BA (Hons) Philosophy, Ethics and Religion (including a Foundation Year)

Who are we? Why are we here? How should we live? Philosophy and religion are fundamental to informing the way that people live. The choices we make, our sense of what’s right and wrong, our understanding of what we owe to each other: all of these are shaped by our fundamental beliefs about the nature of the world and our place in it.

This course places the big questions of philosophy and ethics in conversation with the religious traditions that have shaped them across the globe and throughout history, and continue to shape them here and now. You will learn from subject specialists who have expert knowledge of the traditions they teach, and the experience to help you draw connections between ancient wisdom and the urgent debates of our time: the nature of authority, how belief shapes behaviour, the relationship between rights and responsibilities, what it means to be human, how to balance competing claims for justice.

Excellence

Our courses are nationally recognised for their excellence. We are rated 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality Score (Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023), 1st for Student Experience Score (Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023) and are Top for Satisfaction with Feedback in the Guardian University Guide 2022 and 2023. We received 100% Overall Satisfaction in the subject area of Theology and Religious Studies in the latest National Student Survey (Discover Uni 2022), and 85% of our students go on to work or further study within 15 months of completing their course (Discover Uni 2022).

Flexibility

Our programme is designed to give you maximum flexibility to pursue your own interests. Whether you’re entering directly from school/college or you’ve been away from education for a while; whether you know right now what you want to focus on at University, or you’re wanting to discover ideas you’d never thought about before: our first year curriculum gives you the skills and knowledge to dive straight in, and our staff have the range of expertise to support you, wherever your curiosity takes you.

Staff Expertise

Theology and Religious Studies at Chester is in the top 10 in the UK for World-leading and Internationally-excellent research (REF2021 Results Analysis – Elsevier). Our department has particular strengths in Asian religions, Christian philosophical theology, moral and political philosophy, and religious ethics. We also have expertise in feminism and gender studies, religion and race, religion and politics, secularism, popular culture, and religious education.

Study Abroad and Community Engagement

The ideas you encounter in the classroom are only part of the story. Our programme also provides you with the opportunity to expand your horizons by studying abroad, either in a University-sponsored year abroad, or via the field study module we offer in the second year. This module usually involves an overseas field trip to Jerusalem, where you will be able to develop your skills in cultural and religious literacy. You can also put your learning into practice by volunteering in the local community or participating in the many community engagement events hosted by the department and the University.