COURSE CURRICULUM

The Religion, Philosophy and Ethics degree provides students with a comprehensive and critical understanding of the major ideas, beliefs, and ethical debates that continue to shape societies across the world. In the first year, students explore themes such as injustice, resistance, revolution, faith, morality, philosophy, and the influence of digital culture through modules including Injustice, Resistance and Revolution, Faith, Space and Place, Beyond Tradition: From Counterculture to Climate Justice, The Big Questions, Moral Minefields, How to Think: Fake News, AI Slop and Ignorance, and The Attention Market: Philosophy and Ethics in a Digital World. These modules encourage students to examine issues such as environmental destruction, inequality, capitalism, discrimination, human rights, activism, and social change through diverse religious, philosophical, and political perspectives. Students investigate how power operates within societies and how ideas have inspired both oppression and movements for justice and reform. In the second year, students deepen their understanding of major world religions, ethical systems, and philosophical traditions through modules including Monotheism, Meaning and Morality, Feminism, Gender and Sexuality, Dharma, Diversity and Diaspora, Climate Justice: Our World, Our Duty, The Art of Living: Philosophy as Self-Transformation, Technology and Transcendence, and Research and Engagement. Particular attention is given to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, exploring their theological traditions, moral teachings, scriptures, rituals, and contemporary relevance alongside wider debates surrounding identity, diversity, spirituality, and technological change. In the final year, students undertake an independent dissertation supported by specialist supervision while also studying advanced topics such as European Intellectual History, Food, Sex and Death, God, Power, and Violence, Nietzsche: From Fascism to Feminism, and Philosophy and Fiction. The dissertation allows students to pursue their own intellectual interests while developing advanced research, communication, and project management skills through the completion of a substantial 9000-word project. Overall, the programme develops critical thinking, ethical reasoning, analytical ability, and intercultural understanding, preparing graduates for careers in education, public policy, charities, media, research, community engagement, and many other sectors.