About This Course
The Philosophy and Religion degree programme at Bangor University offers the opportunity to study some of the most important and challenging ideas that have shaped Eastern and Western cultures. Our choice of modules offer a unique variety of religious and philosophical traditions, encompassing both analytical and continental philosophy, and religions of Eastern and Western tradition. We have more than enough to cultivate your skills and satisfy your enquiring mind. Philosophy and Religion at Bangor has developed out of a longstanding tradition in these subject areas within the University since the 19th century. Our staff are dedicated to developing your full academic and personal potential, and to prepare you for success after graduation.
Placement Year
This course is available as a 4-year ‘with Placement Year’ option. Please apply for Philosophy and Religion with Placement Year BA VV5P. Find out more about 'with Placement Year' coures here.
The placement year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree, and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- 100% student satisfaction in Philosophy and Religion (NSS, 2019, 2020).
- Situated at the centre of an imposing University campus, the subjects of Philosophy and Religion have a long and distinguished history being taught at Bangor for over a century.
- You will benefit from our staff’s expertise and commitment to teaching, student care and welfare.
- Our staff are research active and incorporate current research into their teaching.
- We offer the opportunity for students to study Philosophy and Religion as a Single Honours degree, or in combination with a range of complementary subjects as part of a Joint Honours degree.
Course Content
Teaching is mainly by lectures, seminars, and individual tutorials. Modules also make use of Blackboard, the University’s online learning environment. During each semester you will study modules equivalent to 60 credits, making a total of 120 credits per year.
We use a wide range of different methods for assessment, including: essays, book reviews, case studies, reports, presentations, oral presentation, and written examinations (seen and unseen exam papers). If you find you are anxious about one of our forms of assessment in some of our modules, we may be able to provide you with an alternative form assessment (which will cover similar learning outcomes for the module).
What will you study on this course?
The first year is intended to give you a basic grounding in topics in Philosophy and Religion so that you become familiar with these subjects even if you have not studied them before. The first year modules provide you with a solid grounding in the various skills required for subsequent study in Years 2 and 3. Modules in Years 2 and 3 will provide you with a range of religious and philosophical modules, many of which are relevant to issues of contemporary concern. In Year 3 the range of modules includes a dissertation module, which involves independent study with supervised support on a topic of your choice from any of the modules you have studied within the School. The dissertation module is the only compulsory module in this degree programme.
Year 1
- Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
- Introduction to Islam
- Introduction to Judaism and Christianity
- Themes in Eastern Philosophy and Religion
- Ethics: Religious Perspectives
- Existentialism
- Death of God
- Introduction to Logic
Year 2 & 3
- Ancient Philosophy
- Early Modern Philosophy
- Applied Ethics
- Metaphysics
- Philosophy in the 20th Century
- The Problem of Evil
- Political Philosophy
- Faith and Reason
- Kant
- Sex and Society: Sexual Ethics
- Sociology of Religion
- The Mad, the Holy and the Demonic: Psychology of Religion
- Fundamentalism
- Paradoxes of he Self: Nietzsche and Jung
- Hinduism in the Modern World
- Comparative Philosophy: Existentialism and Asian Philosophy
- Tales of Might and Morality: The Ethics of Mythology
- Religious Education
- God and Government
- Independent Study (Year 2)
- Dissertation (Year 3)
Welsh-medium modules
Blwyddyn 1
- Cyflwyniad i Gristnogaeth
- Moeseg: Agweddau Crefyddol
Blwyddyn 2 a 3
- Bwdhaeth yn y Byd Modern
- Iddewiaeth yn y Byd Modern
- Natur a Chrefydd y Gorllewin
- Crefydd yng Nghymru
- Gwrth-Semitiaeth
- Yr Holocost: Ymatebion Crefyddol ac Athronyddol
- Y Gaethfasnach Drawsatlantig
- Addysg Grefyddol
- Astudiaeth Annibynol (Blwyddyn 2)
- Traethawd Hir (Blwyddyn 3)
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Philosophy and Religion Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Optional Costs:
Purchase of books for required reading for some modules at a discounted price (though copies of required reading are available in the University Library): Approx. £0-25 per module, £0-35 per year, and £0-45 per course.
School Graduation Lunch – free for student and 2 guests, additional guest £10 per head.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
- The fee for all placement, international and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
Offers are tariff based, 80 - 104 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.
- A Levels (no specific subjects required)
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma and Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMP - DMM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical/Extended Diploma: considered on a case by case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- Access
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
A degree in Philosophy and Religion will open up opportunities in a broad range of areas, including teaching, communication, publishing, social work, librarianship, the media etc. Many students will go on to pursue postgraduate degrees leading to an MA, MRes or PhD.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
With the BEA, you can gain recognition for your extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering, clubs and societies, part-time work, etc.)
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about the volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
