Philosophy and Sociology

Learn from world-class talent with the BA Philosophy and Sociology undergraduate degree at the University of Birmingham. You'll engage with philosophical questions and develop the toolkit to form your own critical judgements on social changes reshaping the world today.

From the ethics of killing to the impact of the media, this combined undergraduate degree course allows you to explore human life as both a philosopher and a social scientist, offering a challenging but unique perspective into human behaviour, morality and society.

At Birmingham, you will have access to world-class Philosophy talent in fields as diverse as metaphysics, philosophy of psychiatry, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion and philosophy of mind. Meanwhile, the Sociology side of your undergraduate degree course will allow you to explore the dynamic, unprecedented social changes reshaping the world today and help you understand how social relations and structures influence all aspects of our lives.

Why study this course?

BA Philosophy and Sociology is right for you if...

You value the flexibility to tailor your degree - the number of optional modules on offer will allow you to specialise more as you progress through your degree course so that you can study areas of the discipline that interest you most.

You want to study philosophy with a focus on contemporary issues - at the University of Birmingham, the focus is on philosophy with real-world relevance, so you'll be delving into current topics such as mental health, sex, applied ethics, sustainability and more.

You're ready to shape the future - studying Sociology will provide you with the knowledge and skills to critically engage issues such as globalisation, the changing nature of work and the family, gender roles and sexuality, multiculturalism, the impact of the media and information technologies, and new forms of politics.

You're aiming to lead the discourse - the Department's position at the forefront of philosophical discussion and debate will prepare you to build and support your argumentation, developing transferable skills that appeal to employers.

You want to get a head start in the graduate market - take advantage of our work-based placements and employability focused modules and enter the workplace with the skills required to shape the digital and creative agendas of the future.

11th for Philosophy in the Complete University Guide 2025

64th for Arts and Humanities in the QS World Subject Rankings 2024

First-year modules cover a broad base of the subject and are designed to introduce you to ways of studying at university. By the final year the modules you take will become more specialised and reflect the research expertise of the academic staff. More detailed module information can be found on the ‘Course detail’ tab on the University of Birmingham’s coursefinder web pages.