COURSE CURRICULUM

The Philosophy and History degree at Southampton offers a comprehensive curriculum across three years, combining rigorous philosophical inquiry with diverse historical study. In the first year, students build foundational skills through compulsory modules such as Ethics, Reason and Argument, Truth, Knowledge, and Objectivity, History Matters, and World Histories Introduced, while choosing from optional modules that range from Applied Ethics, Existentialism, Faith and Reason, to specialized historical topics such as Masada, Henry VIII, and the Crimean War. Year two continues this integration with the compulsory module Making History: Historians and Audiences, which emphasizes translating historical knowledge for diverse audiences. Optional modules cover philosophical areas such as Aesthetics, Epistemology, and Ethics of Global Poverty, as well as historical topics including Ancient Greece and Rome, globalisation, immigration, and modern China. In the third year, students focus on advanced themes and independent research through modules like Philosophy and History dissertations, Classical Chinese and Indian Philosophy, Modern Science, Populist Leaders, and detailed historical studies including the Third Reich, the Hundred Years War, and India’s colonial history. Across all years, the course encourages critical thinking, independent research, and engagement with both primary sources and contemporary debates, equipping students with analytical, interpretive, and communication skills applicable in diverse professional or academic pathways.