We have strong teaching and research links with universities in Europe, South Africa and India.
Programme content
In Year 1, you will be offered a range of modules designed to give you a thorough grounding in the skills and knowledge you require to proceed through later parts of the degree, including logic and reasoning skills, and knowledge of the history of philosophical thought.
In Years 1 and 2, you also have a choice of complementary modules from outside philosophy, which adds greater breadth to your studies.
Throughout this degree, the curriculum offers modules in both of the dominant western philosophical traditions: analytic philosophy and continental philosophy. There are opportunities to study themes and ideas from both traditions, or to specialise in one. There are also opportunities to study historical and contemporary figures from both traditions in more depth (eg Aristotle, Hegel, Heidegger, Kant, Kripke, Plato, Russell and Wittgenstein).
We continue to develop and update our modules for 2013 entry to ensure you have the best student experience. In addition to the course structure below, you may find it helpful to refer to the 2012 modules tab.
How will I learn?
Philosophy modules are delivered via a mixture of lectures, seminars, classes and workshops. Handouts are provided with lectures, and relevant material is posted on the Department of Philosophy’s website. Opportunities are also provided for you to discuss the lecture material with your fellow students.
A number of different assessment methods contribute to your final degree result: unseen exams as well as submitted work such as long essays, dissertations and coursework.
In addition to lectures, seminars and classes, there are many opportunities to discuss philosophical ideas with your tutors and fellow students. We run an extremely successful Philosophy Society, which meets each week and is usually packed. There are also regular workshops and one-day conferences, including some events organised by undergraduates themselves.
Also refer to Department of Philosophy: Preparatory study.
At Sussex, the scheduled contact time you receive is made up of lectures, seminars, tutorials, classes, laboratory and practical work, and group work; the exact mix depends on the subject you are studying. This scheduled contact time is reflected in the Key Information Set (KIS) for this course. In addition to this, you will have further contact time with teaching staff on an individual basis to help you develop your learning and skills, and to provide academic guidance and advice to support your independent study.
For more information on what it's like to study at Sussex, refer to Study support.
What will I achieve?
- a knowledge of some of the central texts in the history of western thought: you have opportunities to study in some detail works by thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Husserl, Heidegger and Wittgenstein. You also acquire an understanding of some of the central themes of western philosophy, as well as critiques of them
- practical intellectual skills that have wide application outside academic life, such as the ability to argue and criticise arguments clearly, rigorously and concisely; the ability to identify false reasoning and unnoticed assumptions (including your own); and the ability to read difficult texts critically and closely.
Core content
Year 1
Core modules develop your abilities to think logically and critically and to assess others’ arguments. You are taught how to read philosophy, which is a skill in itself. You get acquainted with key thinkers and ideas in the history of philosophical thought, from both the analytic and continental traditions, and you learn how to form your own independent responses to them.
Year 2
You extend your knowledge of the history of philosophy while developing your argumentation skills in relation to what you study. You study the German Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who is pivotal to both analytic and continental philosophical traditions. Options include topics such as aesthetics • epistemology • phenomenology • philosophy of mind • philosophy of religion • philosophy of science • Plato.
Final year
You study central areas of philosophy in depth with a view to historical scholarship and critical, independent thought. Your course culminates in the production of two dissertations on great figures from analytic, continental, social and political, or classical thought. Other modules cover topics such as philosophy of language • ethics • metaphysics • modern European philosophy • philosophical issues in relation to literature.
Please note that these are the modules running in 2012.
Year 1
Core modules
Options
Year 2
Core modules
Options
Early Modern Philosophy
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1
The module introduces some assumptions, arguments and ideas from the following major philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries that ground the empiricist and rationalist traditions: Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Spinoza. You will examine these assumptions, arguments and ideas in the context of contemporary discussions of the issues, in order to better understand both the concerns which lie at the heart of much contemporary philosophy and the history of those concerns.
Logic and Meaning
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1
In this module you will be introduced to the basic ideas and methods of (modern) elementary formal logic. The emphasis will be on using logic as a tool to evaluate arguments. You will be introduced to logical concepts such as truth-functionality, logical form, subject/predicate, validity, and derivability. We will also consider related issues concerning meaning, such as the meaning of ordinary-language conditionals; the distinction between literal meaning and conversational implicatures, and the distinction between referring expressions and quantifiers.
Paradox and Argument
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1
This module aims to introduce you to logical concepts and strategies by way of considering some well known philosophical paradoxes and arguments, eg the paradox of the stone (or omnipotence), the argument for fatalism from God's omniscience, and arguments against the coherence of time travel. The notions of truth, functionality and validity will be introduced, along with strategies for establishing the validity of arguments using truth tables.
Science and Reason
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1
Science has a special status in our understanding of the world. Several of the earlier philosophers of the modern era were active and innovative scientists in their own right, and the model of scientific understanding has shaped the way philosophy has been done right up to the present day. Some have tried to develop a specifically scientific kind of philosophy; others have tried to separate the task of philosophy from that of science. This module will pursue questions about the relation between science and philosophy, looking in detail at particular texts (which may be drawn from any period) for which these issues are important
Existentialism
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1
Reading Philosophy
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1
The aim of this module is to spend time reading a small number of philosophical texts (perhaps just one) very closely. Different tutors may choose different texts. You will learn to look at philosophical texts closely as philosophical texts. That is, you will be taught to develop the kind of attentiveness to detail which is important philosophically
Society, State and Humanity
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1
The module surveys a number of fundamental answers given by Western thinkers to the question 'what is society', exploring them in conjunction with answers to the questions 'what is the state?' and 'what is a human being?'. There will be a particular focus on the question of whether humans can be said to exist prior to society or only as constituted by it. Conceptions of society, state and humanity studied may include those of Plato, Aristotle, St. Paul, Hobbes, Smith, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Durkheim, Freud, and feminist and postmodern critiques of these.
Truth and Morality: The Meaning of Life
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1
This module is concerned with central issues of morality – examining both the kinds of considerations which might be appealed to in moral arguments, and the status of moral arguments themselves. What should we bear in mind when deciding whether to eat meat, or whether to help someone, or whether to fight a war? In what sense are the decisions we make right? How can a moral argument be a good argument? Are some people wiser than others? Is there any truth in moral relativism? These and related issues will be tackled from a range of theoretical positions.
Kant
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2
Aesthetics
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2
Broadly speaking, aesthetics is concerned with two sorts of philosophical questions: questions about aesthetic experience and judgment, and questions about art. They are connected insofar as art is thought to be one of the primary sources of aesthetic experience. However, not every question in aesthetics is about art; and not all questions about art are about aesthetic experience. This module will tackle questions raised by aesthetics in this wide sense, and will approach them from an 'analytic' perspective.
Epistemology
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2
Epistemology is a central philosophical area and pertains to issues concerned with knowledge and how we acquire it. Though informed by certain important historical debates and figures, this module will concentrate on current issues in contemporary epistemology.
Questions addressed will include: What is knowledge? Is certain knowledge a genuine possibility? What makes a belief justified? Is there such a thing as epistemic virtue? What are the special problems surrounding inductive knowledge? Does one have special privileged access to knowledge about one's own mind? How might perception best be characterised?
Feminist Philosophy
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2
Feminist philosophy covers a range of issues. At the applied end, it is concerned with issues of particular political relevance to women, such as discrimination and equality, and ethical issues surrounding reproduction. At the more abstract end, it is concerned with whether Western philosophical approaches and conclusions are themselves a product of patriarchy. You will explore such themes.
Perception and Reality
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2
It is in perception that we are most obviously aware of the world, so our understanding of perception shapes both our conception of the way in which we can be aware of the world, and our conception of the world of which we can be aware. This module examines philosophical theories of perception, such as sense-datum theories and disjuctivism, as well as the different forms of idealism and realism which are associated with such theories.
Phenomenology
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2
Over 50 years ago, Merleau-Ponty began his great work The Phenomenology of Perception with the words: "what is phenomenology?" It may seem strange that this question has still to be asked half a century after the first works of Husserl appeared. The aim of this module is to continue to ask that question about the nature of what has become one of the most important philosophical movements in the last hundred years, and it does so by examining some of the key texts of the philosophers most influenced by, and most critical of, the founder of that movement, Edmund Husserl (1859-1938). These philosophers include Heidegger (1889-1976), Sartre (1905-1980), Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961), Levinas (1906-1995), and Derrida (1930-2004), and they cannot be properly understood unless their relationship to Husserl's philosophy is examined.
Overall, phenomenology attempts to focus on "how" things appear to us rather than simply asking "what" these things are. Themes to be discussed include the nature of perception, the role of the sciences, the impact of emotions, the body and intersubjectivity.
A reader with photocopies of the most important texts for this module can be purchased in the first session.
Philosophy of Mind
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2
This module will examine the nature of the mind, employing the procedures of analytic philosophy. We will be concerned with the nature of thought and of mental representation, addressing such questions as the following. How are mental properties and physical properties related? Are beliefs and desires the causes of actions? Could we have thoughts even if there were no world? What grounds the authority we appear to have over claims about the contents of our own minds? How are we to understand the nature of consciousness ?
Philosophy of Religion
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2
The module aims to encourage engagement with different perspectives on the philosophy of religion drawing on analytic and continental sources. We start with a methodological discussion and an examination of different approaches to the question how philosophy can contribute to religious knowledge and understanding. Topics include the existence of God, providence and free will, and the morality of afterlife. One question that arises out of this discussion concerns the appropriateness of treating `God' as a peculiar kind of object. We consider this question in relation to phenomenological and existentialist approaches that focus on religious experience and also approaches that focus on the meaning of religious terms and the nature of belief. We conclude with a consideration of current debates about religion and science and the role of religion in everyday life.
Philosophy of Science
15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2
The philosophy of science explores, among other things: the nature of laws and scientific explanation; the distinctive character of science and of how science progresses; realism/anti-realism about the theoretical entities posited by scientific theories. This module will introduce you to these issues and the central arguments involved. You will also explore notions integral to science, such as time, natural kinds, counterfactual support and causation.
Plato
15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2
In this module we will look at some central themes in the works of Plato, concentrating especially on ethics and metaphysics. We will examine the attempts to define virtues in some supposedly early dialogues, and the central Socratic ethical claim that it is impossible to do wrong knowingly. These issues will be pursued into the central moral argument of the Republic. We will also look at the so-called 'theory of forms' as it appears in various dialogues, including (especially) the Republic and the criticisms of it which are made in the Parmenides. We will consider Plato's philosophy of art in connection with the theory of forms.
Ethics
30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3
This module will look at the central questions in normative ethics and meta-ethics. These will include: what makes an action right; whether there are moral rules; whether there are moral facts, and if so, how they can be known; whether there are external moral reasons; and of the relation between moral truths and non-moral truths. Positions to be examined include non-cognitivism, naturalism, non-naturalism, internalism and externalism.
Figures in Analytic Philosophy
30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3
This module will look in detail at the position and arguments of one or more major figures in analytic philosophy, such as Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Kripke or Lewis.
Figures in Classical Philosophy
30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3
This module will look in detail at the positions and arguments of one or more major figures in classical philosophy. The module will often focus on Aristotle, considering his metaphysics, or his ethical theory, or both, but it may sometimes deal with philosophers in the Hellenistic and Roman periods of the classical European tradition, and it may sometimes deal with classical philosophers of other traditions.
Figures in Post-Kantian Philosophy
30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3
In this module you will look in detail at the position and arguments of a major figure in post-Kantian philosophy, such as Hegel or Heidegger.
Figures in Social and Political Philosophy
30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3
In this module you will look in detail at the position and arguments of a major figure in social political philosophy, such as Rawls, Marx or Habermas.
Islamic Philosophy
30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3
Language, Truth and Literature
30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3
Drawing on resources from analytical philosophy, continental philosophy and literary theory as well as engaging with particular fictional and poetic works, this module offers a critical investigation into some of the most important issues in the philosophical treatment of literature, narrative and fiction. You consider topics such as: metaphor and metaphorical meaning; the relation between fiction and truth; the logical status of fiction; and intentionality and interpretation. You explore questions such as: what does it tell us about language that something like literature is possible? Is there a type of understanding proper to the understanding of a poem? Why is philosophy troubled by fiction and fictionality?
Metaphysics
30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3
Modern European Philosophy
30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3
The module will offer a thematically nuanced investigation into the work of some of the key European philosophers of the past two hundred years. Figures to be studied might include: Hegel, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger, Levinas, Lukacs. Adorno, Arendt, Foucault, Derrida and Habermas. You can also expect to examine some of the most signifcant work done in two or more of the following traditions: phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, critical theory, discourse, ethics, and feminism. Because of the wealth of thinkers and ideas in the area, the module can vary substantially from year to year; in each year, there will be one or more unifying themes, such as critique, art, truth, faith, law, or ethics.
Philosophy of Language
30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3
This module will be concerned with the nature of language in general and with the meaning of particular kinds of expression. Its focus will be the influential works of the analytic tradition by Frege, Russell, Quine, Grice, Kripke, Putnam and Davidson. We will consider what sort of thing the meaning of words might be; whether we should distinguish between sense or cognitive significance and reference; how we manage to refer to things; how to make sense of claims about necessity and about what people think; how names and naturalkind terms work; and how we might respond to scepticism about meaning.
Entry requirements
Sussex welcomes applications from students of all ages who show evidence of the academic maturity and broad educational background that suggests readiness to study at degree level. For most students, this will mean formal public examinations; details of some of the most common qualifications we accept are shown below. If you are an overseas student, refer to Applicants from outside the UK.
All teaching at Sussex is in the English language. If your first language is not English, you will also need to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements.
A level
Typical offer: AAB
International Baccalaureate
Typical offer: 35 points overall
For more information refer to International Baccalaureate.
Other qualifications
Access to HE Diploma
Typical offer: Pass the Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher.
Specific entry requirements: The Access to HE Diploma should be in the humanities or social sciences.
For more information refer to Access to HE Diploma.
Advanced Diploma
Typical offer: Pass with grade A in the Diploma and A in the Additional and Specialist Learning.
Specific entry requirements: The Additional and Specialist Learning must be an A-level (ideally in a humanities or social science subject)
For more information refer to Advanced Diploma.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma
Typical offer: DDD
For more information refer to BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.
European Baccalaureate
Typical offer: Overall result of 80%
For more information refer to European Baccalaureate.
Finnish Ylioppilastutkinto
Typical offer: Overall average result in the final matriculation examinations of at least 6.5
French Baccalauréat
Typical offer: Overall final result of at least 13.5/20
German Abitur
Typical offer: Overall result of 1.5 or better
Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher level)
Typical offer: AAAABB
Italian Diploma di Maturità or Diploma Pass di Esame di Stato
Typical offer: Final Diploma mark of at least 92/100
Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
Typical offer: AAABB
For more information refer to Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers.
Spanish Titulo de Bachillerato (LOGSE)
Typical offer: Overall average result of at least 8.5
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma
Typical offer: Pass the Core plus at least AB in two A-levels
For more information refer to Welsh Baccalaureate.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in each section. Internet-based TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking and 23 in Writing.
For more information, refer to alternative English language requirements.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex:
Undergraduate Admissions,
Sussex House,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 678416
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E ug.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Fees and funding
Fees
Home/EU students: £9,0001
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £9,0002
Overseas students: £13,0003
1 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Care Leavers Award (2013)
Region: UK
Level: UG
Application deadline: 31 July 2014
For students have been in council care before starting at Sussex.
First-Generation Scholars Scheme (2013)
Region: UK
Level: UG
Application deadline: 13 June 2014
The scheme is targeted to help students from relatively low income families – ie those whose family income is up to £42,611.
First-Generation Scholars Scheme EU Student Award (2013)
Region: Europe (Non UK)
Level: UG
Application deadline: 13 June 2014
£3,000 fee waiver for UG Non-UK EU students whose family income is below £25,000
Careers and profiles
Career opportunities
Our courses provide excellent general intellectual training and enable you to handle institutional and managerial complexity, giving you the confidence to take on professional responsibilities. Our graduates are prepared for employment in fields such as journalism, writing, law, teaching, computer programming, management, marketing, accountancy and marketing.
Recent graduates have taken up a wide range of posts with employers including:
- administration officer at Little, Brown and Company
- assistant accountant at Capital Publishing Company
- corporations communications assistant at National Housing Federation
- features assistant at Grazia
- intern at Hoopla PR
- lead internal verifier at Rewards Training and Recruitment Consultancy
- actor with Casting Collective
- runner at Blink Production
- grants administrator at RCUK Shared Services Centre, which awards research funding to universities
- solicitor at Freshfields Law Firm
- telephone researcher at Network Research.
Specific employer destinations listed are taken from recent Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education surveys, which are produced annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
For more information, refer to Department of Philosophy: Career opportunities and perspectives.
Careers and employability
For employers, it’s not so much what you know, but what you can do with your knowledge that counts. The experience and skills you’ll acquire during and beyond your studies will make you an attractive prospect. Initiatives such as SussexPlus, delivered by the Careers and Employability Centre, help you turn your skills to your career advantage. It’s good to know that 94 per cent of our graduates are in work or further study (Which? University).
For more information on the full range of initiatives that make up our career and employability plan for students, visit Careers and alumni.
Lauren's perspective
‘Studying philosophy at Sussex has been a great experience. I’ve been able to choose exciting and challenging modules, and have enjoyed all the varied ways of learning. Lectures have introduced me to new ideas, and I love debating with other students in seminars.
‘Since starting here, my opinions on a range of subjects – from arguments for the existence of God, to arguments against the reality of time – have completely changed. I can now argue more effectively and logically.
‘As well as having contact hours with tutors, I’m also encouraged to study alone and develop my own ideas. My lecturers are all friendly and approachable, and always available to help with any problems.
‘I’m going on to do a PGCE after my degree, and am sure that studying philosophy will definitely give me a deeper understanding of religious education when teaching.’
Lauren Trott
BA in Philosophy
Contact our School
School of History, Art History and Philosophy
The School of History, Art History and Philosophy brings together staff and students from some of the University's most vibrant and successful departments, each of which is a locus of world-leading research and outstanding teaching. Our outlook places a premium on intellectual flexibility and the power of the imagination.
How do I find out more?
For more information, contact the admissions tutor:
Philosophy, Arts A7,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9QN, UK
E ug.admissions@philosophy.sussex.ac.uk
T +44 (0)1273 678001
F +44 (0)1273 678434
Department of Philosophy
Visit us
Campus tours
We offer weekly guided campus tours.
Mature students at Sussex: information sessions
If you are 21 or over, and thinking about starting an undergraduate degree at Sussex, you may want to attend one of our mature student information sessions. Running between October and December, they include guidance on how to approach your application, finance and welfare advice, plus a guided campus tour with one of our current mature students.
Self-guided visits
If you are unable to make any of the visit opportunities listed, drop in Monday to Friday year round and collect a self-guided tour pack from Sussex House reception.
Go to Visit us and Open Days to book onto one of our tours.
Hannah's perspective
'Studying at Sussex gave me so many opportunities to really throw myself into university life, and being taught by enthusiastic academic staff who are involved in ground-breaking research meant that the education I received was second to none.
'Coming to an Open Day gave me a great insight into both academic and social life at Sussex. Working here means that I now get to tell others about my experiences and share all the great things about the University. And if you can’t make it to our Open Days, we’ve other opportunities to visit, or you can visit our Facebook page and our Visit us and Open Days pages.'
Hannah Steele
Graduate Intern, Student Recruitment Services
Aaron-Leslie's perspective
'Leaving home to study at Sussex was an exciting new experience, and settling in came naturally with all the different activities on campus throughout the year. There are loads of facilities available on your doorstep, both the Library and the gym are only ever a short walk away.
'My experience at Sussex has been amazing. It's a really friendly campus, the academics are helpful, and Brighton is just around the corner. I now work as a student ambassador, and help out at Open Days, sharing all the things I've grown to love about Sussex!'
Aaron-Leslie Williams
BSc in Mathematics