Philosophy

Undergraduate degrees

Philosophy at Essex is critical, existential, real and unique.

Philosophers at Essex use the tools of philosophy and the study of its history to engage with the most pressing issues of our time: climate change, capitalism & inequality, gender & justice, and the epidemic of mental illness.

As the UK’s leading centre for Critical Theory, we use multi-disciplinary analysis to ask hard questions about power and ideology in the contemporary world. Our courses tackle the hard questions about Death, God and the Meaning of Life. Plato thought that the ultimate concern of philosophy was with a world of abstract ideas. We love Plato, and we love ideas, but at Essex philosophy begins and ends in the real world. Our academics are making real-world changes, such as Professor Wayne Martin’s recommendations on Do Not Attempt CPR usage in care homes.

Career prospects

Studying Philosophy at Essex can provide you with:

• The ability to analyse and solve difficult problems
• The ability to think clearly, creatively, and self-critically
• The ability to work in a team, taking a collaborative approach to problems

Philosophy graduates are well-suited to a wide range of occupations, including law, PR, journalism and the media, the Civil Service, charity work, banking, and the NHS.

Explore the career opportunities Philosophy can provide.

Postgraduate degrees

At Essex we are world-renowned for our combination of Continental and Anglo-American philosophy.

We study real-world problems, both political and existential, to gain a critical perspective on the personal, political, and socio-economic challenges we face today. Join our tight-knit school that is praised for its collaborative and supportive ethos and teaching environment.

We're 9th for philosophy for overall positivity score (National Student Survey 2023, English Broad Discipline Institutions).

Visit our department page to learn more about our faculty, research opportunities, and the diverse array of courses we offer that can enrich your experience at Essex.

Postgraduate Research degrees

Philosophy at Essex offers a unique environment for PhD study. 

We have two major funded research projects: The Ethics of Powerlessness and The Essex Autonomy Project. 

That's not all though. We have expertise in all sorts of philosophical themes and many of our academics are open to supervision.  

 Use our research finder to find a topic and a supervisor to suit you, or find out more about our School of Philosophy and Art History.

Start your application with us

Explore our Philosophy research by theme or your area of interest and find a supervisor that can support your through your studies. More information can be found about research degrees on our school pages. Our courses below will help guide you through the various research degree programmes we offer.