Colchester,
United Kingdom
Type
Public
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
BA in Philosophy (Honours) - Including Foundation Year in Colchester United Kingdom | University of Essex
University of Essex
|
Colchester United Kingdom
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Bachelor Degree with Honours
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
GBP
19,500
(c. USD26,093.93)
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
48 months
Our BA Philosophy program (including the Foundation Year) may be ideal if your current qualifications don't meet the entry requirements for our three-year arts and humanities degrees, offering a pathway to enhance your academic skills. Available to UK and EU students, this four-year course begins with a Foundation Year (Year Zero) through our Essex Pathways Department, followed by three years in the School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies.
During Year Zero, you'll explore subjects like Film Analysis, Text and Image Interpretation, and Epistemology. Successful completion allows progression to various degrees, including BA Philosophy, BA Art History, or BA History. This four-year option is perfect if you need to strengthen both subject knowledge and academic abilities before undertaking the three-year version. Alternatively, our five-year program includes a study abroad opportunity in your fourth year.
The Foundation Year (Year Zero) leads to either three or four additional years of study, depending on whether you opt for international study. After completing Year Zero with Essex Pathways, you'll continue your education with our interdisciplinary studies school.
At Essex, we ground philosophy in real-world existential, social, and political challenges. Our approach connects philosophical inquiry with diverse fields - from politics and law to medicine and aesthetics - addressing pressing public issues like mental health policies and end-of-life care debates.
Our curriculum spans fundamental questions about existence to critiques of capitalism, covering ancient thought to contemporary European philosophy. Key strengths include:
Ethical studies
Political philosophy
Philosophy of religion
European thought (including critical theory, phenomenology, and existentialism)
The optional study abroad year expands your educational horizons. Our five-year degree allows you to spend your fourth year overseas, maintaining the same curriculum as the four-year version while gaining international experience that demonstrates adaptability to future employers.
During a full year abroad, you'll pay just 15% of standard Essex tuition fees, with no additional charges from your host institution.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 5.5
Qualification Requirements
All applications for degree courses with a foundation year (Year Zero) will be considered individually, whether you:
think you might not have the grades to enter the first year of a degree course;
have non-traditional qualifications or experience (e.g. you haven’t studied A-levels or a BTEC);
are returning to university after some time away from education; or
are looking for more support during the transition into university study.
Standard offer: Our standard offer is 72 UCAS tariff points from at least two full A-levels, or equivalent.
Examples of the above tariff may include:
A-levels: DDD
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMP
T-levels: Pass with E in core
If you are unsure whether you meet the entry criteria, please get in touch for advice.
Mature applicants and non-traditional academic backgrounds:
We welcome applications from mature students (over 21) and students with non-traditional academic backgrounds (might not have gone on from school to take level 3 qualifications). We will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference, to gain a rounded view of your suitability for the course.
International applicants:
Essex Pathways Department is unable to accept applications from international students. Foundation pathways for international students are available at the University of Essex International College and are delivered and awarded by Kaplan, in partnership with the University of Essex. Successful completion will enable you to progress to the relevant degree course at the University of Essex.
IELTS- 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component TOEFL (IBT)- 72 overall, with a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.
Tuition
GBP
19,500